- Lake Saint Clair is a perfect “Musky Factory” – shallow, fertile, full of forage base groceries for musky muscle growth.
- The catch-and-release culture with virtually zero harvest, preserves older, heavier fish.
- Habitat includes miles of cabbage, weed flats, breaks and current from the Lake Saint Clair and Detroit Rivers (perfect ambush water).
By Katia Rivers
I’ve put hundreds and hundreds of maritime hours (years) into hunting for my own 50-inch class Great Lakes Strain Musky. FINALLY, I met her!
With a little convincing from my good friend Corinne, after running one of my own charters on the big lake (Lake Ontario) that same morning, I packed up my car and hit the road, headed to Lake Saint Claire. It would be my first solo musky trip.
Loaded with a determined team of seasoned musky captains, we headed out that next day on a mission to get me my first Lake Saint Claire musky. I made the traditional “donation” to the lake, and we cruised out on a roughly 20-minute run to the fishing grounds. Captain Mark Nowicki was at the helm, while Kurt and Matt set up more lines than I’ve ever seen. It didn’t take long for Captain Mark to put us on fish. We “pitched” a couple of pike along the way, trying to find my girl. Then it happened.
The unmistakable zzzztttttt-zzzztttttt, that buzzing reel song of a massive musky stripping line. The drag was screaming! I knew right away that it was finally happening. We ALL yelled fish as I ran full speed to the firing rod. She had already ripped drag out to 243 ft, and the real battle began. She wasn’t coming in without giving me the fight of my dreams. She stayed low. I knew she was big. Head shakes and run after run, and a little musky shuffle from me, all while Matt and Kurt hosed my legs and fanned my feet from the brigade of biting black flies. And, with Corrine shouting “REEL, REEL, REEL!” It was quite the scene! Never to be reenacted. Always to be remembered.
I finally got her to the boat, a 31-foot Tiara. There was no way those guys were missing a net job! Pure perfection. We knew the moment she hit the net that she also hit that 50-inch class mark. My own Great Lakes 50-incher, and my first LSC Musky.
This was EXACTLY the adrenaline rush I’ve been chasing! It’s been a long time since a fish gave me the shakes. As soon as she hit the net, I dropped the rod and immediately shed a few grateful tears to the deck and crew, and my friends of Reel Therapy Sportfishing, LLC.
herapysportfishinglsc #forevermemories #greatlakesfishing #muskyfishing #spotted #gIt was a fully immersive experience from the moment Captain Kurt reeled out his handmade wooden planer boards, to tricking my first LSC fish on his custom handmade #7 willow blade, 3/8oz, purple/white skirt tail, 7/0 hook bucktail. Perfection in a spinner bait for giant Musky. Was it the color? The action? The sound? The location? It didn’t matter to me at that moment; I was so excited.
In the photo on the right, this was also my first time experiencing an aerator tank on deck. There’s something really amazing about those few extra moments when you get to experience the musky magic and take it all in. Muskies are released alive and fully vibrant after a few minutes in the oxygenated tank environment.
She was an intense, fierce spotted beauty! I loved every minute of this entire trip! We released her unharmed, and she swam away, strong. Maybe I’ll be back to look for her again in the future – she’ll be even bigger. In the meantime, I know she lives for another day of life in LSC.
Author note: edited by Forrest Fisher
Editor Note: Katia Rivers, an ardent musky lady angler, is awell-respected Lake Ontario Charter Captain and is chairperson for the annual NY Musky Expo. She joins forces with musky legend, Zachary Baker, to host this event planned for Jan.31-Feb. 1, 2026 at the exclusive Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Jamestown, NY, located right on Chautauqua Lake – another musky haven for ardent big-fish anglers. Info: newyorkmuskyexpo@gmail.com
#catchandrelease #lsc #reeltherapysportfishinglsc #forevermemories
#greatlakesfishing #muskyfishing #spotted #gains #goals #muskiesinc