Laker cherry pop!, My first lake trout.

Got out to the hut around 8 this morning and set up. Boy was it a windy and cold one! Took quite a while to get the hut heated up.
I got the first hit on the tip up around 8:30/9ish but missed it so hooked on some fresh minnows and got it back down. There was very little action this morning since it was so cold but around 9:45 things started to pick up and around 10 my tipup tipped and I was hooked on. The fight was pretty good and I was thinking it might be a laker because of the head shakes and weight. As it came into view I started to get really excited, it was a big Laker! I was by myself and didnt want to take the chance of letting go with one hand to grab the net so I trid to just pull him out onto the floor of the hut...bad idea. The line snapped at the hook in his mouth halfway out of the hole and he started to go down. In a moment of terror and panick I lunged into the hole up to my shoulder and grabbed him by the tail and pulled him back out. I was soaked but I got my first Laker! After getting the hook out and reviving him i took a couple pics, weighed him, and released him. 9lbs 3ozs. What a morning!
Ill post a link to a video of me releasing him.

Awesome! great story.....I'm still searching for my first

Awesome Now to get the sleeve dry before the walk back in

Release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OKubokRTOY

Congrats! You sure did work hard to get em back up

Congrats! Thanks for sharing that vid too!

Great story..... the one that got away....NOT!

Beauty first laker! Congrats man.

Thanks guys! Sure was a wild one!
I've heard lake trout is good smoked, if I catch one a bit smaller (like 3-6lbs) should I keep it and try it out? I love whitefish because it doesn't taste too fishy, I've been told smoked Lake trout is even better.

Good report! That was close!

Congrats on the cherry pop
Smallish, under about five pounds, Lake Trout are just fine cooked whatever is your favourite way. Save the smoke for the larger greasers. My 2 cents.

Awesome job, congratulations!

No walk of shame today.👍👍👍

Congradualions on your lake trout. What I am liking is the floor of your hut. Are thous covers for your holes below? Do you keep them shut when you are not there? ........Our hut we keep the covers off so the holes do not ice up as much. Our floor is covered with ice.

Thanks!
The floor has 4 2x2 square holes each with their own optional 10inch circular hole. If I am alone or only have one other friend out I have a tipup setup over one full hole and jig through a different circle hole. All unused holes are covered for more floor space for moving around. When I caught this guy I was only using a tipup down one 2x2 hole. And yes I cover them when not there, usually only 1-3 cms of ice to rechip through the next time out.