(Fly) Ties that bind

COEUR d'ALENE - On her son's birthday, Susan Houk landed the biggest fish of her life - and a great gift, too.

"It's a birthday present to my son to let him know he needs to take his mom fishing more often," she said.

Son Scott will be happy to deliver. Fishing runs in the Houk blood.

Susan and Don Houk are owners and operators of Lake Charters Inc. She also owns Frisky Jenny Flies, a local fly tying company. Don and Susan are also involved in the Lake Coeur d'Alene Anglers Association - she's the secretary, Don a past president - and are gearing up for the Big One Derby in August.

When Don, Susan and Scott set out on Hauser Lake on Friday, it was just about "playing for the day, trying to catch some muskies, enjoying the hot weather and celebrating Scott's birthday.

It was about 1 p.m., with Susan using a top-water lure, when a fish hit her line. This, she quickly realized, was no muskie. And once she saw it roll near the surface, providing a glimpse of its silver back, she knew.

The fish jumped clear of the water once, and the Houk family was surprised at what she had on the line.

"My son, said, 'Oh, my gosh, it's a pike,'" Susan said.

"We didn't even know there were northern pike in Hauser Lake," she said.

A 15-minute fight followed before she had the 24-pound pike close enough for the net.

The Houks admired the prized catch and weighed it before releasing back into Hauser Lake.

It was, Susan said, the biggest pike she ever caught.

"It was a good one," she said.

And a darn fine birthday gift idea, too.

Not too big a deal, though, for the Houks. They're a fishing family, she said.

When they're not taking clients out on Lake Coeur d'Alene or Lake Pend Oreille, they're setting out after fish, something they've been doing since the '70s.

"We've had good days out there," Susan said.

Which is good business, too.

With the sunny, warmer weather, Lake Charters Inc. taking folks on the waters, and the fishing is good.

Salmon fishing is picking up after a slow start.

"There weren't too many people out there fishing with the bad weather, but there are now," Susan said.

Next up for the Houks is the 28th annual Big One Derby that begins Aug. 2 and runs through Aug. 5.

Nope, the Houks won't be working, at least not those four days.

They'll be fishing - as a family, of course.

"It's a good time to be out there," she said.