Thread: Strange fish

I guess I have had several. A few years ago I caught a white egret that just couldn't live without the rattletrap I was casting into a canal behind my in-law's place in Fort Meyers. Stupid thing tried to grab it in mid air and wrapped his legs up in the line. I had to reel it up then release it in full view of the neighbors who weren't real happy about some KY redneck fishing in their back yard at 5:30 AM all while the bird was screaming it's head off. We both were OK in the end.

Probably 30 or more years ago I was fishing a small crappie jig on a Billy Westmoreland 4 1/2 foot ultralight rod in Ledbetter Creek on KY Lake in December. Hadn't seen another boat all day. As I was swimming the jig in 20+ feet of water, something B-I-G hit it and headed for parts unknown. I just backed the drag off and let it go, thinking it was a huge smallmouth. As I started to gain line, I could see a shape that looked 4 feet long coming up. I got the net and got it on the bow of the Skeeter. I looked at it for what seemed a minute till I realized it was a musky.
Now parts of KY have world class musky fishing but I had never seen or heard of one on KY Lake. I picked it up by the gill plate and held it at belt level and it's tail dragged the deck. Not being a musky fisherman, I had zero idea what it weighed and since I din't have a camera or need to spend the $$ to mount it, I dropped it back over the side.

I've not seen or even heard of one being caught in KY Lake since.

Have caught some really ugly fish before and some objects, but as youth do strange things sometimes, I have caught a snake and an alligator on purpose. When board you know how a young mind works, lol! If I think hard there is no telling what else I would remember, lol!

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