Conference wahoo::fishing

    WHOT!!!!
    
    A forked-tailed allegater gar fish!!! Hey, six Coonasses in six
    years cudn't tink ob dat!! An he cut hes troat!! Dey don eben carry
    nives!! Mebbe he wuz eatin a garfish an dere bones got in his
    troat...dat cud cause him to die, yea...you peeples op dere gets
    som funny stories...lik dat ice so tick dat a mon cud stan on it...an
    dey alwuys tink us Coonasses do all de lyin...
    
    Coonass

    
    Did anyone see the article in yesterdays paper about the guy who
    was drowned by an enormous school of minnows?  Seems they jumped into
    his boat all at once, capsizing it.  They guy was too far out from
    shore and drowned trying to swim back in.  Again, the fish escaped
    before they could be aprehended.  
    
    According to the story, this took place last year in Brazil.  I'm
    not kidding.  If you don't believe me, read it yourself in the
    Enquirer.  It's still in the rack where I left it at the supermarket.
    
    The police have a strong suspicion that the minnows are of
    extra-terrestrial orgin, something to do with messages the chief
    has been receiving through his dental fillings.
    
    Steve

    So........
                Finally the fish stories are comming out! Well I can
    tell you that I was very concerned that the CARP population in
    Massachusetts has gone MUTANT! In Sterling, Worcester, Billerica,
    Hudson and 45 other localities hundreds of people have died as CARP
    JUMPED OUT OF THE WATER SUCKING THE AIR (LIFE!) OUT OF UNSUSPECTING
    BOATERS!!
                The BOSTON GLOBE is covering up the whole nightmare
    by calling the deaths accidental. I suspect the findings, since each
    victim was found with carp scales lodged in their throats!
     
                                 NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

    	Once I read of a very larg salmon in a chinees lake. It was
    noted as "a killer fish". Word has it that it was plucking children
    and small cattle from the shoreline. Oh yes, some folks actualy
    saw the horrifing act. It must be true, or they couldnt print it.
    RIGHT ?
    
    Looks like I have buy some bigger hooks this year.
          Or some deeper waders..........................................
    
    
    
    			I believe
                                 BUCKETMOUTH

I posted this TRUE STORY in an earlier note.  I think it fits right in with 
these other TALES OF TRUTH!


    It's a fairly well known fact that the average muskie fisherman
    will fish for up to 100 hours before catching a muskie, if he even
    sees one.
    
    Well, one day this fellow in Wisconsin was out in his boat casting
    for hours trying to catch the elusive fish.  He glanced up to shore
    and noticed a big old log lying in the water, and upon further
    inspection, noticed a small hickory nut lying in the water right
    next to the log.  Apparently this great big grey squirrel up on
    the bank noticed it as well, as he promptly scurried down the log
    to retrieve this tasty morsel.  
    
    All of sudden, the water next to the log erupted as a four foot
    muskie that was lying under the shade of the log jumped out, grabbed 
    the squirrel and swam off.  Well...the fisherman, needless to say,
    was absolutely astounded at the size of this enourmous fish.  He
    tried casting repeatedly to entice the muskie to his lure but to
    no avail.
    
    A few moments later, he noticed a V-shaped wake heading towards
    the log.  He couldn't believe his eyes.  There was that four foot
    muskie again....placing the hickory nut up against the log....
    
    

    Joe,
    
    The guy mighta been successful it he had thrown a squirrel tail
    spinner in a large size.
    
    Good story!
    
    Steve

    
    	I cut the following out of the Worcester Gazette a few years
    back , TRUE story.
    
    	GIRL ATTACKED BY FISH
    
    RHINELANDER, WIS. Fisherman on Island Lake are angling for a 
    SEVEN foot Muskie that attacked 13 year old Amber Fairley,
    leaving her with a gash on her foot which required 15 stitches
    to close. The rare attack by the huge muskellunge occured while
    the girl was swimming. The seven foot estimate was arrived at
    through bite radius computations. (UPI)
    
    -------
    I wonder if its still in there?

    CAN ANY ONE TELL ME WHAT A MUSKIE FISH IS,AND WHAT WATERS IT LIES
    IN.
    
        ALLAN

    Somebody will get a better definition in later I'm sure, but a Muskie
    is a large predator fish resembling a Pickerel (sleek and mean looking)
    but grows *much* larger than a pickerel. They have several rows
    of sharp teeth, so you need a steel leader or they bite your line
    in two. They're apparently not as numerous or easy to find as Bass
    or Pickerel, but hey, I'd *love* to catch one! Flint Pond in Tyngsboro
    is supposed to have a few that were stocked a while back, to keep
    the kibbie population down, but I've never heard of any being caught.
    
    Ed

I seem to recall reading a while back that the average number of man-fishing 
hours spent to catch a muskie was in the vicinity of 2000 hours!

hmmm...that calculates out as...

2000 hrs. / 8 hrs per day spent fishing = 250 days per muskie!

and

(250 dys x 8 hrs x 60 min/hr) / 1 cast/min = 120,000 casts!

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT ?!?

    I don't recall there being any muskie (muskellunge) in Mass. THe
    only type I know of which the state actively stocks is the tiger
    muskie which is a cross between a muskellunge and a northern pike.
    These fish get HUGE, they're arguably the largest fresh water species
    in the state ( 20-30  pounds), although I guess carp could beat
    them on this score.  
    
    A better bet for pure muskie is north central U.S. or Ontario.

    It seems I remember reading a story maybe 10 years ago about a
    questionable fish being caught some where. To settle the arguement
    they went to UMass in amherest and had the fish Identified.
    
    Muskellunge!! no cross... How can that be?? Well some investigation
    revealed that the pond where the fish had been caught had received
    a stocking of Fry that was purchased from the state of Pa. It was
    no mistake because the year of the stocking was exactly the projected
    age of the fish... It is "Assumed" that a Muskellunge fry must
    have some how got into the shipment...
    
    THis is not proof but seems to be a reasonable explanation.
    
    More News.... I remember reading and article in the Magazine
    where a fish ( Muskellunge ) had washed up on the banks of
    the Mongehela River that would have been a new State record.
    
    It was a huge fish and even though I can't remember length and weight
    the cause of death was that it choked to death....This Fish
    tried to eat an adult Mallard Duck. 
    
    There is no disgrace in not catching a Musky. It is a feaver though
    and is consider as one of the ultimate game fish challanges.
    
    bear

    You are right about the Monongahela muskie, bear, I don't remember
    the weight but the fish was 70 inches in length.
    
    There is a true story about a couple who was tossing their toy poodle
    into raystown lake off one of the camping areas and lost the dog
    to a muskie.
    
    

    Muskie is very popular in Wisconsin.  There's even a museum some
    where in Wisconsin where it's shaped as a muskie.  They grow quite
    large up in that area.  Nothing strange about catching a 40# muskie
    or larger.  I had something following my lure one day, as it made
    a wake.  I'm glad I didn't stick my hand in to find out what it was.
    
    Nancy