At New Wave Fishing Academy we believe that practicing catch and release as much as possible is an anglers duty to the sport! It is a group effort to ensure the health of our fisheries can be maintained for future generations to enjoy as much as we have. To promote practicing catch and release we are going to share some of our favourite stories of fish we have caught & released for someone else to catch one day and create memories like the ones we are sharing with you all. If you have a story you want to share please reach out to us and we will gladly share.
This weeks Throwback Thursday story comes from New Wave Fishing Academy Father/Son duo Brandon & Les and relives the time they caught back to back personal best pike. Fall can be a nasty time. Cold temperatures, high winds, and generally terrible conditions to be fishing in (for the angler at least). The problem with fall is that despite these terrible conditions the fishing seems to get even better for those that are able to stick it out and you often get a shot at some of those truly giant fish. Thats exactly what happened in this story:
"The day started out capitalizing on the morning pickerel (walleye) bite. After catching a few we decided to move on to an area where we knew pike to roam. By this time the wind had picked up and was ripping. Despite the challenge 3 casts in on a brand new Shadzilla in Black Perch I see a flash right before my bait completely disappears.
Setting the hook I'm almost pulled out of the boat with the rough conditions and wind at my back. A boatside jump that makes everyones stomach drop and a quick scoop of the net has my new personal best pike sitting on the floor of the boat. Getting some quick measurements and photos in has the fish at 42.5" long & 20.5 lbs! An absolute pig of a fish that is oozing over my hands as I try to hold it up. Released to be caught another day.
As we fight the wind and struggle to keep up with the trolling motor on full blast another fish smacks my shadzilla. I fumble with the trolling motor, trying to land the fish & fight the wind at the same time but it is no use. We are being pushed by the wind and I decide to go for the fish instead. Just as I net this fish my dad, who has been dragging a sucker, sets the hook into an arm stopper. I quickly unhook the fish and dump it out of the net to go back for his.
After a short fight it makes it into the boat. A 44.5" 21.5 lb behemoth. Some quick photos and a nice release is followed up by seeing the fish I let go in haste floating upside down. It appears it didn't make it and when we bring it in to keep for dinner we realize the size of it. A 13 lb pike in the 38" range.
Now this all sounds like a great day of fishing but the truth is it all happened in a window of about 1 hour. Absolutely insane and a day I will remember for the rest of my life."
If you or someone you know is looking to get into fishing or you just want to become a more successful angler be sure to check out our "Zero To Hero Fishing Masterclass" for courses on everything fishing! The masterclass is built to help you learn how to find and catch fish like the pro's by providing all the information you need and a clear development path! Don't miss out check it out now at www.newwavefishingacademy.com/zero-to-hero
Have you ever wondered why lures don't come with instructions and wanted to know how to fish them? Look no further than our "How To Fish" series where you will learn what each bait is, how to use it, when and where it excels over other baits, our preferred setup to use it on, and the common mistakes anglers make when using it. www.newwavefishingacademy.com/how-to-fish
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