After an hour of exploring the backwaters of the creek, I turned towards shore and I saw a muskie following about 6 feet behind me. When I turned toward it, the muskie did not move away. This 3 foot fish exuded a “presence”, and I wasn’t sure I was welcome in its domain. At one point it faced directly towards me, and I hoped that I didn’t have any resemblance to a large muskrat. For 3 days I could see those eyes staring back at me. They were the eyes of a living being completely wild and free – exuding the immenseness of nature.
As I swam away, I wondered if this was the same muskie that was stranded in the creek before freeze-up, and we returned it to Lake Minnetonka. It makes a good story, but it probably wasn’t…
Jed getting ready to transport the muskie back to Lake Minnetonka from the creek.
The bottom photo is a pike, that is. The top photo is of a muskellunge. Any aquatic biologist could confirm this.
That’s a Northern Pike in the photo, FYI.
Larry were there any other fish in there? I haven’t dove that spot for about a month and there weren’t that many different species in the creek back then when the water was higher- not like last year at this time. I dove with a big muskie today in the lake and he too wasn’t intimidated by me.
Amazing story! I didn’t realize there were any muskie’s in Minnehaha Creek but seeing is believing. Glad for you the water was clear. Thanks for sharing this muskrat and muskie tail.