Netting a Big Surprise

Well, it was opening fishing weekend in MN a couple of years ago. My husband (Mitch) and I were anxious to get on the water, since it was such a beautiful day in May. The sun was out, and amazingly there was no wind out on Lake of the Woods. A late start in the morning caused us to get caught up in a docking disaster at Bayview Resort. Boats were lined up, everyone was biting at the bit to get their lines in the water, and kids were running on the dock, jumping in the boat hoping not to be forgotten. After waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, we finally got the boat in the water, and it wouldn’t start!! The air was blue from the language my husband was using, as well as the gas fumes coming from the engine!! After getting Mitch calmed down a couple of notches, we tried the boat again. With a couple coughs and gasps, it started! Whew! So, off we were to catch some fish and meet up with our fishing buddies.

Once we caught up with our friends, we found that they had already caught several fish and we were really behind. Well, now we had found our fishing spot, minnows were on the line doing their best, the cooler was open, sandwiches were being eaten and beverages had been cracked. We hadn’t caught very much, so we decided to move on. Crossing my fingers, I started the boat. With a couple chugs, we were off. I was driving looking off in the distance, and saw something floating in the water next to a pelican. As I drove closer, I noticed the pelican poking at the shiny object. Inching my way closer, I noticed it was a fish. “Get the net,” I yelled to Mitch. Is it a sturgeon? A northern? NO – it was a huge walleye! I cut the motor, got the net, and pulled the fish in the boat. No more lunch for the pelican. It seems that the walleye had probably been caught and released, but didn’t do too good once it got back in the water. Now it is hanging on my wall at home – 32 in walleye, 10 lbs. The largest walleye I’ve every netted!