Pearl of the Dale A Muskie Story
 

Pearl of the Dale

A Muskie Story

Solitary Hunter of the Deep

Darren Shell



It’s been said that to look deep into the eyes of a muskellunge is to see anger and despair. It’s to see the solitude of a lonely prowler wandering the murky depths as a rogue hunter, ever chasing its prey. Since my childhood, I’ve wanted to feel that stare—see eye to eye with the hunter of the deep as an equal. I want to face him or her, having conquered them with my hunting and fishing skills and a simple rod and reel. I’ve wanted to see what so few see. I’ve wanted to hunt the hunter.
But hunters are crafty…
Two years ago I set out to catch (and release) one giant musky that lives merely a mile from my door step. She’s my neighbor (the roaming and daunting hunter of the deep). Each morning I wake, and I see her humble abode…an underwater rock shelf in plain view from my front porch. Dozens of bass fisherman have been robbed of their baits by her fierce jaws and brutal strength. Once she takes their bait, it and all their line are hers. Few have seen her, and few have ever turned her head with their rod and reel. She’s one big, bad girl…my Pearl. My Pearl of the Dale.
It’s even been rumored that she might be the next lake record, this giant green T-Rex of a fish.
And I want to catch her. Little old me. I want to see her—face to face.
So, like most of my ventures, I enlisted the help of all I knew to increase my chances of success. After all, it is said that it takes a thousand casts to catch a Muskie. Every bit of help I could muster would benefit my chances greatly.
First, I enlisted the help of locally famous Muskie fisherman, E. C. Reagan. He generously gave me lures and took me to places he’d caught them for years. I said, “But that place there is where I want to fish. I know she lives there. I want HER.” E. C. and I fished many hours for that old rascally gal to no avail. E. C. still offers hope and inspiration. He’s a kind man and a true friend.
I then enlisted the help of National Fresh Water Hall of Fame fisherman, Fred McClintock. He too gave me lures, and as a Christmas present…his Muskie net. Ever see a Muskie net? I could dip up my bass boat with this thing. It’s a prize possession of mine. Fred wrote out elaborate instructions for trolling properly for the capture of my great Dale Hollow beast. His generosity has been wonderful.
And yet, that hunter has out-foxed me. I still troll. I still hunt. I still roll over in the night, just picturing that solemn stare that I’ve come to know as Pearl. I want to meet my Pearl of the Dale.
Then, one day, a strange thing happened. It was March 7th, 2010. I was on the clock that day working at the marina. I kept noticing a large boat trolling over near my neighbor Muskie’s house. Who’s knockin’ on Pearl’s door? Hummm….
I pressed on with my work and forgot about that single boat trying to catch that fish that no one can catch. I wasn’t worried. Ain’t nobody gonna catch my girl….or so I thought.
The next day at noon I got the call. It was a friend of Fred’s…a guide out of Nashville. It was David Clark, an avid fisherman and guide for many species of fish here in the Dale. His trolling efforts for Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth, and all sorts of fish has been quite a story of its own here in my native waters.
His words shook me. “I caught a 50 inch Muskie in Irons Creek yesterday.”
Dang. My fish. MY GIRL! I cringed. I whimpered as I said it. “I’ll bet she was beautiful.”
“I didn’t weigh her, but she might have been a lake record.”
After a few pictures, David and his friend, Will Renfro, released my big green sweetheart back where they caught her. (THANK YOU!) They watched her swim back down to her solitary home in the deep on their sonar. Awesome. I’d have given almost anything to have seen her up close…and then watch her swim away again.
But she’s home now.
David and I discussed the many Muskies caught over the years in this lake that covers two states and many counties. I’m one of the few keeping up with lake records of fish on Dale Hollow. TWRA is keeping state records, but no one monitors lake records. In terms of length, (my sweetheart), she isn’t quite a lake record, but giving the heavy belly this fish sported, it was at least a possibility. (See more lake record information at www.DaleHollowGravedigger.com).
David and I scheduled a future fishing trip so we could get to know one another. I had to meet the hunter that caught my favorite saber-toothed monster off my doorstep.
A day or two later, I got the pictures. What a monster of a fish! I still like to consider that fish as mine, but it’s David’s catch. It’s his glory. And I commend him. That is one magnificent fish. And I must say…I see that creepy solitude in those dark eyes. I wish her well…my monster…my sweetheart.
And who knows? Maybe next year she’ll measure up as the lake record—when I see her face to face, myself. I’ll measure her, weigh her, and like my friend David…send her back home—as all neighborly folk do.
And maybe someday I’ll meet her sons and daughters, too. DS ~



Just thought a few of you who aren't getting to wet lines in this bad weather might enjoy this... Here's a photo of Pearl
http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps19749267.jpg

Very healthy looking ole beast! Good read as well!

Great looking fish!




Regards

Mr. Shell is a great writer. Mr. Clark has got a niche on Dale Hollow.
Mike

Yeah, I appreciate a great fish story, and truly a great fish! They are like ghosts in the water. It's on the bucket list.

She is a beauty. Was this catch and release?

Thank you my friend I'm one who knows how it feels to catch a great musky and let it go for someone else to catch and thank you for a great story too...........woody

I'm glad you guys appreciated it... SAMBOLIE, I don't want to ruin the end of the story for you. :)

Nice story and that is one beast of a fish.

Nice description and great attitude. Heck of a fish too.:)

I have seen that pic before, and every time i see it i am in awe!!!! That is a beautiful fish. No doubt you have paid your dues on the Hollow!!! Having fished it many times I love that lake and realize it can humble a many of fisherman. Any trout being caught back in Horse creek yet?

Thanks,
Roy

I would say yes to the catch and release of that fish since they are hoping she is lake record eventually.
That there is the Fish of 10,000 cast or at least that is the name up North in Minnesota when I lived in that area

Growing up in Wisconsin, I was in the 8th grade, I spent my summers at my Grandparents house up north on Lake Windfall. I would fly fish for gills around the lily pads. I was bringing a small one in on the flyrod and got to playing with it. When I quite bringing it in the fish would just stay still trying to spit the popper out, if I put a little pull on him he would go round and round. I did this a couple times, enjoying the little game, not knowing I had another interested party watching. I remember about falling out of the boat when what seemed like a musky as long as the boat, hit the gill, his mouth was wide open as the fish was upright in his mouth. My rod bowed to the point of breaking then it was over as quick as it had begun, the 2lb test line was no match for the challenge. I literally sat in the boat and shook from the event that just unfolded. I spun around in the seat and rowed back across the lake to get grandmas pike fishing pole, I was going to catch one of those monsters. I don't remember what kind of lure I had on but I remember it was heavy and when dark fell my arms were worn out from casting. There was a resort on the lake that I walked to the next morning, I asked Bruce (owner) what I needed to catch a musky, he broke out his tackle box and lifted a old scratched up wooden bait (Bobby bait) out and handed it to me, it was red on the nose and white on the back half, you could adjust the bill to run deep or on top. Many evenings I threw that thing till my arms were ready to fall off. Everytime I had a fallow up or near miss I had to sit down to catch my composure then it would start all over again. That following summer we moved to St Louis and I never fished for Musky again, but every time I see a Musky posted on here, my thoughts go back to that summer, I just smile and it all comes back to me like it was yesterday.

Thanks for bringing those memories back this morning:)

Ray

That was a great read Dave, amazing fish too!! for sure if I ever hook on any such beast regardless of species it will go back to be free again, such creatures deserve that and maybe some day to be caught again by a lucky fellow!!, thanks for the advice you gave me on the Hollow a couple of moths ago, my daughter and I really enjoyed the trip, pristine lake and surroundings!!