Personal Best on the Big O

With Oconomowoc Lake being the only one around here with open water, I’ve fished it three times in the past 10 days or so, and one look at the pics will show you what keeps us going back. We’ve boated a pair each trip, most in the cookie cutter size of upper 30’s, except for today. Went solo, and boated a 38 and my personal best, this fat 51 incher. After finally getting her to the boat, I needed a little break to re-group, so snapped a pic just as she ripped a hole in my net, and swam away with the circle hook still in her beak; good thing she was tired out by then. . So, after feeding my rod thru the hole to continue the fight, managed to get her back to the boat for a hand-land by the beak. Tried a selfie, but couldn’t manage it, so layed her on the carpet for these shots. Two minutes later, after a few pics and a few careful measurements, away she went like a flash, waiting for someone else. There was only one other boat today, but too far for a shout of help for a pic. Of the last three trips, we were the only ones out there on one day, and one or two other boats on the others. Although more of the lake is freezing up with each trip, there should still be plenty of open water for a few more days.

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…and a few more pics.

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That looks more like a Holstein than a musky. Nice fish!

Nice fish. Looks like time for new net shopping trip.

Nice job Mr. Z looks like your enjoying your retirement.

Over 50 inches and fat, that’s a beast!
Congrats on one heck of a good ski there Z!

Holy FAT!!!! Did you get a girth measurement?

Thanks guys, it was quite a thrill. I figured I’d be loosing her when she slid thru the broken net loops. Not quite sure how I managed to slide that rod thru the hole without any glitches, and continue the fight. In retrospect, I wished I had taken a bit more time getting girth measurements and a couple close ups of her mouth, opened up. When I first saw the enormity of it while still in the net, I was wondering if I’d be able to get this monster into the boat and keep all my fingers intact. there is some blood on the yardstick, in the boat, on my camera, and on the depth finder, but luckily, it was mine, not the fish’s. I’m hoping some IT dude can figure out how to use the yardstick in the photo and get a girth estimate, to calculate the weight estimate.

Well, when you’re on the roll, you keep going, so back to the Big O we went today. Boated my second PB, this nice 49 incher. Lost tow other nice fish that we never saw, both after a one minute fight or so. a bit more open water today than last time, so still some time left to fish.

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Very nice fish Ed!
Way to take advantage of a good bite.
Keep that ball rolling while the gettens good!

A very nice day on the Big O again today, and kept the streak alive. Col. Ernie boated this 38 incher 10 minutes into our trip, and other than one other miss, that was it for today. the good news is that more of ice has left, so there should be at least a few more days of open water opps for anyone so inclined.
Check out the “cottage”. New additions being built to an already huge place.

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Made it out today, with even less ice than last time, but the streak ended. No fish and no hits. Two other boats still enjoying the open water opportunity.

Nice job with the “Chinese fire drill” 51’er!!
She’s a plump one for sure!