Moon River Trip - June 9 - 12

[Paddy]

Went to the Moon River from June 9 - 12 (but didn't fish on the 12th). Had a great time. Special thanks to Bill at Moon River Cottages. Great guy. Also thanks to Fishfnatic for the tips and info. I will post a couple of pics later on.

Caught about 50 - 60 pike over the 3 days of fishing. All of them seemed to come from 3 specific year classes as we only caught 3 sizes of fish. They were either 24 inches, 20 inches, or 14 inches. Our 2 biggest were 27 inches and a 28 incher from near the falls. Also got a 20" pickerel and a few big smallies at the falls.

Kept 2 pike on June 9th, and 2 more on June 11th (had steaks on the 10th, which were not nearly as good as the pike). The pikes we kept were all 24" and were very easy to clean. No bones. Tastey as h*ll. Two fish were more than enough for 4 guys along with potatoes and beer.

We also tried to find some crappie and perch without any luck at all. We had some dink perch, actually they were too small to qualify as dinks! We fished in front of a small channel where we'd seen some other boats anchored. Didn't get anything. It was a small creek flowing into the moon, just passed Arnold's Bay on the left, blackish water, lots of lilly pads. Anyone know if there's normally fish in that area?

There is one more thing that will bug me for a long time...I had a monster fish on at the second rapids below the falls. I didn't get to see it, but I'm sure it wasn't a smallie or a pike, or even a wally, but who knows. At the second small rapids, there is a large bolder with a quiet pool behind it. I don't think it's very deep. The fish could have been a pike I guess, but as soon as it was hooked, it just took a huge run down river and kept going. It kept peeling off line and started to worry about getting spooled. So I started marching down stream trying to gain some line back. As I got closer to the fish I tried to gain some ground and it broke me off. None of the pike we caught had behaved this way. Maybe it's because we hadn't caught any this big? Do bigger pike normally just take off like this without fighting? I'm used to the zig zag, side to side fighting, but this one just bolted in a straight line and kept going like it didn't even care. I was using a Yellow Twister tail at the time (that's what I got the wally on).

Also, most of the pike were caught on red devil, 5 of diamonds, chartreuse mepps #4, white or yellow twister tails. Nothing on cranks or any other color of spoon. A few were caught on worm harnesses trolling, but most fish were caught in bays casting spoons.

The highlight of the trip was when my brother got an e-mail (on the boat) with news that he is being offered a job as a probationary fire fighter in Hamilton after 3 years of trying to get in. A life changing e-mail for him and his wife! Everything we did after that was just icing on the cake.

Any ideas on the mystery fish would be greatly appreciated cause I might need some therapy.

Thanks for reading!

Paddy

[fishhawk]

Sounds Like it could of been a big carp maybe.

[Paddy]

I was thinking that myself. But when do carp ever hit twisters? Wasn't bouncing bottom either. Fast reeling soon as it hit the water, then BAM!!!

[Paddy]

That sucks. I was really hoping one of you would pipe up and say "yeah that was definately a bowfin" or something along those lines.

Also saw a nice gar near shore. It took off as we beached the tinny.

[ReactionFishing]

nice report. I am glad you all had a great time and congrats to your brother on getting the job he wanted. Thanks for sharing.

[JJL]

That sucks. I was really hoping one of you would pipe up and say "yeah that was definately a bowfin" or something along those lines.

Also saw a nice gar near shore. It took off as we beached the tinny.

i was gonna suggest it was a bowfin.

[Rugger]

That sucks. I was really hoping one of you would pipe up and say "yeah that was definately a bowfin" or something along those lines.

Definitely a Sturgeon! The only other think it could have been is a Sturgeon/ Muskie hybrid.

Feel better now ?

Great report, looking forward to the pictures!

[bicephalic]

There is one more thing that will bug me for a long time...I had a monster fish on at the second rapids below the falls. I didn't get to see it, but I'm sure it wasn't a smallie or a pike, or even a wally, but who knows. At the second small rapids, there is a large bolder with a quiet pool behind it. I don't think it's very deep. The fish could have been a pike I guess, but as soon as it was hooked, it just took a huge run down river and kept going. It kept peeling off line and started to worry about getting spooled. So I started marching down stream trying to gain some line back. As I got closer to the fish I tried to gain some ground and it broke me off. None of the pike we caught had behaved this way. Maybe it's because we hadn't caught any this big? Do bigger pike normally just take off like this without fighting? I'm used to the zig zag, side to side fighting, but this one just bolted in a straight line and kept going like it didn't even care. I was using a Yellow Twister tail at the time (that's what I got the wally on).

Beaver?

Sounds like a great trip - thanks for sharing!

[Abitibi Ray]

Sounds like a great trip, mistery fish imo, could have bin a very large pike I have a river by one of my camps were there monster pike come in after the suckers in the spring and wen you hook into the 20 lbs plus pike they can walk away with your line with ease,, just my exsperience in the mater ..

A Ray

[Paddy]

Thanks everyone for the great replies and feedback. I think I'll go with the sturgeon/muskie hybrid. Wow, I feel great!