Episode 39
We Lost Count
Show Date: September 26, 2026
Location: Hayward Area, Wisconsin
Sometimes the hardest part of making a fishing show is simply finding somewhere to fish. We had a trip planned on the Mississippi River, but after a weekend of heavy rain and storms, the entire southern half of Wisconsin was essentially off the table. Luckily, Josh and Pete were available—and willing—to grab some muskie gear and head to a few Northwoods lakes with us.
It was starting to feel like fall, with cold, crisp mornings and the leaves beginning to change. The water hadn't quite turned over yet, but temperatures were getting to the point where we could start dragging a sucker or two behind the boat, giving us another option as we searched for muskies.
Josh and Pete took us to one of their "numbers lakes," a place where they expect to see and catch fish, even if we're not necessarily looking for a trophy. With the show needing to air just five days after we filmed it, we also had a backup plan ready in case the muskies weren't cooperating—we could pull the plug and go after another species altogether.
And for a while, it looked like we'd need that backup plan.
The morning bite was basically nonexistent. Josh even had frost on his windshield when we started the day, and with the overnight temperatures dropping so low, Pete figured our best chance would come later in the day. So we kept grinding, knowing that muskie fishing often means waiting for that small window when everything finally lines up.
Then, in the afternoon, Pete's prediction proved to be exactly right.
A gigantic window opened up, and suddenly the muskies were everywhere.
Fish after fish started coming to the boat, and before long we were laughing so hard that another muskie seemed to be the only thing capable of interrupting us. The incredible stretch lasted only three or four hours, but there were so many fish coming through that we actually lost count.
They weren't the biggest muskies we've ever caught, but that's almost beside the point. The sheer number of fish, the chaos, and the fact that none of us expected the day to turn into what it became made this one of those fishing days we'll be talking about for a long time.
We came back for another half day hoping to find a bigger fish, and we managed to put the perfect finishing touch on the trip—a beautiful tiger muskie.
What started as a scramble to find somewhere to fish ended up being one of the most memorable muskie outings we've had.
