Muskie in Scugog river

[Fomoiri]

Sunday morning I was down by the boat launch off St. Paul st in Lindsay. I usually start off with a 1/16th weighted hook and these skinny plastic worms from powerbait and walk up and down the dock/side to see if anything is biting, usually with a coffee in the other hand. I was getting the usual hits from panfish.

It was about 9:45am when something took it that was noticeably stronger than any panfish. My guess was a largemouth or catfish (brown bullhead) both of which I'd caught there before. It wasn't long before I abandoned those assumptions when this thing kept pulling line and I couldn't bring it closer to the surface to get a glimpse. The only thing that made sense was that I'd hooked a carp; tiny hook with fake worm just off the bottom.

It wasn't until it jumped out of the water in a typical "S" shaking motion that I knew what it was - a muskie around the 3' mark. The hook came loose and was bent from a J to an L. It all happened so fast but felt like it took several minutes. I remember seeing it's eye, as well as silvery body. Just like my previous encounter my legs felt wobbly from the adrenaline.

This was my fourth encounter on this river so far, two were smaller and following the bait but swam away once it was close to shore. The other was by the lock and took hold of a sunfish I had. The only other encounter I've had was the north shore of lake Nipissing in 1990 when I was seven and that also took a sunfish.

I'd love to land one of these fish, and being realistic I wasn't really prepared to handle the one I hooked on Sunday. Another mistake I made was not trying to tire it out.
Considering I'm shore fishing and usually alone, is there anything I need to know to prevent injury to both myself and the fish?

[bluenote]

Terrific report - another one on catching muskie on small hook while going for panfish.

Under northern lakes - VanSlyke reports on his muskie while targeting crappie - however he landed his.

For safe handling - on LSO recently was some suggestions of equipment to carry - bolt cutters, pliers etc to enable quick release. If you're fishing from shore - not likely that you bring much equipment with you?

If simple hook - once brought to dock - perhaps the best thing would be cut the line at exposed hook? Or cut line entering mouth - and let swim off. May have to revive first - pulling by tail backwards . . .

Lots of You Tube videos on musky catching / releasing.

thanks