A Heartbreaking Sequence of Bait Maker DEVASTATION 

Watching you fight the musky with this title was like watching John Coffey getting into the chair near the end of Green Mile.

That hurt. But some lucky fisherman is going to land that muskie and get a Marling bait as a bonus!!

Nate: "Oh, I don't have a leader on...", proceeds to fish without a leader.

BRING A FRIGGIN NET!!!!

We got to see her close up. What a beauty. Sad about the other part but it's called fishing and not called catching. Great video.

Bring a net. Always... With Musky, it's best to bring them in green and net quickly.

The gag in the truck 😂 I was doing that while you were reeling that beauty in because of the title, and I just knew. Great foreshadowing with the “I don’t have a leader on.”! Love the vids, and I’m glad to have you back with a new camera! I say you take the next bait back there and try to get that crankbait back!

This man is never going to fish straight braid again

Why would you not have a leader? You are blessed to have toothy fish up there and I wouldn't be caught without a leader and a net!Love the videos but I'm blown away by the lack of preparation!

it's awful when something big looks you in the eye then snaps the line! I had a giant rainbow hooked, the bugger wrapped around a lily pad, right below the canoe, looked at me with mocking fishy eyes and casually shook it's head and snapped the line... Then slowly swam away. This was the summer of 1989, and I'm still mad at myself for getting too close to the lillies!

Oof.. 9:20 face-planted that rock lol

The way the musky just slowly swam away, like saying 'yeah, you lost me, now deal with it.' ... what a badass attitude! That's the first time I've seen someone catch and battle a musky.

Thank you for taking that moment in the video. I had to deal with my own PTSD of losing a PR northern pike.

My god what an epic fight. Just the splashes sounded awesome!

Sir I just started watching your channel and I’ve bingeing all your videos waiting for another video to drop ; thanks for making my day

I can still remember every musky I've lost. Those stick with me more vividly than the ones I've caught

I think that you’re right. I’ve been making baits since the Pandemic, and shortly before I became aware of your channel (which I love!) I am always amazed that my hand-made lures catch more fish, and across the same stretch of water, as plastic bought lures. (I make lures that are all -natural, hand-carved, and with no plastics. I use a special eco-friendly top coat made from linseed oil.) Even the lures that I think are silly seem to catch fish, like my top water poppers made from white birch, with birch bark skin! (BTW: I live in New England, and we call baits lures up here.)

Ur the reason I started bait making

I think that musky bit because of the cast AND the lure! Take the W for catching that insane battle on camera for us, it was sick! I was absolutely questioning those people's sanity as they just went about their day haha

Happiness is... a new Marling Bait video notification.

Dude! I feel your pain! I lost a northern pike like that during a fishing derby. It's literally heart breaking! We live to fish another day!

That was an amazing fish. I don’t care if you didn’t “land” the musky, I’d still call that experience a win for you.

That fish will survive just fine and be right there waiting for you again. It will only get bigger. Another great video, Nate!

Finally after all these years watching you make baits official on little pond bass you finally get a very nice musky on. Great fight at least. Nice looking deep crank too.

I literally yelled da#! It!! when the Musky broke off lol.

Time heals all wounds they say… but that Muskie will take a lot of time 😂

as you said muskie I was like yea!!! but where's the net lol

No net, no leader, amateur hour at its finest! ❤

I'm sorry for your loss. That was an amazing catch

Dude that was a ginormasaurus!!! Fish can be jerks... 😅

unreal im am amazed . zap anything you make and it will come to life. true craft

Haven’t had a chance to watch this until now, and man do I wish I had seen it sooner. Holy cow that was a monster. 😢

7:56 is how i feel when asking you to make a zebra pleco bait! But i will never give up!

I'm sorry for losing that musky, but at least you caught that good smallie.

You have to make a replica of that bait and record it! Such a beauty

Great catch, albeit on camera instead in hand. You still have it saved for "Remember-when's". Might try investing in a gripper. I have landed a 30 + pound Musky (52 inches) with one that costs less than $10. Landed numerous toothy critters without having to replace it. Fits in your backpack, too. God Bless and good fishing.

Opening with Faith No More's Midlife Crisis.... nice my man!

He goes "that's slightly gonna hold me back for the rest of my life." hahaha Dead!

That was tough to watch. That sucks! Big fish, and especially toothy ones, are hard from shore. Net, leader, whatever people are saying. It is much more challenging than a boat landing. Sometimes fishing for smaller fish lands you a big one with braid. Luck some times, but both sides of it keep us going out. Great videos as always. Sorry you lost it.

Dude we’ve all been there! Once lost a nice brown on a row boat. Was getting blown like a rag doll, on a windy reservoir. When I got the fish up I hesitated and was comparing it to fish I got in the past and didn’t think quick enough to get the net under it. Went for another run after I got blown over a thick weed bed close to shore! At least you didn’t have the shakes after and lost a 1,200 dollar rig over board. Hit it with the ore and the down Easter popped off the side of the boat!

In Indiana, it is state law that if you see someone attempting to land a big fish, you are legally obligated to offer assistance. I would have helped you bro!

I’d love to see you try your hand at making a Magikarp or Gyarados lure. I have a hunch that you would knock those designs out of the park!

Man, sorry to hear about all the bummers! But I would also agree that the beautiful paint and action of your hand made bait was something that it was not used to seeing and had too much action city for it to resist!

I have been using 0.7mm fluro leader for some while and was told, a 1M pike will bite thru. And it finally did on a SvartZonker JR. The new trend in Europe when twitching with expensive Japanese wobblers is to use titanium and tie the leaders ourselves in desired length. Elastic, thin, lightweight and won't ruin the balance and designed movement.

Love how I hear you listening anything from Faith No More to Bluegrass. You’re very musically eclectic. Love your vids. Keep it up mang!

When you were talking about sticking your hand into the Muskies mouth to grab it, I wondered if anyone has ever done that, got themselves hooked and the fish pulled them into the water.

I enjoy all the professional ichthyologist on here. More than 90% of them commenting are internet warriors that never get off their ass to even go fish. Keep on fishing, man, and great video.

Jump in! Lol! You had it! Good fish but it's not official!!! 😂😂

Risk it for the biscuit! I would've been on that boat shouting for someone's dad and a net😭. Then again I live in central NY and don't have many chances at muskie. Thank you for filming and all the work for some degenerate like me to pick apart. Longtime subscriber though.

The way you took losing that musky.... I wouldn't stop bawling for a week. Also I made you that bait that looks like you, I have a short going over it on my channel @Build.Fish.Catch

Oh Man! I was waiting for you to jump in and grab it! Then hoping… then I felt your pain

Feel your pain today! Plenty of time to rebound though! I think your logic makes sense too. So a lesson was learned at a bit of a cost. Can’t be too bummed about that! On to the next bait!!!

Great video again. Sorry to see you lost that musky.would have loved to see it up close. Better luck next time. But remember:" Always expect the unexpected". It saved me from losing fish often.

I hope you recover fast! lol. Don't worry, you will definitely get another shot at catching a giant Muske!

Watching this, brought back some PTSD from personal experience. Those ones that get away haunt us for life. Learning to grab a pike/musky from the gill plate is key…. Or a net.

The cursed excited highstick... happens to everyone.

Dang it!!!!! My heart sunk watching that.

All the arm chair experts lol

4:34 that is just absolutely gut wrenching & quite devastating to have happened………I would be crushed, glad you got a chuckle at least…..you live & learn, great lure nonetheless…..😢❤

Please make a glide bait shaped like a bluefin tuna. I can visualize it but you have the talent to make it happen!

Been wondering for the next video…now i know why….well the new camera looks super fine… it looks great!!!!

Not joking, even in the slightest, my deepest condolences. This is a fish. I’ve wanted to catch my entire life and if I was in that situation, I would be a broken man. I’m happy you got the experience, but that is heartbreaking.

Made my first lure last week and this morning I made it o-fish-al!

That’s a real heartbreak right there musky and pike spot!!! Noooooo

The joy of seeing a new upload!

At least you got to see that monster jump!!

NET= No Excuses There! 'Nuff said 😢

Reminded me of when i hooked my first and last bull ray on light gear, fought it for half an hour, had it close by and got a good look at it before it dashed off breaking the line That sucked all my energy to continue fishing for that day

Those jumps were epic. I would not be able to sleep for a week after losing that Musky. Fish of a lifetime for sure. If only you tied on that leader after the sand pit.

How to net fish with a T-shirt ... on to the next bait. Aww man I feel your pain.

There are always bigger out there. Better luck next time. I wish you tight lines and good weather.

That Was a crazy fight on That musky. Sad you dint land it but good vidieo. Kepp going

Ouch! I couldn't find the bait anywhere in a shot in the video. Probably deep hooked and likely not to survive, but you never know. I think this highlights the importance of using leaders (as you mentioned, but heavier then 30 lbs- more like 100+ lbs) and nets when fishing Muskie/ Pike waters as well as proper release tools (long pliers, hook cutters, jaw spreaders). Big fish have a way of biting whenever you're not prepared

I think the bait probably did seal the deal with the musky under those conditions. It's proven fish do get conditioned to things. Had it been a plastic rattling crank he's seen a million times, on a hot day like that, in that area, i'm certain he wouldn't have bothered with it. You didn't land him but you got the memory. Heck of a fish and great bait. Great job man!

Brother Nate, Great movie!! You're 100% correct, especially as the season goes on and every fish has seen, or been stung by, every common lure. What you did is present something enough similar, yet enough different, that you stuck that pig. Great job, from a fellow Iowan!

tough luck, but…it beats not hooking into anything. what Nate does captures moments we often do not share. it’s honest. fishing can sometimes bee elle oh double you. get’em before your zip code freezes over, Nate. the new cam looks pro.

I feel your pain holmes! I lost a big musky earlier this year, would have been my first one ever. Well get em next time 💪

Bummer. That was nuts though! You should make a bait specifically for that fish and go back.

Starting with FNM. Goddamn Marlin Baits DONT MISS!

Have you ever thought about making your own rods?! I’d love to see a custom rod build video!!!!! Use it on your one days!

NET!!! Bring your net!!! Still might have been tough to get in the net but yeah bring the net please. That was a monster. Glad you got that fight and jumping monster musky on your new camera. Yes make another one of those baits! That was a beautiful bluegill lookin monster musky catcher!!! .... almost catcher. Sorry man.

I'm sorry for your loss!!! Been there man, trying to land a submarine for a video. Just remember to baby the big ones. Can always edit down the footage. I've lost some tanks to the camera adrenaline. We still got a great look at the whale though!!! Super awesome!!! Edit: Also sometimes the leader makes the action crap anyways. I fish a bayou right by my apt. and often get snapped from gator gars. But soon as I leader up the bite turns off all together. Double Edit: After finishing the vid, yes I do believe it has a lot to do with the quality of that bait. It looked super nice. That dinosaur would have probably ignored a fake plastic lure.

Man, that hurts... I lost two sea basses, one after the other, under the rain, trying to pull them up by hand from a high harbour wall because I couldn't be arsed to carry a net with me... on the first one the line just snapped off while mid air and no more than 2 cm (about 1 inch) from catching its mouth with my hand... the shittiest bit is that my mate caught it the day after from his boat almost in the same spot!

That was so awesome and sad at the same time. Marling baits is a drop everything to watch kind of channel.

The worst it breaking off without seeing the fish or having it on camera. At least you have that beast on camera and the satisfaction of knowing that you tricked that apex predator into eating a bait that you made.

Happens to the best of us. You'll get em one day!

The whisper of Muskie!

I looked at the same thing, the muskie jumps and people don't even notice 😂

Wooden bait theory - explains why the cedar plugs get it done in Jersey when nothing else does.

I feel for ya!! Would have been an amazing catch. Also got a giggle out of that smallie going face first into the rock.

My Condolences you were so close to that Muskie in your arms dang that was a nice fish.. I would have probably dove in and grabbed it.

Dude that was a MONSTER. Condolences.

That was a beauty of a musky, glad to see you’re back!

Damn !!! Super bummer That was a beauty .

Miss this guy. I look forward to watching you and rewatch you while I wait. Hope all is well.

I've had a few hooks in me over the years, and i would never want that behemoth shaking while the crankbait is in my hand... Beautiful bait and amazing moment with a true beast.

Marlings Mighty Muskie!!!

You should do a shop tour. Also that was a masive muskie.

There are several studies in europe that have proved large pike can shake those trebles out really well and that it is extremely rare for a bait to cause them harm long term. Thats the good news. The bad news is you lost a beautiful musky, lesson learned. Been there, done that! Had the same quiet car ride home

You should look into buying a meat cutting glove butchers use and keeping it in your backpack for situations like this. It's like mini chain mail and while you'll still get a little damage of grabbing that musky, it'll be much better than just bare handing it.