Oh Brother....

One of the greatest enjoyments I get in my fishing life is to see the big smile on the face of a happy fisherman.  Fortunately I am able to do that with quite regularity, and it is one of the main reasons I love what I do.  While any smile is a great smile, some of my favorites are spent fishing with my close buddies, my dad, and especially my brother.

There is a bond shared between brothers that just goes without saying.  We don't need to talk about it, but we know its there.  While my brother Adam and I don't often have much time on the water together, it is always time well spent.  A couple years back he decided he wanted to "give it a go" with the mighty muskellunge.  I, of course, was all for this adventure, and at the end of our trip, we had ourselves many great laughs and Adam's first muskie.  He gave it the official ruling and said it was  44 and a lil' more.  A highlight for me no doubt.

So a few nights ago our busy schedules finally allowed us to toss the big baits again for the big girls.  His excitement to tangle with another ski got me excited, and I could just feel that we were going to have one.  About an hour into the trip, darkenss started to settle and our anticipation grew with every cast.  As I worked my bait up to a spot that I had seen a 50 incher earlier in the day, my heart started to beat faster and faster.  We were both aiming for the same area when the bottom dropped out on my lure.  I paused for a brief second to make sure my topwater was taken, and set the hook with all that I had.  I had the big one, the 50 incher that I had seen and drooled over earlier in the day was on my line.  My rod bent in half and I couldn't move the beast.  Two head shakes later, and a half a second gone by, I was reeling my bait back in with nothing attached.  It all happened so quickly that my brother didn't even know what had happened.  I had to tell the story again, because he had no idea that it had happened. 

As we were laughing about how he missed everything that had just happened, the water erupted on his bait and his second muskie was now on the other end.  Jumping, slashing, pulling with extreme feirceness got my bro excited and all he could scream was "Get The Net! Hurry!  Get The Net!"  It was awesome, and the ride was short lived.  He grabbed his prize for the picture, and I had a smile from ear to ear.  As we watched the fish swim away, we did a couple of fist pumps and high fives.  It wasn't the 50 incher, but some days it doesn't have to be.  My oh my was it a great night on the water.  An evening that us brothers will never soon forget.  Now that's why I call it "Livin The Dream!"

Travis Frank ~ Livin The Dream