MUSKIE Magazine

Transcription

MUSKIE Magazine

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MUSKIE is published monthly and is the Official
Publication of Muskies, Inc. International Office: Ron
Groeschl, International Sec., 14257 Waters Edge
Trail, New Berlin, WI 53151. Ph: 888-710-8286.
© Copyright 2007 by Muskies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
MUSKIE • VOL. 41, NO. 7
Departments
2 President’s Message,
David Cates
Features
3 Magazine Notes, Staff
4 International News, Staff
7 The Trinity Muskie Trail,
Dr. Gene Smith
6 Figure 8, Kevin Richards
8 Lunge Log, Jim Bunch
11 Muskie Lures: What’s the Difference?,
Kathy Zainea
14 FCIS Boat Safety
14 Letters to the Editor
16 Chapter Challunge, [Centerspread]
14 2006 Photo Contest Winners
20 Trolling in Tight Places,
19 Photo Contest,
Gordon Campbell
Justin Gaiche
22 Summer on Vermilion,
24 As I See It, Jim Smith
Adam Glickman
25 Chapter News and Views
29 See More! Catch More! ,
30 Index of Advertisers
Patricia Strutz
31 Muskie Tales, Bob Jennings
32 Member Photos,
Gordon Campbell
Join Muskies, Inc. ...
or give a membership
as a gift.
Regular Membership: ❑ 1 Year-$35.00 ❑ 2 Years-$65.00 ❑ 3 Years- $95.00
Family Membership: ❑ 1 Year-$47.50 ❑ 2 Years-$90.00 ❑ 3 Years-$132.50
Junior Membership (Under 18): ❑ $20.00
❑ For Muskie Research $________
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(to find the number of the Chapter you wish to join, see the Chapter News & Views section)
(to find the number of the Chapter you wish to join, see the Chapter News & Views section)
Old Address (for address change only) ___________________________
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My Membership # ______________ Expiration Date _______
Check One: ❑ New Member ❑ Renewal ❑ Address Change ❑ Gift
MAIL TO MUSKIES, INC. 14257 Waters Edge Trail,
New Berlin, WI, 53151
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Payment: ❑ Check or ❑ Credit Card:
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July 2007.....MUSKIE 1
International
Officers
President, David Cates
Phone: 574-457-3222
Email: president@muskiesinc.org
Vice President / Finances, Jim Beaty
Phone: 618-235-6370
Email: vp-finance@muskiesinc.org
Vice President / Research, [OPEN]
Phone:
Email: vp-research@muskiesinc.org
Vice President / Internal Affairs, Dick McPike
Phone: 816-436-4909
Email: vp-internal-affairs@muskiesinc.org
Vice President / Membership, Bob Timme
Phone: 715-462-3053
Email: vp-membership@muskiesinc.org
Vice President/Communications, Jack Moga
Phone: 440-886-3926
Email: vp-communications@muskiesinc.org
Treasurer, Pete Barber
Phone: 847-726-7267
Email: treasurer@muskiesinc.org
Members Only Fishing Contest, Jim Bunch
Phone: 715-723-8343 • Fax: 715-723-8354
Email: lungelog@muskiesinc.org
Web Master, Ron Groeschl
Phone: 262-271-1002
Email: secretary@muskiesinc.org
Int. Administrative Secretary, Ron Groeschl
14257 Waters Edge Trail, New Berlin, WI 53151
Phone: 888-710-8286 or 262-271-1002
Email: secretary@muskiesinc.org
At Large Directors
Term Expires
David Rautmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008
Don Jahnke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008
David Cates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008
Rory Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008
Karl Scherer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008
Dick McPike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009
Dan Narsete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009
Diana Mindar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009
Jack Moga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009
Brad Waldera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009
Jim Shannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010
Bob Timme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010
Mark Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010
Vince Weirick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010
2 MUSKIE.....July 2007
B
oth the Hoosier Muskie Hunters and Webster Lake Musky Club recently conducted
Tournaments. I was privileged to fish each, and again enjoyed the comradery of other
muskie anglers.
Participation gave me the time to reflect upon my enjoyment of the sport and an opportunity to contrast my muskie tournament experience with my prior bass tournament experience. Those bass anglers that I had the extreme misfortune to encounter were, to a man, both
uncivil and mercenary. Not before, during or after the tournament did any speak with me
regarding the fishing experience or their success (or lack thereof ) on the water, nor did I
observe any of them speaking with each other about these events. For the muskie tournaments, participants shared emails with tips and tricks prior to the event, discussed the event
at length before, during and after, and even recommended to each other places to go and
techniques to utilize, all this while competing with each other. Participants in the muskie
tournaments seemed happy when their competitors enjoyed success, something that was an
anathema to the bass fisherman.
While it would undoubtedly be incorrect to stereotype all bass fisherman as surly,
unfriendly sorts, or to stereotype all muskie anglers as benevolent and friendly, my experiences in these tournaments mirror those I have generally had when dealing with other muskie
anglers. Enjoy the resource, enjoy your time on the water and enjoy the others. This sport is
tough enough. If you have the opportunity to help someone, you will be rewarded.
My chapter, earlier this year, held a guide for a day fundraiser. The two gents assigned to
my boat had limited muskie fishing experience (although plenty of gear) and neither had ever
boated a muskie. We suffered through a tough day on the water with only a few follows to
show for our efforts. Five minutes after the scheduled ending time for the event, I announced
we would make one last past through an area I believed held fish. Ten minutes later, one of
my “clients” was holding a fat 45-inch Webster Lake fish. Approximately one month later I
received an email with even more thanks for putting him on that fish. Reading his words I
could sense the smile that he displayed while holding the fish had yet to leave his lips.
The only way our sport can continue to grow and thrive is by increasing participation
of those in the sport, and by bringing new enthusiasts to the sport. Whether you take a kid
fishing, recruit a family member, ask your significant other, or even attempt to convert a bass
fisherman, please realize that your efforts in that regard are as important to the sport as is
catch and release. It is truly a privilege to be associated with the muskie angling community.
AT LARGE DIRECTOR VACANCY
There is a vacancy in the offices of At Large Director for Muskies, Inc. Ken Karbon submitted his resignation and the remainder of his three year term needs to be filled. Ken’s efforts
on behalf of Muskies, Inc. with regards to corporate sponsorships, fundraising, and initiation
(Continued on next page)
Muskies, Inc. Past Presidents
Gil Hamm
Edward T. Peterka
Robert Hill
Robert Shoop
Frank Schneider
Peter Hadley
DuWayne Bakke
Lou Cook
Peter Hadley
Bob Schmidt
Larry Ramsell
Lou Cook
Keith Ogden
Bill Davis
Steve Statland
John Hotle
Jim Blaubach
Steve Budnik
Jim Smith
Paul Framsted
Perry Smith
Greg Wells
STRUCTURAL CHANGE
What would a president’s column be without a comment on the status of the change of
our organizational structure? The Strategic Planning Committee is hard at work producing
a detailed plan involving changes to our By-Laws to implement the general plan approved
by the board at the spring meeting. I expect a plan to create zones of governance and a muchstreamlined board. Given that you are likely as tired of reading about this as I am writing, I
will conclude this month by saying I expect a detailed plan to be on the table at the Fall 2007
Board Meeting for discussion purposes, and to be considered for a vote at the Spring 2008
meeting in Green Bay. See you on the water.
See you on the water! ❖
ABOUT THE COVER
The winners of the 2007 Chapter
Challunge out for a “victory lap” on
Holcombe Flowage, Wisconsin, after
the close of the tournament on Friday,
June 15. In the boat are the six members of Team # 2 from the First
Wisconsin Chapter, plus a ringer.
From the Lunge Bucket clockwise: Jeff
Priest, Jon Olstadt, Jason Smith (shirttail team member), Len Rubesch, Bob
Neidhold, Tom Reidel, and Jason
Malone. First Wisconsin, the host
team, caught ten muskies to finish with
116 points. They just edged out Team
# 1 from the God’s Country chapter who got nine fish for 104 points.
As seems to be customary in the Chapter Challunge, First Wisconsin
had to get a “last fish” on Friday morning to take the trophy. More
pictures from the Challunge on pages 16 and 17, including a photo of
the “Big Fish,” a 49-incher caught by Jim Wiltinger. The full story will
appear in the August issue. ❖
Coming Next Month:
✒ Commemorative Lure Edition
✒ Phantom Lure, by Todd
Cleveland
✒ ”Who’s Fish Is It?” by Patricia
Strutz
✒ Three “C’s” for Muskie Fishing by
Wayne Humphry
✒ Nils Master Lures by Nils Master
✒ More on the 2007 Chapter
Challunge
www.muskiesinc.org
NOTICE
Re: the September
issue of MUSKIE
I will be away on vacation
the month of July. Please
send all articles, Chapter
News & Views, and/or
anything for publication to
Juris with a copy to me.
Thanks, Jim
MUSKIE Magazine Staff
Rod Ramsell, Editor Emeritus
Keith Ogden, Editor Emeritus
MANAGING EDITOR
Jim Smith
Phone: (623) 388-3225
Email: managingeditor@muskiesinc.org
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Juris Ozols
Phone: (952) 921-6311
Email: assistanteditor@muskiesinc.org
PHOTO EDITOR
Gordon Campbell
Phone: (973) 208-8297
Email: gordonc@optonline.net
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Jim Smith
15045 W. Double Tree Way
Surprise, AZ 85374-8568
Phone: (623) 388-3225
Email: jamestsmith@cox.net
PUBLICATIONS TECHNICAL MANAGER
Sunray Printing Solutions, Inc. - Brenda Kirchner
25123 22nd Ave. S. • St. Cloud, MN 56301-9189
Phone: 888-253-8808, ext. 133
MAGAZINE DESIGN
Sunray Printing Solutions, Inc. - John Windschitl
ILLUSTRATORS/CARTOONISTS
Richard Gross
FIELD EDITORS
Steve Budnik, Bob Chochola, James W. Colgan,
Elizabeth Cratty, Adam Glickman,
Robert Jennings, Mike Kanaval, Colby Simms,
Patricia Strutz, Vincent P. Trotta
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Dr. Gene Smith, Kathy Zainea, Justin Gaiche,
Adam Glickman, Patricia Strutz
MUSKIE is published exclusively for the membership of Muskies, Inc. and subscriptions
come with a paid membership. Muskies, Inc. is
a non-profit organization. Membership classes
and associated annual dues are listed on the
form at the bottom of page one. Single copies
of MUSKIE magazine are available at $3.00
each from the Muskies, Inc. International
Office.
Contributors grant rights for M.I. to publish
once in MUSKIE Magazine, both the print and
on-line versions, including archives and on the
M.I. Web site.
Submissions to
MUSKIE Magazine
Persons interested in submitting articles for
publication are directed to our website
www.muskiesinc.org. There they will find a
link to MUSKIE Magazine. From there you
will find links on the left side of the page providing information necessary for submissions
to MUSKIE Magazine. Further questions will
be answered by Jim Smith, Managing Editor.
Submissions may be sent to: 15045 W.
Double Tree Way • Surprise, AZ 85374-8568.
Phone: (623) 388-3225 or you may
Email: managingeditor@muskiesinc.org.
M AGA Z I N E N OT E S ◆ M AGA Z I N E N OT E S ◆ M AGA Z I N E N OT E S ◆ M AGA Z I N E N OT E S
of the Best of the Best Tournament were Herculean. He leaves big shoes to fill and has my
thanks for his efforts. If you have an interest in supporting Muskies, Inc. in a leadership position, we need you. Please send me an email with your “Muskies, Inc. Resume” for consideration by the Executive Committee.
international news
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international news
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international news
Muskies, Inc. International
Fall Board Meeting Update
From: Paul Framsted Chairman, Board Meetings Committee
To: Members of Muskies, Inc. International Board of Directors
The purpose of this memo is to bring you up to date regarding
the International Fall Board Meeting which will be held in Morson,
Ontario at the Community Center on September 21, 2007. I have
recruited Frank Walter, RVP from South of the Border to act as my
co-chair for the social activities preceding the board meeting. Frank’s
phone number is 847-689-2133 and his email address is: bylawspolicies@yahoo.com. Frank has been fishing for muskies at Lake of the
Woods for over 60 years and is a wealth of information.
We have planned a few events I would like to make you aware of:
On Sunday, Sept 16, 7:00pm we will hold a fish fry at Red Wing
M.I. Welcomes Newest
Chapter - #57 NW TigerPac
Good News for M.I. – a new chapter has been
formed in Washington State. They have held their
first organizational meeting, on May 24, 2007
with 37 folks in attendance. They signed up 17
new members. Read their comments in Chapter
News & Views.
Welcome aboard #57 NW TigerPac. Perry
Peterson (President) and his wife Janice are
ready to bring new views and information on
Washington's seven muskie lakes (all tigers).
Lodge. Please bring a few cleaned filets (walleye and pike). All side
dishes will be supplied at no charge. Beverages can be purchased at
Red Wing. We will be signing up members and their guests who
would like to participate in a 3 day tournament for a nominal fee, $25
per participant. The tournament will go from dawn to dusk MondayWednesday. The top 3 winners will be rewarded based on the point
system used by Muskies, Inc. We will also have a prize for big fish.
We will be holding a dinner at the Community Center in
Morson Thursday evening, starting at 6:00pm. There will be a charge
for the dinner and drinks. We will be awarding the tournament winner prizes and will be raffling prizes and trips for the 2008 season.
The board meeting will also be held at the community center on
Friday, September 21. Breakfast and lunch can be purchased right at
the center.
I have been in contact with a few lodges in the Morson area and
I strongly recommend you make reservations soon: Red Wing Lodge
has several cabins for 4, 6 and 8 people available. The rate is $35 per
person per night, or $250 per person for the week, American, based
on the cabins being full. Members who are arriving by themselves can
stay at the main house which holds 8, if they are ok with sharing.
Members can also camp at Red Wing for 12.50 per person per day for
tent or pick up and 15.00 per day for a motor home. Shower facilities are provided. Red Wing can be reached at 888-488-5601 or 807488-5601.
Mylie’s Place is a short distance from Red Wing and the
Community Center. They currently have only one cabin for 4 available for the full week. They can be reached at 204-482-8931 winter,
and 807-488-5616 summer. Their web site is www.myliesplace.com.
They also have camp sites available with full hook ups and services.
Buena Vista Resort is also close by. They currently have 2/2 bedroom
hotel units available that sleep 4 each. They also have a mobile home
that could house 2 people available. The rates are $150 per night for
4. They can be reached at 800-465-6201 or 807-488-5652.
All three lodges rent 16 foot boats with motors. The going rate
is about $90 per day.
I was unable to get availability and pricing from a few other
lodges in the area today but they are: New Moon Landing, phone
807-488-5347 Morson’s Pelican Landing, phone 807-488-5511
Sabaskong Bay Resort, Located on an island 10 minutes by boat from
Morson. Phone 800-380-2910.
If anyone has any questions regarding the fall board meeting
please feel free to contact Frank or myself.
Have a great summer and we’ll see you in September for the firstever International Board Meeting held in Canada!
Paul Framsted
D O N AT I O N S
MAY
Dustin Mullis
Carl T. Phillips
Paul E. McClintock
David H. Hardt
Ronald Groeschl
Janice Kuper
Tony Sworsky
Greg E. Adams
Diane Mindar
On behalf of Muskies, Inc., thank you for adding a bit extra when you
renewed your membership.
– Pete Barber, Treasurer
www.muskiesinc.org
international news
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070511/UPDATE/
705110447/1003/METRO
Muskies, Inc. is currently searching for qualified candidates
to fill the Advertising Manager position. Those members
expressing an interest are asked to submit their resume to
Jack Moga, at vp-communications@muskiesinc.org Please
refer to Advertising Manager search on the subject line.
Submission deadline is July 15th 2007
All submissions will be considered. Those found to be
most qualified will be presented to the Executive
Committee for a final decision. Conference call interviews
may be scheduled. Questions regarding this position may
be directed to Jim Smith, Managing Editor, at managingeditor@muskiesinc.org or by phone at (623) 388-3225, or Pete
Barber, Treasurer at (847) 726-7267 regarding the Quick
Books accounting system.
Successful applicants will have a working knowledge of
sales/marketing modern publishing/editorial practices, versatile and practical job specific computer skills, a college
degree and/or related applicable work history. Applicant
must have their own computer (particular minimum specifications may be required) valid Email address and experienced with MS Word, Microsoft Excel, Quicken and/or a
similar accounting format.
This is considered a part-time position, and compensation is a commission structure based upon collected revenues, plus pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses. ❖
◆
Another requirement: People who catch fish on the list of affected species could release them only into the water body from which
they came.
In addition to general rules, the package has VHS-specific policies that differ among three management zones: areas where the
pathogen is known to be present; areas where it's likely to show up in
the near future; and areas believed free of the pathogen.
Whelan said one goal is to discourage amateur "bait bucket biologists" from catching fish in one waterway and releasing them in
another to promote growth of the species.
"We'll go and treat a lake to be a trophy brook trout lake, and
someone will put yellow perch in there," he said. "That practice needs
to be curtailed."
VHS also could lurk inside water transported between lakes and
streams -- even small volumes. Under the rules, people would have to
empty water containers used to carry bait fish. Boaters would be
required to drain live wells and bilges before leaving a waterway.
The DNR plans a campaign this summer urging sport anglers to
disinfect boats and gear, spokeswoman Mary Dettloff said. ❖
Advertising Manager MUSKIE Magazine
international news
Bait wholesalers and retailers would have to give customers
a receipt stating where the fish or eggs were taken.
Editor MUSKIE Magazine
Muskies, Inc. is currently searching for qualified candidates to fill the Editors position. Those members expressing an interest are asked to submit their resume to Jack
Moga, at vp-communications@muskiesinc.org Please refer
to Editor search on the subject line.
Submission deadline is July 15th 2007
All submissions will be considered. Those found to be
most qualified will be presented to the Executive
Committee for final decision. Conference call interviews
may be scheduled. Questions regarding this position may
be directed to Jim Smith, Managing Editor, at managingeditor@muskiesinc.org or by phone at (623) 388-3225.
Successful applicants will have a working knowledge of
modern publishing/editorial practices, versatile and practical job specific computer skills, a college degree and/or
related applicable work history. Applicant must have their
own computer (particular minimum specifications may be
required) valid Email address, high-speed Internet connection and experienced with MS Word, Adobe Reader or
other similar software programs.
Duties will include, but are not limited to, choosing articles and photos for publication, edit, proofread, and
design MUSKIE magazine, producing camera-ready copy
submitted to the printer n a timely and professional manner.
This is considered a part-time position. Salary will be
commensurate with experience and qualifications and currently pays pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS – 05/11/07
Michigan regulators hoping to delay a killer virus' march across
the Great Lakes are proposing tighter controls on moving some fish
species between waterways for activities such as stocking ponds and
selling live bait.
Rebecca Humphries, director of the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources, is expected to decide early next month whether to
approve the rules, which would take effect June 28. The state Natural
Resources Commission, which sets policy for the DNR, was briefed
on the plan Thursday in Lansing.
"It's designed to slow the spread of various fish pathogens," said
Gary Whelan, the DNR's fish production manager. "You really can't
stop them, but we can slow them down."
The primary target is viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, a
microscopic invader from Europe that has caused fish kills in lakes
Ontario, Erie, Huron and St. Clair, and in several rivers that link
them. It doesn't harm people.
VHS is expected to soon make its way into Lake Michigan
through natural movement of infected fish. State authorities hope to
keep it out of Lake Superior and Michigan's inland lakes and streams
as long as possible by closing off potential shortcuts while they develop a damage control strategy.
The rules would require commercial operators to get certification
before transporting or selling live fish or fish eggs within Michigan or
releasing them into public waterways. Applicants for certification
would have to have the fish or eggs tested at a state-approved laboratory.
The requirement would pertain only to fish on a list of susceptible species. The DNR periodically would update its list, which now
includes 32 species including such prized sport and commercial varieties as brown trout, chinook and coho salmon, walleye, whitefish and
yellow perch.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
WITH MUSKIE MAGAZINE
international news
Michigan DNR considers
New Rules to Combat Fish Virus
Mark A. Johnson, Illinois State House Rep. and Minority
Leader, Tom Cross, and Bill Sassaman (pictured left to right)
showed the proclamation from the State of Illinois that June 13th
is Muskies, Inc. Youth Day. Tom Cross helped the club get this
honor working with his fellow lawmakers.
Johnson is the President and Sassaman is a new member of
Chapter 17 of Muskies, Inc. which meets monthly in Plano, IL.
Chapter 17 holds fundraisers to sponsor events like Youth Day
which has been re-scheduled for July 1st this year at Jim Huganin's
ponds in Oswego. The club also buys and releases Muskie fingerlings into local lakes and helps with research on fish habitats. Any
parent wishing to bring their son or daughter out to our event
should call Mark at 630-553-2985 by May 18th. This fishing and
fun event will be held from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm and will
include a petting zoo, water events(bring swim suits and squirt
guns), games and prizes, cotton candy, snowcones, hotdogs, chips,
pop, and of course, fishing.
Anyone wishing to join Muskies, Inc. or find out more can
contact Johnson at the number shown or go on-line at:
http://quadcounty.muskiesinc.org/homepage.html.
8
Figure 8
by Kevin Richards
esox99@socket.net
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Illinois Proclaims “Muskies, Inc. Youth Day”
Ban the Barb!
I
went to high school and college from the late 1960s through the
late 1970s. There was always something folks wanted to ban or
protest against. Sometimes the protesters would shout the slogan
or carry the sign even if they wouldn’t really embrace the cause when
it was time for real action.
Well now it’s my turn to lead the shouting and it’s your turn to
embrace the cause; let’s save our muskies – LET’S BAN THE BARB
– let’s go barbless!!! 95% of you are already saying “Hold on big fella!
- Why is this necessary? - Show me the proof!”
To be honest there isn’t much proof out there for muskies
although the practice of fishing with barbless hooks has been accepted by anglers fishing for other species, especially trout and salmon.
Some states and provinces have barbless fishing regulations on the
books but they are the exception rather than the rule, and they are
normally directed at increasing the release survival of trout and
salmon.
If you encounter a barbless hook requirement on North
American muskie waters it will most likely be in Canada. Most likely the regulation will be associated with an Ontario fishing camp
which is working with the Ministry of Natural Resources to do all
they can to maintain quality fishing in their local lakes for the benefit of their guests.
Even on waters which don’t mandate barbless hooks, the MNR
offers this advice: “In many catch and release situations, anglers commonly use barbless hooks. Hooks with little or no barbs cause less
damage when penetrating and when removed. Under many circumstances, anglers can pinch down hook-barbs partially or completely
with fishing pliers.”
You can look through the MNR regulation book, but three
examples are Maskinonge, Hooch, and Cloudlet lakes near Sioux
Lookout. These lakes are catch and release only for muskie, northern
pike and smallmouth bass and artificial lures with a single barbless
hook must be used. I’ve never fished these lakes, but I intend to. If
you’ve fished them send me a note and let me know what you think
about the regulation (only small attachments, I’m still on dial-up).
Remember the protesters I mentioned who would shout the slogan or carry the sign even if they wouldn’t really embrace the cause
when it was time for real action? Well, by writing this column I guess
I have become one of them! I have only used barbless hooks on about
3 muskie baits, and all of those baits were ones I borrowed from my
fishing buddy Keith Ogden when we were fall trolling in Ontario.
Like a number of successful and devoted muskie hunters Keith
has been fishing primarily barbless for many years, especially when he
is fall trolling. I’ve been with him and watch how easy it has been to
unhook most of his fish, even to the point of being able to shake the
hooks free from smaller ‘lunge in the water without ever touching
them.
If you look back at the 2006 Muskies, Inc. calendar you will see
a photo of Keith releasing his 55.5 incher on Lac Seul. I took that
photo – what a fish! As usual, Keith was using barbless hooks!
So why haven’t I switched over? I think it has been fear of losing
that fish of a lifetime in addition to a good deal of procrastination on
my part. Here’s how I intend to overcome this, starting in 2007.
Over the years I figure that my boat has landed about every fifth
muskie we encounter, that includes follows, short hits, hook-ups that
get off, and the joy of being able to touch about 20 percent of these
muskies. During the next peak of good action I’m switching to barbless for just 10 “encounters”. I’m going to slowly prove to myself I
can catch muskies without barbs – how about joining me and trying
this too?
Remember, the purpose is less injury to the hooked muskie and
a quicker release! A side benefit might be less injury to yourself that
day when you finally put a muskie hook in your own hand (in 30
years I’ve only done it once, but that’s another story).
If you have a biology or fisheries management question you want
me to try to tackle let me know. I hope 2007 is a great season for you.
How about joining me to Ban the Barb at least on a trial basis! ❖
THE TRINITY MUSKIE TRAIL
by Dr. Gene Smith
F
rom it’s beginnings as the “muskie” branch of the Fishers of
Men team tournament organization, the TRINITY MUSKIE
TRAIL was founded on the Christian faith and the desire to
produce excellent tournament events with top anglers and sponsors
involved. Luke Sparks of Carol Stream, Illinois, began to seek regional or state directors as early as 2004 hoping to gradually build several divisions. With several tournament trails popping up across the
midwest, this was no small task. While some smaller divisions initially showed promise, the southern division, centered in Kentucky, has
established itself and is growing rapidly in terms of angler participation and sponsorship support from some of the best companies in the
muskie fishing tackle industry.
Based in eastern Kentucky, the Kentucky Trail involves four
qualifiers scheduled at the state’s best fisheries at times likely to produce the greatest numbers of fish. Kentucky’s reputation for quality
muskie fisheries has proven itself over the years. Cave Run Lake near
Morehead in Rowan County is the best known of the three lakes
stocked annually by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife,
with a well deserved reputation for producing numbers of fish and
produced the current state record as well, a fish just under 45
pounds. Numerous 50 inch fish are caught and released annually at
the Cave. Green River Lake near Campbellsville may be the most
underrated muskie fishery in the south. At 8400 acres, roughly the
same size as Cave Run, this lake can be unbelievable and produces
some of the heaviest muskies caught by anglers each year. The third
reservoir, Buckhorn Lake near Hazard in far southeastern Kentucky,
is 1350 acres of narrow, winding waterways and although small, is
considered an excellent fishery as well. The Kentucky River near
Beattyville also has excellent muskie fishing and will be on the schedule in coming years.
The Trinity Muskie Trail is very different from other existing
trails in several ways. For starters, this organization is dedicated totally to the anglers themselves and totally non-profit. There is a 100%
payback of entry fees to the anglers themselves. Donations from
sponsors in the form of cash donations as well as angling equipment
or lures are channeled to the tournament anglers in the form of winnings for tournament events or as participation prizes given away at
each event.
Another big difference is the atmosphere surrounding tournament events. Each event starts with a mandatory meeting held on the
Friday night prior to the tournament (which is always on Saturday
except the championship event which is a two day event). The Friday
meeting consists of a home cooked meal for everyone in attendance,
an inspirational message by a guest speaker, rules discussion, and
drawings for starting positions. Attendance awards are given away as
well consisting of lures, nets, batteries, etc. No one leaves enpty
handed.
While the Christian way of life is the core of the organization,
these are professional, highly competetive angling events. Judge boats
are utilized and a heavy emphasis placed on caring for caught fish.
Tournament rules also lean heavily toward preventing mortality and
morbidity of caught fish. Events are scheduled to avoid the severe
warm water periods of summer. While highly competetive and with
a lot of money at stake, qualifier events tend to be light hearted and
www.muskiesinc.org
enjoyable. Unruly or lude behavior has no place in a Christian environment and is not tolerated at any events associated with the Trinity
Muskie Trail. Judges and directors make a concerted effort to monitor the status of all anglers in an event to help provide security
should a motor fail, a prop break, or someone become ill. Spare
trolling motor parts, props, etc. are kept on hand as best as possible
in order to assist anglers with problems. If a team has mechanical or
physical problems at any time, every effort is made to help resolve the
problem.
Sponsorship comes from both inside and outside the muskie
fishing world. Some of the best lure manufacturers, including Drifter
Tackle, Super Slayer, Ducktail Lures, and Muskie Magnet Lures
along with Frabill and Esox Rods are just some of the super industry
sponsors on board, with more to come. Local financial support is also
important for a nonprofit organization, and some household names
in Kentucky have given generously to the ministry, including
Whitaker Banks of Kentucky, First Trust Banks, and many others.
Teams are made up of a wide range of anglers from beginners to
some of the best muskie anglers in the nation. Teams from
Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, Indiana,
Illinois, and Kentucky have competed or are registered to compete
this year in this rapidly growing organization.
By nature, Trinity Fishing Ministries and the Trinity Muskie
Trail is always looking for individuals who would like to become a
part of the organization as directors, judges, or a number of other
available positions that will need to be filled, especially as rapid
growth continues and more leaders are needed.
Any and all anglers are very welcome to compete in any events.
For more information go to:
www.trinityfishingministries.com
or contact the following individuals:
Luke Sparks
President
fomsparky@yahoo.com
390 Executive Drive Apt 105
Carol Stream, IL 60188
(630)292-25352
Gene Smith
Kentucky Director
redstone@windstream.net
PO Box 1127
Hazard, KY 41702
(606) 487-8033 or
(606) 438-1231
Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g
g
nge L
u
L
e
o
h
t
by
Ji m B u n c h
Lunker Of The Month History!
W
ay back in our history, long before I came on board,
someone started the Lunker Of The Month Award.
From here on in our visit this month I will refer to it as
LOTM. Last year a friend of mine, who is not a fisherman, was in
my office and noticed a report that I had tacked up on the wall. He
asked what is Lot M? Oh brother, I had to explain this to him. So
yes, we in Muskies, Inc have our own language. The award of course
is the longest release during a given month, during a given year.
However as computers go, the report that I ran and have displayed
for you, is the longest which includes any kept fish. So you will see
a kept fish or two in the records. At years end though the
International Award at the banquet is for released fish only.
Naturally at the bottom of the spread sheet is the overall longest
for each month ever. A fifty is now the minimum leader for every
month. It also shows that May through December, if you want to
crack the top one of these months, it will take a really serious old
muskie as the smallest is a 55 incher.
This shows that the longest for every month except June has
happened in the last ten years. In 8 of the months the longest has
happened since 2002. So what we are once again trying to say is the
good ole days are now. Muskie fishing keeps getting better and better. Muskie anglers are getting better and better. Now the LOTM
hall of fame so to speak.
Tackett of Olive Hill, Kentucky on March 13th. At 52.5 inches and
a 25 inch girth, it is estimated at a touch over 41 pounds.
APRIL – This months all time leader is 53 inches and came in just
last year. It was caught in Thornapple Lake in Michigan. It was
caught by Charles Lynema of Moline, Michigan. The state of
Michigan kind of left our records for a number of years, but with the
start up of our new Muskies, Inc chapter there, they are back like
gang busters.
MAY – This months longest is 55 inches. It came in just 2 years
ago. It was caught from Katherine in Wisconsin by Charles Schauer
of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Charlie had the most entries for
years until recently, however he has a fine mix of some really big
muskies.
JUNE – This month is the oldest record holder for a month. It
came in all the way back in June of 1979. At 59.5 inches it is the 2nd
longest entry in our Lunge Log. It was reported as caught in Eagle,
Ontario. Unfortunately this came from our famous Not Specified
days and the name of the angler was withheld. We no longer except
that but is reality in our past history.
JULY – This months longest was kept. It was a very significant kept
though because at 52.4 pounds it is the heaviest in the Lunge Log
kept section. It was caught by Gale Radtke of Alexandria Bay in
New York from the St. Lawerence River in New York. Gale originally is from Green Lake in Wisconsin. His muskie came in on July 10,
2002. Once again the picture of this beast is in the Lunge Log.
AUGUST – This muskie is the longest ever in the Lunge Log at
60 inches. It happened on July 23, 1996. It was caught by Alan
Martinson. Unfortunately this came from the Not Specified days so
we do not have a lake. Please understand that is part of our history.
This muskie is still the longest in August and the longest ever. I did
see a picture of this muskie once in the water, it was not clear enough
to use. I was also told the lake once but the person was not the angler
or the witness. I was then told if I said anything they would have to
kill me. I am old but not ready for the deep six yet.
SEPTEMBER – The longest for September is another Not
JANUARY – This sits at 54.5 inches by Howard Wagner of Specified. It happened on September 20, 1998. In this case the name
Fombell, Pennsylvania. He caught this on January 9, 2002 in the
Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. Howard has a thing about this
river in the winter. The picture of this fish is always available on the
web site by bringing up his fish list and clicking on this fish.
of the angler was withheld and the name of the specific lake was
withheld. It was reported in Ontario at 57.5 inches.
OCTOBER – Same thing here, name withheld, lake withheld
and caught in 1997. I saw a picture of this fish. It was huge, big,
FEBRUARY – This month has a three way tie at 50 inches. The long, fat and 58.5 inches. I saw the picture, I never possessed the picfirst one was caught by a junior member, a very young junior at the
time. This was Troy Oliver of Tridelphia, West Virginia from Salt
Fork Lake in Ohio. It was kept and weighed out at 36.2 pounds.
Once again this picture is available on the web site under his fish list.
The next 50 came in 2005 at the hands of Chipper Bushong of
Morehead, Kentucky out of the Licking River in Kentucky on
February 20, 2005. The third of the threesome came this year on
February 2nd from North Carolina out of the French Broad River.
The angler was Derek Argotti.
MARCH – Once again 2007 is the longest ever for this month. It
was caught from Cave Run in Kentucky. It was caught by Mike
ture. Once again, I respect the Not Specified thing in effect at the
time. One little tickle for thought here, it was not this anglers
longest muskie. The longer one is not in the Lunge Log.
NOVEMBER – This months longest was 56 inches and came
from Moon River in Ontario on November 2, 2001. It was caught
by Todd Booth of South Lyon, Michigan. We met Todd as he came
all the way from Michigan to the International Banquet in
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin which is my home. I will never forget it,
I announced his award and that he was not present, then he stood
up in the back of the room.
DECEMBER – Wow! It was another fine example of a muskie
Now this spread sheet I printed. That came off the computer all
at once on a special program I had written for me by a genius. You
have it all though. Just log in as a member. Then click Lunge Log,
then click Lunge Log Inquires, then click Lunker. It will give you the
option to select a year. It will then give you the option to select a
month within that year. You can see everything you want to know
about a specific LOTM listing. That is a pretty neat deal because you
are a member of Muskies, Inc.
2007
This year is off to a fine start. We have 1028 entries, including
3 fifty inchers reported to us by May 24, 2007. Next month we will
start our normal listing of leaders in each division. If you catch a
really nice muskie and get a picture, I would like the picture and a
note or two. If you have a really neat muskie event, I would like to
hear about it. If you have a fishing experience on the humorous side,
I would like to hear about it. Just email me at
lungelog@muskiesinc.org.
Thanks a bunch
Jim
Lunker Of The Month History 1970-May 2007
Year
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970
Overall
Jan
49.5
46.5
42
53
45
54.5
42
45
45
45.25
43.25
46
39.5
31
47
46.5
37.75
36
42
41
46
36
33
33
39
42
38
32.5
Feb
50
47
50
44
44
50
45
44.5
47
49
47
41
41
41
45
39
43
45
36
36
42
45.25
30
45
37
39
33.5
32
March
52.5
45.5
45
53
47
51.5
51
50
49
50
43
51
47.5
48
46
48
43.25
47
43.5
39
47.25
43.25
46
37.5
43
43.75
39.75
38.5
38
32
April
48.5
53
51
51.5
50.75
50.5
49.5
52
48
49.5
50
50
51.5
48
49.25
46.5
46
47
45
51.25
46.75
43
46.5
38
38
43.25
38
46
35
38
31
35.75
43
37.25
50
52.5
53
32
54.5
www.muskiesinc.org
May
50.25
54
55
52
51.75
51
53.75
51.25
53
53
50
48
49
49.5
50
51.75
52
52.5
49
46.5
48
46.5
53
47.25
47.5
48
51.5
49.5
48
50.5
45
44
52.5
43
42.5
42
35
32
55
June
54.5
55
56.5
55.75
54.25
55.5
54.25
55
53.25
54
52.5
52
52
52
51
53.25
54
52.5
54
51.75
51
51.5
51
52.5
52
53
49
59.5
50.25
56
54
57.5
50.5
49.5
54
50
43
59.5
July
56
57
55
55.5
58.5
55
54
53.5
57
53
53.5
53
54
55
54.5
55.5
57
55
56
54
54.5
53.5
54.25
54
51.5
53
53
52
52.5
52.5
50.5
52
53
55
54
52
51
58.5
Aug
56
55.25
55.5
55.5
58.25
53.5
55
56
54
56
60
54
54.5
54.5
56
54.5
57
53
53
53
53
53
51.5
54
53
53.25
53
54.5
55.5
52.5
53
53
47
50
52
52
49.75
60
Sept
55.25
55
55.5
55
54
54.5
54.5
54
57.5
53
54
54.5
55
54
54
56.5
54
54
53.75
54
53
55
53
52
52.75
57
50.5
53
54.25
55
56.5
52
53.25
52
53.5
51
51.75
57.5
Oct
55
56
55
55.5
55.5
53
55
55.5
55
58.5
55
52.5
55.5
55.5
55.25
53
55
54
52.5
56
52
50.75
52
52.75
54.75
50.5
52
52.5
52
50.5
47.5
52
48
49
50.75
44
50
58.5
Nov
Dec
54.5
54.5
55.5
53
54
56
53
52
54.25
52
55.25
53
54.5
50
52
53.5
54.5
55
52
50
50
52.25
48
48.5
50.75
48
49.25
48
45
46
43.5
43
42
32
50
49
33
56
Yr Max
52.5
55
56
53.5
57
55.5
56.5
50.25
55.75
48
58.5
51.5
56
47.75
55
49.125
56
51
57.5
46
58.5
48.5
60
46
54.5
47
55.5
43
55.5
39
56
44.5
56.5
48
57
40
55
46
56
39
56
45
54.5
40
55
48
54.25
39.5
54
37.5
54.75
37.5
57
33
53
34
59.5
55.5
56
56.5
57.5
53.25
55
54
52
51.75
55.5
60
Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g ◆ Lu n g e L o g
getting ready for winter. It was 55.5 inches with a 27 inch girth. This
means a touch over 50 pounds. It was caught by Kevin Goldberg on
Youngstown, Ohio on December 6, 2004. It came from the St.
Lawrence River in New York.
Muskie Lures – What’s the Difference?
by Kathy Zainea
L
et’s face it: There are lots of different kinds of muskie lures out
there. There are certain types of lures that work better on Lake
St. Clair, and everyone (including us) seems to have their
favorite styles and colors. But sometimes – especially when you’re
having a slow day – you might wonder what you’re missing. When
you go shopping for muskie lures, you’ll either find yourself pleasantly surprised at the wide variety of lures available…or you’ll find yourself totally overwhelmed. So, let’s take a look at some of the standard
muskie lures, and see what the difference really is.
Our experience has taught us that the best muskie lure choices on
Lake St. Clair are bucktails, spoons, or crankbaits. The bucktail is a
very basic lure, essentially consisting of an eye on one end, a set of
hooks on the other end that’s covered by a bucktail or feathers, some
sort of connecting metal shaft with beads, and a blade or colored plastic attractor attached. While the basic appearance of various bucktails
differs in size and weight, the overall action is typically the same. One
of the most important things to remember when fishing with bucktails is that without any modifications, they have no distinct swimming action on their own. If you are trolling, the bucktail will follow
in a straight line behind the boat. While this method does produce
fish, your success rate can potentially increase if you add some sort of
action to it. If you’re trolling a bucktail at a steady speed, you could
periodically give a tug to the line to
entice the muskie to strike. We put a
two ounce weight on our bucktails so
that they ride smoothly below the
waves. We have found that our bucktails produce a little better if we use
them on rougher days (about a two
foot chop) because that tends to create a more erratic action to the lure.
One last thing to consider: if it doesn’t come with one, you’ll need to add
a ball swivel to your bucktail to keep
the lines from twisting up.
Two of our favorite bucktail brands for Lake St. Clair are Cat’s
Tails and Glitter Bitches. Cat’s Tails are made with super strong .062
stainless steel wire shafts so that they won’t bend even after you’ve hit
on a big one. The tails are constructed from Prime Northern
Bucktail, Pheasant Feathers, or Genuine Skunk hair. On Lake St.
Clair, we’ve had great success with two styles of Cat’s Tails: the
Original Bucktail, which is eight inches long and weights 1.5 ounces,
and the Super 7 Bulgers, which are like the Originals, except the twin
#7 fluted blades give them super lift. Cat’s Tails are keel weighted,
which keeps them running straight. They run very smoothly, with no
line twist. Cat’s Tails are excellent for trolling or casting, and because
they have a treble hook followed by a single hook, you have a greater
chance of increasing your hook-up rate. We troll with them at about
3.4 mph, and have great success with the Original, in Perch, Black,
and Black & Orange, from the early part of the season until the Fall.
Vince Bianchi’s Glitter Bitches (so named after his champion
female show dog) are the newest addition to our musky lure collection. For years, we’ve talked about the shine and sparkle of Swarovski
crystals, and how well that would work as a muskie attractant. Vince
beat us to it, and created his line of famous bucktails. The Glitter
Bitch, and the smaller Glitter Puppy, have Swarovski crystals on the
shaft, and they sparkle and reflect sunlight better than diamonds. The
www.muskiesinc.org
Glitter Bitch is ten inches long, has a #9 fluted blade, ball bearing
swivels, and hand-crafted bucktail made from deer hair and hackle
feathers. These are the best quality bucktails we’ve ever seen – sure to
hold up under the pressure of repeated muskie strikes. They are excellent for casting, and we troll them from the early part of the season
until late summer. The hottest colors are the ones with chartreuse or
red in the tail.
Spoons are an old-time muskie lure with a lot of flash that can be
very effective in catching muskie. They are an all-around good choice
for muskie fishing on Lake St. Clair, regardless of the water color or
the weather. Spoons are simple – just a curved piece of metal with a
shiny side. Some spoons have reflective or glow-in-the-dark tape on
one side, and they can be painted in the same color patterns as
crankbaits. Like the bucktails, you’ll need to make sure your spoon
has a ball swivel to keep your lines from twisting. Spoons have an
erratic, flutter action, meaning they zigzag and swerve a lot in the
water. They are run mostly close to the boat - on the down rod with
a one pound weight is a good spot. Spoons can be run in combination with another lure such as a crankbait, on what’s called a 3-way.
A 3-way setup has one line attached to the rod, a spoon on the second
line, and a crankbait on the other line, all connected by a 3-way swivel in the middle. We like the old-time style of spoons like Spike
Spoons and Swim Zag, but newer ones like Ivanhoe and “The
Champ” by Lapper Lures can also be very effective. Spoons are can
be used for casting or trolling.
If you’re fishing for muskie on Lake St. Clair, you’ll definitely
need to have a good supply of crankbaits. Crankbaits can be loosely
categorized
by
their
running
action.
Tightaction lures have a
short,
distinct,
side-to-side movement, and cover a
smaller
path
through the water. This faster action is good when the muskie are
more active early in the season, and can increase your chances of getting a larger fish. In general, jointed lures have tighter actions than
straight lures do, and a diver with a larger lip will dive deeper, and
usually work better at slower speeds. The more you increase your
speed, the deeper the diver will go. Some examples of tight-action
lures are: Lapper Lures, Terminators, Wileys, Mordas Minnows,
Muskie Specials, and Z-Baits. Wobblers, on the other hand, are lures
that wobble in the water. They tend to have a slower, more erratic
side-to-side movement, and a larger coverage area than tight-action
lures. Wobblers work better later in the season when the fish are less
active. Some examples of wobblers are: Loke, Nils Master, Believers,
and Grandma’s & Jakes.
While the action of the lure determines how deep it can be
fished, and at what speed, you can vary those factors somewhat,
depending on how much line you run out, and how much weight
add. If you’re not sure what type of action your lure has, try running
it along side the boat. If your lures are rolling over or popping to the
surface, you’re probably going too fast. Don’t forget to take into consideration where the fish are. Since muskie can only look up, check
your fish finder to see where the bait fish are, and then make your lure
(Continued on page 12)
MUSKIE LURES (Continued from page 11)
choices based on what depth you will need to run to get the lures right
on top of those bait fish.
Our experience on Lake St. Clair has taught us that it’s generally
more effective to run smaller lures such as Lokes at the beginning of
the season, and then switch to larger lures like Nils Master as Fall
approaches. Lokes Lures are hand-crafted in Michigan out of
Honduras Mahogany wood. They have a heavy duty stainless steel
through-wire, Lexan lips, and stainless steel double hooks. Lokes are
medium-action wobblers, however the jointed Lokes run tight
enough for us to run them in the early part of the season, and we do
very well on them. Recently, someone asked me, “If you could have
only one lure in your tackle box, what would it be?” Without hesitation, I answered, “Loke Walleye”, and it’s true. Overall, Lokes are an
all-around safe bet
muskie lure for Lake
St. Clair, and are
good for getting
strikes at any time in
the season, in any
water color, and in
any weather. The
colors that consistently produce on Lake St. Clair are St. Lawrence, Perch WB, Walleye,
and $9 Bass. Lokes are good for casting or trolling.
Nils Master lures are medium action wobblers, and are wellknown for their ability to produce fat Fall muskie on Lake St. Clair.
The most common model is the Invincible-F, in 20 cm and 25 cm.
Nils are made in Finland from Apache wood, and coated in a special
plastic to ensure durability. They feature a through-wire design, large
steel hooks, Lexan lips and a wobble action that often produces the
largest fish of the year. Because of their larger size, Nils Master
Invincible lures are usually trolled slower than other lures. Due to
their design and the placement of the lip, they push a lot more water
and have a tendency to pull harder than smaller lures. More recently,
smaller versions of the Invincible began making their way into the
“must have” lure market for Lake St. Clair. Invincibles come in seven
sizes, ranging from 5 cm (2”) to 25 cm (10”). Because Finnish fish
like different color patterns, it’s common to find Nils Master lures in
custom colors. Our best producing custom color Nils are Lawton,
Carp, and Black Perch. The best factory colors for Lake St. Clair are
Brown Bar (65 or 67), Perch (07), and Silver Sucker (55).
Lake St. Clair is one of the best-producing muskie lakes in the
world. With over 200,000 muskie in the lake, it isn’t uncommon to
hear of someone fishing for bass, and find out they were surprised by
a muskie instead. If you haven’t had the pleasure of fishing our lake,
I urge you to try it. If you feel overwhelmed by the large variety of
lures that are available for fishing on Lake St. Clair – or any lake –
then please contact us. We are happy to help you out, and give you
our experienced opinion on what should work to help you catch that
monster muskie on Lake St. Clair. ❖
For more information about muskie fishing, please visit our website at
www.LSCMuskieShop.com
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www.muskiesinc.org
2006 PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
F C I S B OAT SA F E T Y ◆
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ◆
Boat Safety Program
2006 PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
Produced by
Farm and City Insurance Services
The Angler’s Choice Insurance
Let’s Talk Tires!
In previous articles we covered the language of weight as
it pertains to proper and safe loading and towing of our
boat and trailer. This is extremely important as it directly
affects the proper operation of our tires.
Tires are probably the most vulnerable component on a
boat trailer, and unfortunately, the most neglected. Tires
are the only contact point between a boat trailer and the
road. As such, they have several different jobs to do, such
as providing traction for moving, stopping, and steering, as
well as providing a cushion for the vehicle.
Over the course of the next few months, we’ll discuss
what you, as a boat owner/operator need to know about
tires. The goal is not to make you a tire expert, but rather
an educated consumer by providing essential information
for safety and peace of mind.
In this months article, we’ll cover the basics of tires and
language of tire markings. There is a great deal of information molded directly onto the sidewall of your tires. As a
boat owner, knowledge of this information is essential to
assure that you purchase the correct replacement tires, select
the correct inflation pressure, and conduct appropriate
maintenance procedures.
We have chosen as an example, the LT235/85R16 – this
tire is widely used on many tow vehicles and trailers:
LT – stands for light truck, one of the tire type classifications covered by the Tire and Rim Association (T&RA),
which sets standards for tires, rims, and allied parts. Other
classifications include “P” for passenger car tires, and “ST”
tires that are Special Trailer tires. Truck and bus tires have
no prefix.
235 – is the metric measurment across the section width
(widest portion of the tire) in millimeters.
/ - the slash is a mathematical symbol indicating ratio.
85 – is the aspect ration and is a mathematical result of
dividing the section height (distance from the tread to the
bead), by the section width. Sometimes this is referred to
as the profile or series of the tire. In other words, the tires
height is 85% of it’s width.
R – stands for radial tire. In a radial tire, the cords run
perpendicular to the bead of the tire, directly across the
crown of the tire to the opposite bead.
16 – is the diameter of the bead of the tire in inches.
Next month we’ll cover load carrying ability, finding recommended pressure, and where to find tire assistance.
Keep It Safe
www.fcisanglerschoice.com
This article is provided as a public service to our membership. Not intended as an advertisement.
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
Jim,
I send this as a proud parent. This is a photo
of Jim standing in front of the College of Natural
Resources in Stevens Point, which has a mosaic of
the state including a muskie. Last year Patricia
Strutz had done an article of Jim of his internship with Northern
Environmental. He has now been hired full time.
Yours truly,
Ted Scharl
James Scharl with a degree and a job. Jim, a member of Between the Lakes
since 1999, graduated in May from UW Stevens Point College of Natural
Resources with a degree in Fisheries and Limnology. He had the help of
scholarships from BTL and MI’s Kermit Benson Scholarship. He is now
working for Northern Environmental in the Counties of Vilas and Oneida on
Aquatic Invasive Species.
Stronger, lighter, more sensitive.
ESOX Rods are considered by
many to be the best Muskie rods
on the market.
If you’re into the sport, you know that
fishing for Muskie can be both trying and
tiring. Our Muskie rods are extremely
lightweight, sensitive and perfectly
balanced, yet through skillful engineering,
offer superior strength and durability. This
helps reduce your fatigue over a long day
of fishing.
Our 10 models of Muskie rods allow
you to work any lure on the market and
impart the action it was designed to have.
Each rod is hand made in the USA.
888.462.3832
www.muskiesinc.org
www.esoxfishingrods.com
2007 Chapter Challunge Pictures
Opposite - The Traditional “Boat Photo”, plus some of the fish caught
during this year’s Challunge.
Jim Wiltinger’s “Big Fish” of the tournament, a 49-incher from
Holcombe Flowage. Jim also caught other fish from 31 to 40 inches.
Len Rubesch and Bob Neidhold tagging one of the
fish they caught.
Greg Hassman and Steve Ohms fishing Dairyland
Flowage at sunset.
The host team from First Wisconsin, the “Leinie’s
Tower”, and Frank Viscek from the Pomme de Terre
Chapter, who won the raffle for the Leinie’s chairs.
www.muskiesinc.org
Photo Contest – July Winners
by Gordon Campbell
Photo Tip of the Month
“See it in the Magazine”
This month's tip deals with getting your photo(s)
here in MUSKIE Magazine. Obvious as it may sound,
the first thing to do is send them in. Right now we
have a relatively small group of members who often
submit photos. The next thing is to remember to send
your best files. Avoid cropped images or ones that
have been resized or undergone major editing. By
sending an original, high resolution file, we have a
photo that I can work with and that will be printable.
For now the member photos are in black & white so
concentrate on people, fish and fishing shots. Sunsets
and scenics lose their appeal and the feedback I've
received says people want "action"!
Good luck,
Gordon Campbell,
Photo Editor.
P.S. As an added incentive, check out the plaque shown
on page 14 that Jim Roerig received, complete with
winning photo, from the 2006 Photo Contest.
▲ Winner #1: "Live One"- Brad Waldera had the
opportunity to photograph some Muskies on display
in large tanks. The natural portrait and slightly
blurred & uncluttered background added to the
appeal of this unusual shot. Note the facial details
of the fish. Great shot, Brad.
▲ Winner #2: Jeremy Strahl & 49 as photographed by
Kent Sorensen and sent by Mike Winther.
This is a whopping Muskie and is photographed
perfectly as a candid portrait.
www.muskiesinc.org
Trolling in Tight Places
by Justin Gaiche
New Introduction:
When thinking of muskie fishing, many envision an angler casting a bucktail on a calm lake at sun rise. This tactic has and will
always, be a popular and productive technique. This vision is not
always the reality on the water. Fish move, conditions change and to
be successful, angler’s need to make the adjustments to remain successful.
Trolling, though used for decades, is changing rapidly. Once
for vast open waters, or people too tired to cast, trolling is now a
widely accepted practice for effective muskie fishing. Commonly
used in vast waters like Georgian Bay or the St. Lawrence River,
trolling is becoming common practice in many parts of the Midwest
and Canada.
Flowages and rivers are places where trolling is underutilized.
The times when covering water is the ticket, trolling makes sense.
This creates a problem. Flowages are filled with obstructions making it difficult to troll and discouraging at times. Do not give up.
There is a way to troll these waters effectively.
Creating A Solution
Failed attempts at new tactics can get discouraging, and trolling
is no different. Learning to troll in between tight, turning structure
is not suggested. When surrounded by these conditions, like the
anglers of central Wisconsin, you may not have a choice. The pur-
Over
s
7,000 Muskie
Released
On Sabaskong Bay
Six-time Muskies, Inc.,
Chapter Challunge Headquarters
1983, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2003, 2004
• Ultra-modern one, two, three, or four bedroom cabins
• American plan, housekeeping or camping
• Floating docks, electricity for charging batteries, Lund Boats with swivel seats
and depth finders, Honda motors with electric start
• Dining room with food and liquor available for registered guests only
Call or write for data on musky catches:
1 (888) 488-5601 or (807) 488-5601
Red Wing Lodge, Box 1008, Baudette, MN 56623
www.redwinglodge.net • www.redwinglodge.on.ca
Family owned and operated for 40 years
pose of trolling small, open areas near structure is to catch muskies
after the heat of summer drives forage away from shallow structure.
Perhaps your first trolling experience resulted in a mess. Long
lines behind planer boards, far out to each side, is a recipe for disaster. With each turn came several snags, broken rod holders and
pounds of weeds. Shortening up the presentation to take tighter
turns would make navigating much easier. Utilizing modern electronics to be more precise in navigation will help you pinpoint fish.
If new to trolling, search outside of the muskie fishing realm.
Salmon, trout and walleye anglers are engulfed in trolling traditions,
dating back several decades. The equipment they use covers all
aspects of depth targeting and attraction. Combine the best qualities
of all methods of trolling. This will allow you to come up with an
effective system for any situation. This is the solution to trolling in
tight cover.
Advantages to Short Lines
The best way to make navigating easier is to shorten your presentation. The closer your lures are to the boat, the quicker they will
make turns with the boat helping you keep your lures clear of structure and running properly. This is control and control is everything.
It is easy to control the lure depth, speed location of a lure when casting. Multiply this by six lines and control a lure with a boat rather
than two arms and you have a challenge. Precision in trolling
method is only to cover water with multiple lines, while not sacrificing the benefits to casting.
This is most apparent when trolling the wrong way. What happens? You have three planer boards on each side and you have to
make a quick turn to avoid a rock bar. Because of the rapid speed
and long lines, your outside boards come racing around the corner at
speeds twice that of your boat. When trying to avoid structure your
baits will often dig into snags. When this happens, your inside
boards slow greatly, sometimes to a complete stop, which can quickly result in a mess. As you can tell, I’ve dealt with this before!
With short lines you still increase speed on one side and decrease
speed on the other when turning, but on a much smaller scale.
Rather than causing havoc on both sides of the boat, varying speeds
may become the quality needed to trigger strikes. This has become
a common practice of mine. Manuvering the boat back and forth,
you change lure speeds on both sides of the boat in opposite directions. Many times when making a turn specifically for lure action, a
turn up of the throttle can achieve some more erratic action from
outside lures. Ultimately, direction change can determine the speed
that fish prefer.
Outfitting Yourself for Trolling Short Lines
While keeping lines short sounds like an easy task, there is a
variable that needs to be addressed. The first is getting you outfitted
with the proper equipment. There are a million different types of
products and styles, but I will share my favorite with you.
If you do not have a tiller but have a kicker motor, I would suggest controlling the motor by its tiller handle. Being in the back all
the time gives you quick access to all of your rods in case you hook
up with a fish or get a snag. Adjust your speed to water temperatures
varying them throughout the day. In the heat of the summer, troll
between 5 and 7 miles per hour. Muskies are aggressive and scattered
and the faster you can cover water the more fish you will make contact with. Match your mood with the mood of the fish. When water
temperatures are higher and fish are aggressive, choose aggressive
lures with wide wobble. In the fall when temperatures dip below 50
degrees, slow down significantly. Two and three miles per hour are
ideal in cold water temperatures. Again, match your lures with the
fish and move to crankbaits with tighter actions.
Each state is different in the number of lines allowed in the
water. It is legal to use three lines per person in Wisconsin but never
run more than six lines at one time. While it is okay to use your high
quality casting rods and reels for trolling, there is a plethora of
trolling specific gear. Choose a shorter prop wash rod like a 7-foot
heavy action fiberglass rod. This rod has a lot of power and is easier
to manage close to the boat. Use a large profile, highly visible and
noisy lure like a chartreuse coach or firetiger crankbait. Use line
counter reels to get the lure back about six feet. If you do not have
line counter reels, learn how much line is let out with each pass of
your level wind. There are also inexpensive add-on line counters that
work well. Adjust your rod holder so that the rod tip is straight down
into the water. This will act along with the ball bearing swivel on my
leader as a weed catch to keep the lure running true. Use fish friendly three to four foot, 80 pound fluorocarbon leaders. In the flowages,
line visibility is not an issue with its stained water.
On the other back corner rod holder, put out a long line. Using
a long line does not mean putting a lure 100 feet behind a boat, just
further back than your prop wash lure. Setting the lure 15 to 20 feet
back is typical. I like to run glide baits or in line spinners that track
well and don’t blow out. Adjust your rod tip to be down in the water
or up out of the water depending on your speed.
Then move to the outside of the boat beam and run two 8-foot
glass rods with lures just outside of the boat. They are called side
rods, and you can rig them in two ways. When fishing shallow (less
than 7 feet), simply use deep diving crank baits. Deeper crank baits
allow you to achieve the 5 foot depth you desire without letting
much line out. When fishing deeper situations like river channels or
reef edges put away the deep cranks and go with shallow running
cranks. To maintain easily adjustable and controlled depths, add a 1pound lead ball attached to the leader with a heavy duty snap. This
allows gauging depths with line counters quick
and easy as depths change.
Lastly, are the two outside rods, planer
board rods. The focus is to have short lines and
control. Use 8-foot glass rods to keep lines away
from the side rods. Run a planner board on each
side of the boat about 15 – 20 feet out. This
keeps patterns tight and covers the stained water
thoroughly as needed. With two planer board
rods, a 50 foot wide area will be covered with 6
lures. When covering a break or channel with
shallow cover on the inside, run a topwater lure
like a Topraider or Magnum Stomper. These
lures should be behind the inside board, about
10 feet back. This is a great way to be unaware
of the shallow depths and away from the boat,
covering water with efficiency. It is not a good
idea to leave the topwater 100 feet behind the
board for two reasons. First, the shorter the line
between your lure and your planer board, the
better your hooking percentages are going to be.
Having a bunch of line out is similar to using a
rubber band, as there is a lot of stretching and
www.muskiesinc.org
movement between your rod tip and the fish. Secondly, planer
boards can attract fish. Boards are bright; they cut water and make
noise. One of the largest muskies I’ve seen came up after a board
twice. Let the board work for you as an attractant.
Run the deep water planer board similar to the side rods. Do
not use lead weights, use a deep diving crankbait. The lead weights,
along with deep crankbaits are too much for planer board to move
freely. Keep these lures higher, maybe 4 feet down over 10 or more
feet. Hopefully an active or moving fish will be higher on the water
column, putting your lure in his face.
Be Accurate
Now that you have outfitted yourself in trolling in tight places,
it is important to use precision in your boat control. If possible, use
a full screen GPS unit that has lake depth contours like Navionics,
Lakemaster or Mapsource technology found in Lowrance, Eagle and
Garmin units. These will allow you to precisely follow structure lines
and keep your lures in the strike zone.
Many times you will have to deal with lakes, rivers and flowages
without contour software available for them. Go out in the spring
before the weed beds had fully develop and plot them out with plotter screens on a GPS. Once you have saved this trail, you can go over
it time and time again, without fouling up your lures. Being able to
save waypoints on major pieces of structure, or where you have
caught fish in the past will greatly help you key in on specific locations.
Give it a try!
While trolling is a great option there are certain times and places
for it. For trolling, mid-summer and late fall seem best. If you are a
casting minded muskie angler and fishing structure gets difficult,
give trolling a try. Those muskies you are looking for might be just
over your shoulder. ❖
Justin Gaiche is a guide for Hooksetters Fishing Services (920)
739-1309 – www.hooksetters.biz. Justin guides the waters of the
Wisconsin River and its flowages primarily for muskies. In addition to guiding, Justin is a successful tournament angler and a
Manager for Gander Mountain in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Summer on Vermilion
by Adam M. Glickman
T
he summer of ‘06 brought me a fortunate experience of living on the famous muskie factory Lake Vermilion in north
eastern MN. I fished the lake from early May through late
September, and had many great experiences and learned many valuable lessons.
Lake Vermilion sprawls from east to west with its northern most
extremities bordering the BWCA. There is a dam on the Pike River
flowing into the lake, which is just one of many substantial tributaries. There is also a dam at the exit of the Vermilion River, which is
the lake’s only outlet. The dam on the in-flowing Pike River is very
old and seems all but derelict. If it is possible to change the volume
of influx, I think it is done very little. The dam on the Vermilion
River’s exit is nothing more than a fixed level retaining wall of rock
and cement. Therefore, there is very little control over the lake’s
water level throughout the season. Large amounts of snow melt-off
and spring rains make the lake high in spring, but this water cannot
be retained. So if the summer is hot and dry, as was the case in ‘06,
water level declines rapidly. Bob, my employer at Bay View Lodge,
allowed me full use of his boathouse. During May, I could float my
18’ boat all the way into the boathouse. However, by mid summer
the water didn’t reach the entrance of the boathouse. In total, the
lake lost about 2-1/2’ of surface level throughout the season.
Structurally, Vermilion is not one of Minnesota’s typical sandy-shored
lakes. If your boat is disabled and set fast adrift on a windy day, your
chances of hitting something soft are slim at best. Most of
Vermilion’s shoreline is rock, and I’m not talking gravel. Boulders
from basketball to car size and exposed bedrock are the norm. Some
surfaces have been worn smooth, while others are very jagged.
Vegetation is scarce in main lake areas, especially in the eastern half,
which has a large rusty crayfish population. However, the lake has
many weedy bays. There are docks and lots of fallen timber to provide structure as well.Vermilion sprawls with many islands, points,
bays, and channels; and is very easy to get lost. At roughly 50,000
surface acres it is about one-quarter the size of Mille Lacs, yet it has
about twice the shoreline. It would literally take a lifetime to fish all
the spots on Vermilion, and in reality a lifetime may not be enough.
Experience is definitely a bonus on Vermilion, as its veteran anglers
boat muskies with much greater consistency than newcomers such as
myself.
As far as populations of fish are concerned, Vermilion is very
divided. The western half of the lake has a much stronger population of bluegill, crappie, and northern than the eastern half. Muskies
are dispersed throughout; but the main lake structure, especially in
the eastern half, concentrates the most muskies during summer
months. Vermilion also has very healthy populations of walleye,
perch, sucker, and tulibee; on which the muskies grow fast and large.
Sometimes on a calm summer night, vast schools of surface feeding
tulibees will go on as far as the eye can see. Water clarity also shows
great variance. In the absence of any late summer algae bloom, water
in deeper main lake areas is very clear. However, water in many of the
bays, especially sprawling Pike Bay, is dark stained similar to that of a
Wisconsin flowage.
Vermilion is one of those rare lakes on which it is tough to decide
where to begin because everything looks so good. Every piece of
shoreline looks very fishy. With the incredible abundance of quality
structure, one would think that the muskies would be widely and
evenly dispersed around the lake, but nothing could be further from
the truth. Once hot weather stabilizes in late June, muskies concentrate heavily on the shallow rock structure of reefs and small islands.
Strong winds concentrate them even further on the wind blown sides
of these structures. In case you’re wondering what I mean by concentrate, during certain wind conditions I have seen 12 muskies from
45-55 inches in my field of vision all at once. They move in uniform
fashion, just like any other school of fish; evenly spaced, in the same
direction, and with a uniform cadence of rhythmic tail sweeps. On
one occasion, I maneuvered my boat directly through one such
school. The fish responded by circling my boat twice before melting
of the reef. It didn’t take me long to realize that if I saw the fish before
they saw my lure, I didn’t have a chance of triggering them into striking or even following. By keeping my distance from these locations
and bombing lures into them, I started to move many fish but getting
strikes was another story. After all, these fish were not using hidden
out of the way spots that I had stumbled on by chance. These were
community spots not only for muskies but for muskie anglers as well.
In fact, more than half of them were marked with hazard buoys.
These spots were pounded day in and day out, but it didn’t drive the
fish off of the structure. They hung around in the midst of it all
refusing to take the vast majority of presentations. Followers were
very curious and kept their nose right on the lure. At times they
would come in just to look at the boat. It was like a civilized understanding between adversaries, like the wolf and the sheep dog drinking coffee together before punching in on the time clock in the old
cartoons. In my 13 years of muskie fishing, I had never seen anything like it. So my summer went on mostly like that. Raising huge
muskies almost every day, but taking very few strikes. I am a little
embarrassed to say that I never really figured them out and never took
a solid strike from a fifty incher. The closest I came was a low 50”
range fish that lightly nipped the tail of my lure, never touching a
hook, and proceeded to follow it all the way back to the boat before
turning around and going home. I blame my poor success on my
refusal to adapt my presentations to suit the mood of the fish. It
sounds stupid because it was stupid, but I can honestly say it was the
first time that my stubborn nature definitively cost me fish. So I suppose I learned an important lesson, even though I should have known
better to begin with.
The scenario played out like this. I like to fish jerkbaits, and I
can cover almost any casting situation using them. However, I
learned that I cannot get the high speed reaction strike using them.
On Vermilion, most muskies are caught by burning bucktails and
straight retrieve surface lures. The fish have seen many lures and
love to look closely at lures (especially jerkbaits, trust me on that one),
but statistically they bite best on the reaction strike. A reaction strike
occurs when a lure is moving too fast for the muskie to examine
inquisitively, the principle being they can either choose to strike or do
nothing.
The trick would have been to start burning bucktails and surface
lures in prop and tail spin styles. However, that is not the style of
fishing I enjoy so I didn’t do it, I stuck with what I like to throw; and
sometimes I regret it and sometimes I don’t.
I stuck by my guns and finished 17th when the Minnesota
Muskie Tournament Trail came to Vermilion. I stuck a 45.5” fattie
within one hour on day two. I was the only single angler team to
boat a fish. Each day I had multiple fifties nose to the plug, but they
would not take for me. It was not because the fish weren’t going
though, as I was told it was the most productive muskie tournament
ever, even though there were only sixty some boats in the field. In
fact, the top six teams each boated three fish; seven of those eighteen
were 50” or better, including muskies of 53.5”, 54”, and 54.5”!
I imagine those anglers were for the most part more experienced
on Vermilion than I was, and also more willing to do what needed to
be done to take strikes. From what I understand, they used tactics
similar to the more productive ones I described earlier, as well as
incorporating some use of Bulldawgs. The most important thing I
learned in that tournament is that there are some serious anglers on
that tournament trail and that an angler must do whatever it takes to
trigger strikes if they are to compete with them.
I will conclude this article with the story of the events during
which I learned my most important lesson of the summer. It was
August 31st and I had they day off. I stayed up the night before and
went out very early in a boat loaned to me by one of the lake’s shoreline residents. It was windy and there was a storm threatening from
the northeast, so after an hour of fishing I went in before the sun was
even up. I went to bed and woke up around noon. The storm was
still threatening, but was still not over the lake. I was frustrated over
the weather conditions, because I didn’t want to waste my day off,
which incidentally only lasted for a half hour longer when my boss
walked over to my shack and informed me that I would be working
at 6:00 after all. At that point I said, “@#%$ it,” and decided to go
out for a few hours.
I fished for a couple of hours about 5-7 miles to the east. The
bite was slow and I enjoyed fair skies overhead, all the time watching
the storm brood over the boundary waters like a sleeping beast rolling
in its bed. Then at about 4:15 p.m., the wind switched from out of
the northeast to straight out of the north and the beast that had been
playing possum pounced on me and everyone else who was foolish
enough to be out that day. The storm bulged down with speed that
I had never before seen and by the time I had the
engine started the sky was raining cloud to water
lighting strikes at 300 degrees around me. Had
I anticipated the full storm surge that was not
upon me yet, I would have headed north to take
refuge from the wind. However, the winds were
not as fierce yet as they would become.At the
time though, my first instinct was to drive
towards the only clear patch of sky, which was
south directly over McKinley Park. I made it in
before being completely enveloped by the electrical storm, tied up the boat, and took cover. For
a few minutes, everything seemed like it was
going to be O.K., but then the wind intensified
like I had never seen before and never want to see
again. The dock I had tied to ran east to west,
of which the boat was on the north side. Fueled
by the winds howling across the main lake, huge
rollers began pounding into the bay, smashing
the $50,000 borrowed boat into the dock.
My heart dropped into my stomach and I
new I was in for it. I ran out onto the dock in
the midst of lightning strikes and winds that had
to have exceeded 60 mph. For over half an hour
I endured the elements keeping the boat form
complete ruin and the brand new 200 hp outboard from smashing into the cement wall at the
base of the dock. I kept a buoy in one hand that
www.muskiesinc.org
I strategically placed in the correct spot where the boat hit the dock
each time. One rope snapped, but the other held; keeping the motor
from sliding into the wall. As the waves troughed, the distance
between the trough and crest was so great that the boat pulled about
4’ from the dock. This gave a good amount of distance for the boat
to speed up with the next crest before hitting the dock.
Each time, I braced my feet against the dock and my hands on
the boat to slow it as much as possible before letting the buoy take the
brunt of the impact. The buoy would crush without taking a fraction of the force, upon which the side of the dock would lift violently, nearly bucking me backwards into the water. If, in that seemingly endless amount of time, any part of my body had fallen between
the boat and the dock, it would have been severely crushed and broken. The waves were huge, and every once in a while one would
catch up with the one in front of it and they would combine. When
this happened, the 19’ deep wide V hull, 200 hp main outboard, and
9.9 hp kicker would rise over my head before crashing down. All in
all I am lucky to be alive.
The storm subsided slightly, I started the engine, and an onlooker loaned me his knife to cut the rope that had held. The knots were
pulled too tight ever to be undone. I juiced the throttle and fought
the still huge waves out of the bay. I docked up the boat and much
to my chagrin clocked in at the kitchen on time. Large trees were
down all around the lake, it was truly the storm of the decade.
The boat sustained only cosmetic damage, although much of it
was very unsightly and expensive. In some places, splinters from the
dock were lodged into the aluminum hull. It was the best workout I
had ever had. Every muscle in my body hurt for days. I felt like I
had been hit by a truck.I knew that big water was capable of such fury,
but I guess I had to experience it to truly understand. I’m not a religious man, but I saw something out there that day, and it was mad at
me. Mother Nature is not to be taken lightly, especially on big water.
Most already know this, but a healthy reminder never hurts. Stay
safe, dead anglers catch no muskies. ❖
AS I SEE IT ◆ AS I SEE IT ◆ AS I SEE IT ◆ AS I SEE IT ◆ AS I SEE IT ◆ AS I SEE IT
As I See It
by Jim Smith
G
osh, what a pleasant surprise to hear from so many dear
friends about my retirement. I do want you all to understand I am only passing the reins to someone else to do my
job. I can’t imagine me getting very far from Muskies, Inc. I intend
to get back to writing articles and keeping you posted on many
events. But, thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Best news I’ve heard all day…a new chapter in Washington State.
#57 NWTigerPac was formed May 24th with seventeen new members. Welcome aboard President Perry and Janice.
Well, I have finally gotten all the plaques from the MUSKIE
Magazine Chapter Projects Contest mailed to everyone, including
our wonderful sponsors; Tuffy Boats, Fittante Replicas, Cabela’s,
Illinois Muskie Tournament Trail, Red Wing Lodge and Farm & City
Insurance. I am just sorry that we had a glitch and they couldn’t have
been presented at the Spring Board Meeting. I thank you all anyway
and look forward to next year.
FYI, the September issue will most likely be handled by Juris or
someone else as I am goin fishn. Steve Budnik and I are headed for
Lac Suel for my 50”er. Then back to northern Wisconsin for more
muskie fishing. Lynda and I will be gone for the entire month of July.
So please send all articles, Chapter News & Views, or anything to
Juris, but please copy me also. Thanks!
This last weekend the Sun City Grand Fishing Club (of which I
am a member) held our first major Kids Fishing Derby. As many of
you probably will recall, I helped organize four of these in Colorado.
They were very successful and they are continuing to be very successful under Forrest Dykstra’s direction.
Anyway we had Wal-Mart here participating, they provided the
kids T-shirts. The Arizona Game & Fish Department stocked extra
fish and provided prizes for the kids. The City of Surprise Recreation
District provided a lot of prizes and a catered lunch for all of the participants. The SCGFC provided a bunch of old men and some great
wives to help the kids rig lines, bait hooks and remove fish, pass out
prizes, etc. We had 197 kids and according to the Surprise Recreation
District folks this was the largest group of kids they had experienced.
In talking with the AZG&FD they said this was either the 1st or 2nd
largest event of this weekend, National Fishing Week in the state.
I mention this, as I know many of our chapters have their own
kid’s derbies. If there were other chapters who may be interested in
putting on a derby I would certainly be willing to help with providing information and contacts. I got started a few years ago with help
from a number of other chapters myself.
I had a call today from a member and he had just returned from
a fishing trip to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. I have asked him to write
an article for MUSKIE and I will publish it. Briefly, a fellow verbally accosted him, his son, and his son-in-law coming out of a tackle
shop from some barbershop across the street. This “person” was animate about gaffing the muskies and cutting them open and left to lie.
His only other option was to eat them. This person’s reasoning was
that the muskies are eating all their walleye. Strangely enough I had
an Email from a totally different M.I. member from Minnesota who
was unhappy with a recent article I ran in MUSKIE. I will publish
his letter as well as my response. However, the bottom line here is
WE members of M.I. need to do a major job of “damage control”. I
believe we need some large scale marketing efforts to bring the muskie
to a sport fish level and support our state DNR’s to shut off this type
of ranting and raving. Now I am not suggesting this as a project for
the International and that they should hire some mystic marketing
director. I am talking about each of us becoming knowledgeable
enough to stand with and debate the benefits of having muskies in
our lakes and streams. I would challenge you to start writing your
local Outdoor Editor of your newspapers, watch for negative stories
on TV and offer to try and “educate” their audiences to the true facts.
Let’s get our acts together and make sure we are all on the same wavelength. It sure looks like we have a job to do. Let’s get er done!
Jim
Jim Smith, Managing Editor
MUSKIE Magazine, The Official
Publication of Muskies, Inc.
Email: managingeditor@muskiesinc.org
We work to
improve fishing!
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Chapter News and Views
Phone #
www.muskiesinc.org
October 27, 28
7th Annual Fall Brawl – Kinkaid Lake,
Murphysboro, IL. Host: Shawnee Muskie
Hunters Chapter #28.
2008
April 3, 4, 5
2008 Spring board meeting, Hosted by
Titletown Muskies, Inc., Chapter #4
Radisson Hotel & Conference Center,
2040 Airport Drive, Green Bay, WI
Telephone: 800-333-3333
Contact Jay Zahn
jzahn000@centurytel.net
Special events listings are provided at
no charge to Muskies, Inc chapters.
To list your chapter's event, email to:
managingeditor@muskiesinc.org
or by ground mail: Jim Smith,
15045 W. Double Tree Way,
Surprise, AZ 85374-8568.
Please send announcements
at least 2 months in advance.
CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS
01.....Twin Cities, 414 Division St., Excelsior, MN 55331..........................................952-380-1218
02.....Fargo-Moorhead, Box 2021, Fargo ND, 58107................................................701-298-9032
03.....Chicagoland Muskie Hunters, 7600 Kilbourn Ave, Skokie, IL 60076 ...............847-677-0017
04.....Titletown Muskies, Inc., 3097 Inverness Lane, New Franken, WI 54229 .......920-866-9705
05.....Pomme De Terre, PO Box 5, Hermitage, MO 65668 .......................................417-745-2381
06.....First Wisconsin, PO Box 122, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 ...............................715-726-8896
07.....South Side Muskie Hawks, 5211 S. Narragansett Ave., Chicago, IL 60638......773-581-8650
08.....Capital City, PO Box 8862, Madison, WI 53708...............................................608-669-5046
09.....West Virginia, 1270 Federal Road, Little Hocking, OH 45742 .........................740-667-3571
10.....Heartland, 239 8th St SE, Mason City IA 50401 ..............................................641-424-0827
11 .....Mississippi Valley, 5301 11th Ave “C”, Moline, IL 61265 ..................................309-797-1803
12.....Headwaters, PO Box 652, Eagle River, WI 54521...........................................715-477-2913
13.....Hayward Lakes, PO Box 609, Hayward, WI 54843 .........................................715-634-4543
14.....South of the Border, 28926 W. Big Hollow Rd, McHenry, IL 60050.................815-385-9026
15.....Star of the North, 29957 La Plant Rd., Grand Rapids, MN 55744...................218-326-4958
16.....Three Rivers, 119 Bus Lane, Renfrew, PA15136 .............................................724-789-7866
17.....Quad County, PO Box 185, Plano, IL 60545....................................................815-695-1494
18.....Hopedale, 15 Township Rd 125, Dillonvale, OH 43917 ...................................740-769-7269
19.....Akron-Canton Muskie Maniacs, 10957 Northwood Ave NE, Bolivar OH 44612.330-874-2773
20.....Between the Lakes, PO Box 61, Sheboygan, WI 53085-0061 ........................920-564-3226
21.....North Metro, PO Box 41216, Plymouth, MN 55441 .........................................952-469-2155
22.....New Jersey, http://www.mi22.com/ ..................................................................................TBD
23.....Cleveland, 5611 Alber, Parma, OH 44129........................................................440-221-5760
24.....Brainerd Lakes, 9143 Lone Pine Road, Brainerd, MN 56401..........................218-821-3669
26.....Central Wisconsin, PO Box 263, Medford, WI 54451 ......................................715-748-2630
27.....Central Illinois, 1191 Sandra Lane, Monticello, IL 61856 .................................309-264-3730
28.....Shawnee Muskie Hunters, PO Box 602, DeKalb, IL 60115 .............................815-756-3231
29.....Upper Great Plains, 1788 Hwy 4, Estherville, IA 51334...................................712-362-2501
30.....God’s Country, PO Box 1461, LaCrosse, WI 54601 ........................................608-786-4062
31.....Penn-Ohio, 309 Spring St, Jamestown, PA 16134...........................................724-932-5815
32.....Flatlanders, 5776 Vesper Drive, South Beloit, IL 61080 ..................................815-389-4622
33.....Lake Superior, 2031 Hwy. 33 S., Cloquet, MN 55720......................................218-879-2712
35.....Milwaukee, PO Box 28842, Greenfield, WI 53220...........................................262-442-6260
37.....St. Cloud, 312 18th Avenue N., Sartell, MN 56377 ..........................................320-656-1160
38.....Vikingland, 2909 Wicken Lane NW, Alexandria, MN 56308.............................320-846-7975
39.....Fox River Valley, 1253 Cobblers Crossing, Elgin, IL 60123.............................847-741-9771
41.....Central Ohio, 603 Bennettwoods Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45320 ...........................513-231-1961
42.....Hoosier Muskie Hunters, PO Box 501371, Indianapolis, IN 46250 .................317-577-8050
44.....Colorado, 3739 Sawgrass Trail, Castle Rock, CO 80109 ................................303-668-4089
45.....Kentucky, 212 Linden Ave., Southgate, KY 41071...........................................859-441-1666
46.....Bemidji/Cass Lake, 11551 Misty Meadows Rd, Bemidji, MN 56601................218-759-0098
47.....Michigan Muskie Alliance, PO Box 512, Caledonia, MI 49316 ........................616-447-1688
48.....Arrowhead, PO Box 82, Virginia, MN 55792....................................................218-482-5217
49.....Webster Lake Musky Club, PO Box 670, No. Webster, IN 46555 ...................574-834-1669
50.....Penn-Jersey, 372 Kingwood Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406 ..........................610-962-0632
52.....Daniel Boone, 813 US 62, Maysville, KY 41056 ..............................................606-759-7610
53.....Huskerland Muskie Hunters, PO Box 394, Valentine, NE 69201.....................402-376-2743
54.....Southern Crossroads, 1524 Country Club Rd, Albert Lea MN 56007 .............507-373-1818
55.....Mid Iowa Muskies, 2940 SW Meadow Ridge, Ankeny IA 50023 .....................515-289-1583
57.....NW TigerPac, 10517 SE 214th Place, Kent, WA 98031 ..................................253-850-5889
CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆
No. Chapter, Address
September 21 (Friday)
M.I. International Fall Board Meeting
LOTW in the Morson, Ontario area.
Headquarters: Red Wing Lodge
Hosted by the International.
Contact Paul Framsted
framsted.paul@den.sysco.com
NOTE: Sept 21st is the correct date.
(The 2007 MI Calendar incorrectly
shows Sept. 14th).
CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆
48
2
CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS
Pomme de Terre
P.O. Box 5
Hermitage, MO 65668
417-745-2381 – Carl Marks
www.missourimuskies.org
Meets: Various days-Call for schedule
05
May 5th was our annual Muskie Mayhem on
Pomme de Terre. Weeklong rains clearing on
Friday evening, allowing a beautiful sunrise to
welcome our 23 new, two-year members. Twenty
volunteer guides showed off the lake—it was
four+ feet above pool—as well as the tactics and
gear used in muskie fishing. With air temps racing into the mid-eighties, and water temps either
side of seventy degrees, gray-white clouds were
pushed about in 10-20 mph winds like waves on
the open stretches of lake.
Three muskies were landed, others lost boatside, and several more seen, despite post-frontal
conditions. New member Jim Jones landed the
largest muskie, his first, a 40-inch fish from Martin
Flats while trolling a Depth Raider. Jim was
awarded the helmet to sign and wear, and a
Rapala rod. Bill Hill was his guide. Chapter
Secretary Fred Wehrli placed second with a 35”
fish. Awarded an Ambassador reel, Fred donated the reel to the fire-fund, to help replace a fellow member’s loss during a house fire. RVP
Earle Hammond landed a 32” muskie to round
out the scoring. James Weatherly, guided by the
RVP, lost a 40” inch fish and nearly boated another. Hey, Earle, you might want to use the pontoon
boat more often, and sell that other rig. A 50/50
raffle was won, the new member donating the
prize to the habitat fund. Other raffles and prizes
include hats, and a tackle box including lures and
face shield.
Dinner was stupendous!! A thank-you goes
out to Denis Ledgerwood for purchasing and
grilling exceptional fillets. (Don’t try photographing Denis when he’s sprinkling secret seasonings
on the steaks.) Thank-you Jenny Reisch for getting the steaks to the lake. Our most sincere
thank-you goes to the dinner committee. Ladies,
as usual, superb effort and meal!! Thank-you,
Mary Hammond, Audrey Neely, Laura and Maria
Kingsbury, and new member Tena Blevins for the
extra set of hands: without your efforts we might
starve. You truly are our Chapter’s unsung
heroes. Last, but not least, to all volunteer guides
and new members, thank you. You make Muskie
Mayhem possible.
First Wisconsin
P.O. Box 122, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
715-726-8896
muskybob@charter.net
firstwi@muskiesinc.org
Meetings 1st Monday, 5:30 PM, Rod and Gun Club,
Lake Wissota.
06
The First Wisconsin Chapter will be holding
their 31st annual fall fishing tournament on
September 14, 15, 16, 2007 on multiple waters of
Chippewa and Rusk counties in Wisconsin. For
details please contact our chapter’s website at
http://firstwi.muskiesinc.org. This site includes
complete details, entry form, contacts, etc.
This is a very unique event. Annual participants
is about 300, annual muskie captures about 90 to
100. Entry fee is just $35. Every person that
catches a muskie will receive a prize. 1st place
winner gets to go to the prize table first, then 2nd,
3rd, 4th etc. right on down to the last muskie catcher. This is a release only event using the Muskies,
Inc. scoring system. There are 16 different bodies
of water in the tournament so crowded lakes are
not a problem. This year Lake Eau Claire and
Rice Lake are new bodies of water available. It is
2-1/2 days, Friday, Saturday and 1/2 day Sunday.
Headquarters is East Bay Restaurant & Dam Bar
on beautiful Lake Holcombe.
Our chapter will be involved with the “Fishing
Has No Boundaries” event to be held on Lake
Holcombe on August 18 and 19. Len Rubesch
reports that we cannot get minnows from out of
state because of VHS. We have reports from the
DNR that they will not produce fish from all state
hatcheries. It appears we will not be raising
muskies in our chapter pond. Our chapter had a
brat stand at Gordy’s grocery store for the first
time. It was very successful, we netted over $700
in 2-1/2 days. Chapter membership is holding
steady at 218 members.
The Dairyland Flowage project has hit a snag.
The DNR is concerned about mercury exposure
from dredging so no permits have been issued
yet. This project was to start in late August or
September. First Wisconsin donated $5000 to
this effort. Our chapter will have the Wisconsin
Musky Clubs Alliance boat raffle again this year
at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa
Falls from July 11 to 15. Plans are in process to
have a booth at the Northern Wisconsin Deer
Classic and Outdoor Show again this winter. It is
set for Jan 25-27, 2008. Plans for our chapter
annual awards banquet are tentative for the 3rd
week of January.
Reporter Jim Bunch
08
Capital City
P.O. Box 8862, Madison, WI 53708
608-669-5046 – Gerard Hellenbrand
www.capitalcitymuskiesinc.org
Meets: 2nd Monday 7:00 PM Park Ponderosa
McFarland, WI
The muskie season opened in Southern
Wisconsin on May 5th and several club members
had opening day success. The largest one
caught, at least known to this writer, was a 43
incher by Rollie Squires on Twin Valley Lake near
Dogdeville WI. The Madison chain also yielded
several nice fish on opening day with Geoff
Crandall, Steve Reinstra, and Don Anderson
having a successful day. Our May 14th meeting
was held at the Park Ponderosa in McFarland.
Justin Gaiche was our featured speaker who is a
fishing guide from the Appleton Wisconsin area.
His presentation was on river fishing for Muskies,
especially the northern part of the Wisconsin
River. Justin told us the major consideration in
river fishing for Muskies was the river current.
With use of a map, Justin took the gathering
through a meandering river with several current
direction changes. Different from lake fishing for
muskies, one has to hunt for the spots likely to
hold a fish. Justin described how to separate
good areas (eddies, rocks, downed trees, bridge
pillars, etc) from those that may look good but not
likely to hold a muskie. All in attendance agreed
that river fishing for muskies is indeed a challenge. The second chapter outing of the year
was held on the Madison chain in mid-May.
Thirty-seven club members participated in the
Monona Outing that was organized by Don and
After a day of fishing which was
Liz Hollatz.
quite slow, the members were treated to a dinner
at the Green Lantern in McFarland. Awards,
hand carved wooden jackpots by Don Hollatz,
were presented to first (39.5” - Brad Nelson), second (34” - Dan Okray) and third (northern pike –
Bill Wood). Members of the Capital City Muskie
chapter wish muskie fisherman everywhere a
very successful and safe 2007 fishing season.
Reporting: Gary Hoffman
09
West Virginia
1270 Federal Road
Little Hocking, OH 45742
740-667-3571
http://westvirginiamuskiesinc.org
Meets: No definite schedule-call
Mid April thru mid May is usually one of the
best times for muskies in our neck of the woods.
For unknown reasons, however, this year the
action has been sporadic. Several fished our
Leesville Outing on April 21 and 22 but no
muskies were caught and only a couple were
raised. Additionally, four veteran members spent
the three days prior to the outing at Leesville and
failed to boat a fish.
Things were better at the Odie Cutlip Memorial
Team Tournament on May 5 and 6 at Stonewall
Jackson Lake but still only two fish were caught.
Leonard Robinson fishing the Walkersville end of
the lake with his partner Neil Smith boated a 44
?” and a 30”. The 44 ?” fell victim to an Amma
Bama jerkbait by Bill Looney. Most fishing this
event saw fish and some had close encounters
but could not connect. A distracted Kyle Kelley, a
Jr. Member, lost a mid forty which took his bait
unexpectedly. Kevin Woolard had a fifty inch
class muskie hit a big swimbait at boatside but
didn’t get hooked. Thanks to Darlene Kelley who
served as Tournament Chairperson.
Although the fishing has been generally slow
there have been some successes. In one day
Mike Moschell landed a 46” casting Salt Fork
Lake and lost three others. Ken and Shelia
McCord boated eight Stonewall Jackson muskies
including a 48” and 49” during the first week of
May. This was their first time out in 2007. They
were able to fish very little in 2006 but hopefully
this year will be different. It is great to see them
back on the water.
Just a reminder that Fish Registration Forms
now need to be mailed to Gary Fields, 823
Windsor Drive, Mineral Wells, WV 26150. We
appreciate the many years of good work as
Chapter Contest Chairman by Hall of Fame
member Jim Feaster and hope that he is enjoying his well earned break from this assignment.
John Kaltenecker, Secretary
Headwaters
12
P.O. Box 652
Eagle River, WI 54521
715-477-2913 – Paul Hansen
www.headwatersmuskies.com
Meets 1st Wednesday 7:00 PM
Our Spring general membership meetings of
the Headwaters chapter was well attended.
Recent activities include Headwaters Chapter
hosting a meeting with our local Wisconsin DNR
fish biologist from surrounding counties. The
presentation of last years survey data and future
programs for the upcoming year. This was a very
informative presentation regarding our local area
fisheries.the following consists of our march and
may meeting highlights.
At our March meeting the Headwaters
chapter nominated Joe Koschnik for a directors
position. We look forward to Joes input at future
meetings. Congratulations, Joe! Regarding elections, Fred Brogle was voted in as our new RVP.
Congratulations Fred!
We would also like to thank Art Anderson for all
his past contributions as RVP.
Our 27th annual Spring Classic Musky
Tournament chaired by Jeff and Patti Miller, and
Jim and Carol Heffner was held on June 9th and
10th 2007. This is a premier tournament and
results will be furnished in our next report.
13
Hayward Lakes
P.O. Box 609
Hayward, WI 54843
715-634-4543
The guest speaker at our April meeting was
Steve Genson. Steve guides in the Hayward area
and also on some of Minnesotas big fish waters.
He also makes regular appearances on the
Keyes Outdoor TV shows. Steve’s presentation
at our meeting was on Lake Mille Lacs. Mille Lacs
has a well deserved as a lake that not only has
big fish but lots of them. Steve filmed a show on
the lake with Greg Thomas where they boated 20
fish in two days up to 48 inches! Steve explained
the three primary patterns that Muskies use, sand
flats, rock bars and weeds and where to be when.
We want to thank Steve for donating his time. If
you’d like to fish with him his number is 715-5583709.
In July we will not have a regular meeting but
instead have a picnic on Sunday July 22. Fish
during the day if you’d like and then meet at 5
p.m. at the Lake Hayward picnic area. The club
will provide beer and brats. Feel free to bring
your spouse or friends, especially someone who
may be interested in our club.
The first Sunday of August will be our annual
kids fishing day, the 5th, this year. We can usually use more guides and kids so contact us if you
can help or know some youngsters who’d like to
join us. We meet at The Wisconsin Beer Hunters
Restaurant at 9 a.m. and fish until noon when we
have a barbque and prizes for the kids.
Our 30TH Annual Fall Tournament is completely organized and ready to go. October 5, 6, and 7
are the dates this year. Power Sports of Hayward
is our major sponsor again, helping us get the
Lund 17 foot Explorer on a Shore Lander trailer
with a Mecury motor. Power Sports is 11 miles
east of Hayward on Highway 77 east, please consider them if you’re looking for a boat, ATV or
snowmobile. To obtain additional tournament
information call Hayward Bait and Tackle at 715634-2921.
Send your fish registrations for our members
contest to Bob Timme, 12677 N Neumaier Road,
Hayward WI 54843.
Good Fishing, Mike Persson
19
Akron-Canton
10957 Northwood Ave. NE
Bolivar, OH 44612
Gordon Selden - 330-874-2773
http://muskie_guy@tripod.com
Meets 3rd Monday 7:00 PM, Belgrade Gardens,
3476 Massillon Road, Akron, OH.
www.muskiesinc.org
The Muskie Maniacs hosted the Annual
Chapter Challenge at Salt Fork Lake on May 19th
and 20th. Club member Gordon Selden caught
the winning fish last year with a 52” fish to have
us host the Challenge this year.
The weather was perfect for the weekend and
the fish also cooperated. There were 15 legal fish
caught during the Challenge along with many sub
legal fish.
Matt Dean from the Cleveland Chapter 23 won
the Challenge with a 45” fish. Way to go Matt!
He also won the big fish pool to fill his pockets
with some cash.
We had 45 muskie hunters that fished the
Challenge and we had a cookout on Saturday
afternoon. Master chef Guy Bechter cooked up a
feast for everyone and we also had leftovers to
take back to the campground for all to share. We
had a great weekend of fellowship and hope we
can get more Chapters to join us next year.
Our next tournament will be June 9th and 10th
at Leesville Lake. The bite is happening right now
at Leesville with club members turning in their
catches and hope the bite is still on for the
tournament. We are going to have a cookout on
Saturday and hope for good weather for the
weekend and that the fish will cooperate.
Here is a list of our upcoming events that we are
having: July 28 -29th - Milton Lake Tourney,
August 11th - PM Bite at Leesville, September
22nd - Memorial Outing
Kevin Proffitt
muskies. Perhaps we should have some meetings and/or outings in the Rapids to get a few
pointers.
It is a good Muskie hatch at the Kalepp Fish
Farm this year according to Lloyd Kalepp’s mother. Lloyd has been to busy finding food for those
young piscivorus. The club has received $1000
dollars from the Taylor County Sportsman’s
Association for stocking muskies in Spirit Lake.
We have ordered 100 fingerlings from Kalepps
Fish Farm destined for Spirit Lake but the DNR
fisheries biologist has ordered muskies as well.
Any suggestions for an alternative stocking lake
preferably in Taylor County if in fact the DNR
does stock muskies in Spirit Lake.
I would like to thank the following for the
Banquet raffle donations, St Croix Rods, Medford
Farm & Home, Weathershield, Shell Easy Stop,
Shane’s Outfitters, Ruser R-Store, Holiday Gas,
Sportsman’s Repair shop, Waters Edge B.P.,
Medford County Market, Time Federal Savings
Bank, Gregg Peterson Tackle, Checkers, Liske
Marine, Lundy Electronics, Happy Joe’s Pizza, KMart,Quick Trip, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and
McDonalds.
Outing dates: June 7 - Spirit Lake, July 12 - Rib
Lake, August 2 - Lake Alexander.
We are looking for team members for the Gil
Hamm June 13,14,15 on the Holcombe Flowage.
Please contact me at 715 457-2192.
Gerald Bucholtz
Shawnee
22
New Jersey
http://www.mi22.com/
28
P.O. Box 602
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-756-3231 – Gary Dew
(815) 529-1159
Meets: varies-call for schedule.
The highlight of the Spring season has been
the fish rescued jointly conducted by the Chapter
and NJDFW. Chuck Graf took a few after dark
visits to the spillway and with his flashlight
noticed the glare of dozens and dozens of eyes.
Craig and crew responded along with Carl Graf,
Greg Calt, John Russo, Tom Amels, Steve
Scornavacca, Kevin Johnson, Kurt Gould and
others. 21 Muskies to 48” were returned to
Greenwood along with 50 Walleyes. Prior rescues have yielded up to 500 Walleyes plus big
Muskies. Great job to all involved. Last
reminder- June Tournament is on the 23rd, with
Monksville and Greenwood eligible. Picnic afterwards . See mi22.com for details or contact any
club officer.. Next monthly meeting is on
September 25th, 8 pm Lake Arrowhead
Clubhouse. Fishing has been slow this Spring
but Kevin Johnson was treated to his personal
best, a four footer, congrats Kevin. Carl Graf has
a 16’ boat for sale, contact Chuck for details.
Enjoy the season.
Submitted by Gordon Campbell
http://students.uwsp.edu/jjaco985/index.html
Central Wisconsin
26
P.O. Box 263
Medford, WI 54451
715-748-2630 – Jim Jacobs
muskyjt@hotmail.com
Meets 1st Thursday, 7:00 PM, Happy Joe’s,
Medford, WI
The Awards Banquet was well attended and a
good time was had by all especially Jeff and
Marty. The Wisconsin Rapids members Jason
Schillinger,Don Kempen,Matt Brinkman and Joe
Siegler accounted for 112 of the 148 released
On June 9, 2007 we held our second Kid’s
Fishing Day Event @ Murphysboro Lake. Ninety
kids dressed in yellow or green t-shirts provided
by the chapter, attended with their parents/
guardians. We had wonderful weather. The kids
caught over 400 fish in 90 minutes of
fishing…mostly bluegill, consumed 180 hot
dogs/200 bags of chips/300 drinks, and painted a
wooden lure to take home. (The Luhr-Jensen
Wooden Lure Kits were purchased thru Matt
Jensen at Rapala.)
Mark Yehling from the
ILDNR provided the rods, reels and some handouts, and gave an excellent fishing and safety
presentation to start the day. Angie Kuehl from
Jackson Co. 4-H coordinated the signup of the
kids from the local area. Fifteen of our members
attended with 10 friends and volunteers to help
make this a great event. Be sure to look at the
website to view our picture collogue from this
event. www.shawneemuskiehunter.org We had
local support with cash donations from Wal-Mart
Foundation, Murphysboro Tourism, and Jackson
Co. 4-H. Merchandise donations came from the
Bass Pro Shop in St. Charles, MO, Top of the Hill
Bait Shop, Shakespeare, Eagle Claw, Pure
Fishing, and ILDNR. We all had a great time and
look forward to next year…same place, on June
7, 2008. Hope you can make it! We’re looking
to increase the event to 150 kids next year.
Upcoming Events:
July 14 Shelbyville Bellow Dam Fish Outing,
meeting & Lunch @ 12:00 P.M.
July 25, from 6:30 to 10 pm, lure demonstration at the Danbury sub-division pool in Ballwin,
MO. This is a joint meeting with the Pomme
chapter. Dennis Ledgerwood made the arrangements for the night. We will be demonstrating various muskie lures. Brats, chips and non-alcoholic
Current information can be found on our web site
www.headwatersmuskies.com as well as last
years tournament winners.
This summer Anderson will be hosting boat
safety classes in Eagle River at the Eagle River
YMCA as well as Kids fishday days held at
Heckels Marina thru out this summer
At our May meeting we had two new members
Curt Priefer and Gerard Jackson.As always new
members are always welcome and we look forward to your input for the betterment of our
club.in closing this is like a countdown period as
there is still over two weeks to our opening day of
musky fishing here in the North woods.
Our next regular meeting will be held on June
6th at 7 PM at the Eagle River Inn. New members
are always welcome.
Regards, Glenn Matula, Secretary
beverages will be provided. Dane Garrett is our
coordinator for this event. (314) 941-2196.
Muskie Gal! Shannon Beaty-Dingus
shannonbeaty1031@hotmail.com
29
Upper Great Plains
1788 Hwy 4
Estherville, IA 51334
712-362-2501
Meets 3rd Thursday , Legion Club, 1709 Okoboji
Ave., Milford, IA.
On May 17th board members Tim and Dianne
Roberts, Carl Waddell, Skip Frakes, Mark
Mithchell, Virg Harrison, Leo Kofoot, Dale Witt,
Scott Larson, Randy Meyer, Rod Blau, and
myself were all in attendance for our annual
monthly meeting at the American Legion in
Milford. Planning for upcoming events like the
Spirit Lake Outing and Muskie League were discussed.
Results from the June outing will be
updated in next months chapter news.The Iowa
Great Lakes muskie season got started on May
21st. Water temps were in the mid 60’s and
water clarity has been excellent on all the lakes.
We held our first league night on May 23rd on
East Okoboji. We had nine people turn out
despite some rainy weather all day.
However mother nature smiled during the fishing hours and it turned out to be a beautiful night.
No muskies were caught but three fish were seen
including one fish that was hooked and lost. A
few aggressive pike along with nice weather still
made it a good night on the water. It feels great
to back on the lakes looking for the next fish!The
next league night will be held on July 11th on
West Okoboji at Triggs boat ramp. Following
that we will be back on Big Spirit on July 25th at
Templar Park boat ramp.
For August we will be on West Okoboji on the
8th and 22nd to finish off the league season.
Remember, league night fishing starts at 6:15
pm and will run until sundown.
Everyone is invited to come and fish. All you
need to do is sign in with Rod Blau or myself from
5:30-6 at the boat ramp we are fishing at that
evening. Entry fee for league night is $7. You
visit
the
UGP
chapter
website
http://muskieclub.com to see all the upcoming
events.
Sincerely,
Pete Hildreth Chapter Editor,
muskie2004@netins.net
Fox River Valley
39
1253 Cobblers Crossing, Elgin, IL 601230
847-741-9771 – Rich Gallagher
www.frvmuskie.com
Meets: 2nd Wed (Exc June/July) Poplar Creek Country
Club, 1400 Poplar Creek Drive, Hoffman Estates, IL.
Hello All,
Welcome to the middle of Summer! We hope
everyone has been able to get a trip or two in.
Get out and enjoy the weather with your family
and friends.
July starts month number two of three in our
“Summer fishing League.” After this month we
only have Sunday August 12th. One more Five
a.m. start! Good luck to all, see you on the water.
We know everyone is busy with the usual
Summer fun. Along with that we ask you to
remember to purchase your tickets for our electronics “Mega Raffle.” While you are having
BBQ’s and picnics that would be a great time to
sell a few tickets to your friends. After all if you
aren’t fortunate enough to win the T.V. than you
can always go to that lucky friend who won it and
watch at their place! All proceeds from this raffle
go to our Youth, Fisheries and Stocking program.
Help us to build a fishing future for your children.
Our goal is to have each member sell $100.00
worth of tickets. The member who sells the most
tickets will win a $300.00 Gift Certificate from
Rollie & Helen’s Muskie Shop. Prizes are: Third
Place, A 30 GB iPod (Retail $ 240.00) Second
Place, A Nintendo Wii (Retail $ 400.00) and in
First Place the one we are all crossing our fingers
for, a 42-1/2 Daewood Plasma TV (Retail
$2000.00) We are selling tickets for $5.00 each
or a book of five for $20.00. We will be selling
them right up until the time of the drawing at our
September 12th. Meeting. You DO NOT have to
be present to win.
Next month in August is our annual Bartlett
Kid’s Fishing Derby on the 18th. Located at
Beaver Pond on Stearns Road just East of Rt. 59
in Bartlett. Participant registration starts at 8:00
a.m. Fishing takes place between 9:00 and 11:00
a.m. Following fishing is a prize raffle and
awards.
We can always use volunteers for this event. If
you can donate a few hours of your time to share
the fun of fishing with these kids please contact
our Youths Director, Mike Zaborowski at 630-4581861 or youths@frvmuskie.com.
Looking forward a bit to Fall our upcoming trips
are: DePere/Fox River/Green bay, October 12th
to 14th. North Webster Indiana, November 16th.
to 18th. All details and updates are on the website.
Also this Fall on October 27th. is the second
half of our “Challunge on the Chain” Tournament
Series. It is NEVER too early to get signed up for
this. If you have fished with us before you know it
is a great day on the water followed by a tasty hot
meal, beverages and tables full of awesome raffle prizes. If you have not fished it consider giving
it a try. With cash payouts to tenth place you have
a good chance to “Get Paid to Fish!”
Our regular club meeting dates are the second
Wednesday of the month at the Poplar Creek
Country Club. We will be back in September
when our featured speaker will be Todd Forcier
on Wisconsin Petenwell Flowage Muskies. In
October will be our own Russ Schaller on the Fox
Chain of Lakes. The accommodations at Poplar
Creek are the best. They offer members a buffet
style dinner starting at six p.m. before the 7:30
p.m. meeting. The week before the meeting the
web site will have the buffet menu and cost. See
you there.
Until Later, Return ‘em to the water Healthy
and Remember Our Troops.
JT
Webster Lake
49
P.O. Box 670
No. Webster, IN 46555
574-834-1669
After our guide for a day. We could not haved
asked for a more beautiful day. Great food and
guest’s , and we got some fish to cooperate and
it turned out to be a awsome day.
Here are some of the upcomming outings that the
webster lake muskie club has on schedule:
JUNE 2—1st cash tournament on Webster Lake
JUNE 15 & 16—Terry Anderson 2nd Annual Iron
Man – 7pm to 7pm
SEPT. 8—2nd cash tounament on the Barbee
Chain
SEPT. 29—Guide For A Day
OCT. 6—3rd cash tournament on Webster Lake
The club welcomes everyone to our outings
and tournaments. For more information you can
email me at onemuskynut@embarqmail.com
or Chae Dolson at chae@maplenet.net or
check out the clubs website at www.websterlakemuskyclub.org we look forward to see
everyone there and hope everyone has a great
and safe season.. see you on the water and
remember to hammer your hooksets and let’em
go and let’em grow.....
Bill Bennett
NW TigerPac
57
10517 SE 214th Place
Kent, WA 98031
Perry Peterson, Pres.
(253) 850-5889
On May 24, 2007 in Federal Way, Washington,
just south of Seattle, the first organizational meeting of Muskies Inc. west of Colorado came
together. The turnout was exciting and the meeting went great! We had around 35 and half of
those (17) signed up that night. We donated over
$100 worth of lures in a “membership raffle” (free
if you signed up that night) and we gave 3 sets
away plus a Muskies Inc. hat, so total value each
was $35.00; the cost of an individual membership. Made some guys pretty happy, but NOT
ME... some of those baits I don’t have and they
were mighty tempting. LOL.
Special thanks to Patricia Strutz of www.ablondandherboat.com for the lures selections. And
kudos to Mark Wells and Todd Reis for running
the raffle table.
We had two guest speakers from the
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
(think DNR). Bruce Bolding, Warm water biologist
and the WDFW Warm water Program Manager,
Steve Jackson, spoke about the up and coming
plans for the Washington Tiger Muskie. We also
viewed the excellent Muskie Inc. video “How to
Release Muskies Properly” We had it changed to
a DVD and sent the original back to Ron
Groeschl for the next Chapter to use. Members
enjoyed it not only from a teaching perspective,
but a historical document as well.
We had “next generation” muskies anglers,
too; one man brought his 5 sons. There were 6
women in the room, all but one spouses, and
they all fished for muskies.
There were a lot of very successful muskie
anglers from the south Seattle area and the west
side of the State. But the most amazing merit
has to go to Scott Hughes and wife Sadie, who
won the $25 gift certificate from Sportsmen’s
Warehouse for traveling the longest way for the
meeting: From Spokane: That is 302 miles, 5
hours, one way, on a Thursday night!
There were nametags for everybody, with a
fierce muskie on it as well as their favorite lake,
(if known) just to help break the ice. People chatted up each other and made fishing tales come to
the surface fast. Great group of anglers and it’s
going to be fun exchanging ideas and trips! Keep
in mind that only one or two had met before. It
was wonderful to finally meet other muskie fans
and put names with faces.
The Northwest Chapter #57 is up and out of
the nest and starting to fly. Our next meeting will
be June 21st, Thursday, same place & time,
7PM, Federal Way Denny’s.....2132 S 320th Way,
across from the SeaTac Mall north side of 320th.
We will be gathering Board Members and
Chairmen positions.
Best Regards,
Perry Peterson (Janice Kuper)
See More, Catch More!
by Patricia Strutz
S
unglasses are not only a fisherman’s friend, but an integral part
of our tool chest. In addition to reducing glare to help locate
underwater structure, they also provide much needed protec-
tion.
However, in the world of sunglasses, there are many different
levels of quality. Choosing a pair solely by how they look on you or
by the lowest price is not your best bet. There are four basic things to
remember when purchasing your next pair of sunglasses for fishing:
* 100% UV/100% Polarized
* built to last, durable
* snug, comfortable fit
* a lifetime warranty.
Ultraviolet Light (UV)
UVA is of particular concern to eyecare professionals because it
can easily damage the retina of the human eye. UVB is of the greatest
concern because it is involved in the production of cataracts.
Correctly designed polarized lenses block out ultraviolet light through
a process called absorption. Quality sunglasses block out 100% of
these dangerous rays. Look for glasses, such as those manufactured by
Costa Del Mar, that integrate the UV protection directly into the
lenses. Inexpensive brands will just add a coating of protection. This
coating will wear off through everyday use and cleaning, leaving your
eyes exposed to these harmful rays.
A number of studies have shown the relationship between sunlight exposure and the development of cataracts. Lesser quality sunglasses will claim to block UV rays through the use of dark lenses. In
reality, this makes the situation worse as dark lenses cause the pupil to
dilate, allowing more of the dangerous UVA radiation to reach the
eye.
UV rays damage your retina and may increase your chances of
developing macular degeneration. The macula is in the center of the
retina and is responsible for straight-ahead vision. Macular degeneration accounts for approximately 12% of blindness in the United
States.
Ultraviolet light passes through cloud cover even on overcast
days. Make sure to choose sunglasses with UV protection directly
embedded into the lenses.
Polarization
The primary function of a polarized lens is to eliminate reflected
glare. Glare reduction is key to all fishermen, but especially to those
of us chasing a fish that has a tendency to examine and follow a lure.
Ripples, waves, and glare make it nearly impossible to see this fish or
any subsurface structure.
The term polarized comes from what happens to light waves
when they bounce off a horizontal surface. Their magnetic waves line
up horizontally; thus the term polarized. A polarized lens blocks this
horizontally polarized light (glare) from entering your eye (see
Diagram 1). A polarized film, molded between polarized lenses,
allows only vertical light (“ambient”) to pass through. Ambient light
does not produce glare.
Glare causes eyestrain and discomfort. Simple tinted or plastic
lenses by themselves can not solve the problem of glare. Glare can
www.muskiesinc.org
Diagram 1 (Courtesy of Costa del Mar)
cause temporary blindness (think back on the blinding effect of a flash
bulb) and leads to headaches and nausea. Many problems with night
vision are caused by the lingering effects of exposure to glare during
the daylight hours. Exposure to sunlight produces a cumulative effect
on our ability to see at night. To maintain optimal night vision, wear
sunglasses which block 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC yet allow
enough visible light in to enhance visual acuity.
Built to last, durable /Snug, comfortable fit.
Durability is in the details. Look for corrosion-resistant, stainless
steel spring hinges. Wire core or co-injected temples should adjust for
the perfect fit. And, silicone (or similar material) nose pads provide
excellent gripping ability—even when you perspire.
Fishing eye ware should be so comfortable that you forget you
have it on, however, remember that you also want it “snug.” You’ll be
racing around at 45 mph and don’t want your glasses flying off into
the water. Step one is to find a frame style that rests well on your nose
and behind your ears. There should be no sunlight coming in from
the top of the frame or from the sides.From there, you can pick out
your frame color and a lens. Resin (plastic) lenses offer these advantages over glass lenses:
*less expensive
*greater impact resistance
*lighter
However, plastic lenses offer less scratch resistance, are more susceptible to chemicals, and can be distorted by heat. Look for plastic lenses
rated to 8.5 scratch resistance (glass is rated to 9).
Glass lenses provide more optical clarity, are more scratch resistant, and less susceptible to chemicals than plastic lenses. However,
they are generally much heavier. Certain manufacturers offer lightweight glass lenses. Costa Del Mar’s glass lenses are actually 20%
lighter than the average polarized lens. They also add other features
such as glare absorbing anti-reflective coatings applied to the back surface of the lens.
Why is comfort so important? You want to wear these glasses all
day long—and well into the evening. The minute you take them off,
you are inviting an accident to happen. Case in point: while fishing in
Canada this past year we received an alarming call over the marine
radio. Two guys, who had fished together for years, had a
situation…Fellow #1 had taken off his sunglasses and his partner proceeded to mis-cast. A bucktail (treble hook and all) was now solidly
stuck in his eye. At the very least, this put a damper on the day’s fishing. We raced across the Lake of the Woods, then drove a couple
SEE MORE, CATCH MORE! (Continued from page 29)
hours to the nearest hospital. We were very lucky. An eye specialist
was available who performed surgery immediately. Thankfully, there
was no loss of vision…but, there just as easily could have been. It is so
very important to wear eye protection at all times. 90% of all eye injuries
(over 100,000 annually) could have been prevented. Choose a pair of
sunglasses that are so comfortable, you forget they are on!
Lens Color
Lens colors definitely affect the way you see the world. Here’s a
basic guideline to consider:
Gray: Provides natural contrast and minimizes color distortion, even
at low light levels. Designed for long hours in direct sun.
Amber/Brown: Offers a brighter field of vision and excellent color
contrast. Perfect for fishing in shallow waters on both overcast and
sunny days.
Rose/Copper: Heightens visual acuity and color enhancement.
Delivers the brightest field of vision in overcast or low light conditions.
Yellow/Amber: Designed for early morning or late afternoon use
when low lighting conditions require greater light transmission and
color contrast. Excellent for sight fishing.
Blue mirrors: (blue mirror coating applied to a gray based lens) Good
for bright sun conditions.
Green mirrors: (green mirror coating applied to an amber based
lens). Exceptional for freshwater fishing in variable light conditions.
Here’s a Few to Consider…
My personal favorite, Costa Del Mar, is considered by many to
be the industry’s benchmark of performance. Their lens technology
and quality components help deliver the best-performing frames on
the water. Worn by professional anglers Jose Wejebe (the Spanish Fly)
and Cindy Garrison, these glasses deliver extraordinary definition and
clarity.
Many models are available in prescription lenses, even in bifocals
(Costa C-Mates). They also proffer a variety of accessories—from
neoprene rubber keeper cords to visor clips and hermit cloths…they’ll
help keep your investment safe and handy.
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
COLDWELL BANKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ESOX RODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
FITTANTE REPLICAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
LAX REPRODUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
LEECH LAKE BOARD OF TOURISM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
MUSKIES, INC. BROCHURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
PASTIKA’S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
RED WING LODGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
ROLLIE & HELEN’S MUSKY SHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ST. CROIX RODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
SUICK LURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
TAYLOR COUNTY TOURIST COMMISSION . . . . . . . . 23
TITLETOWN-“BEST OF THE BEST” TOURNEY . . . . . . 18
TUFFY BOATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
TWIN CITIES-“SCHNEIDER MEMORIAL” TOURNEY . . 13
YAKIMA BAIT COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
YOUNG'S WILDERNESS CAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Lastly, they offer four sunglass styles that have interchangeable
lenses. Try on the Fluid, Tropic Star, Reef Raider or Release styles for
the utmost in versatility and performance. Each sunglass is available
with 3 polarized lens sets for different light conditions –
www.costadelmar.com (386) 677.3700.
H30 also offers three polarized, polycarbonate lenses on all their
anglers packages. Dark gray, amber, and twilight yellow removable
lenses ensure that you’ll have the proper protection for all lighting conditions. Another neat feature, H30 offers prescription inserts. Mount
the inserts to the back side of certain models’ frames, then bring this
assembled unit to your optical professional. They will measure the
placement of your prescription and cut and mount the lenses into the
prescription inserts. This way, you’ll have full, wrap-around coverage
for light filtering and still have the ability to change lens colors to fit
weather conditions. www.H30polarized.com (800) 750.7060.
Durable Kaenon sunglasses are prescription adaptable utilizing
their SR-91 prescription lenses. This quality eye wear accommodates
different facial features and is designed for both men and women.
They offer two lens shape options:
* Regular lenses fit smaller faces or high check bone structures.
* Larger lenses (approximately 2 millimeters wider and deeper)
fit larger faces to provide protection from the elements.
Many touring B.A.S.S. pros choose these glasses. www.kaenon.com
(949) 574.7918.
How important is eye protection for kids? Very! In fact, most
people receive 80% of their lifetime exposure to the sun by 18 years
of age. Excessive exposure to sunlight during early childhood is harmful to the eyes. The lens in a child’s eye is not as fully developed. It
will not block as much UV as the adult eye. Cataracts are the result of
gradually accumulating damage-especially when one is young. The
risk for retinal damage is also greatest in children under 10 years old.
Parents, protect your children against the harmful effects of the sun—
teach them to wear sunglasses, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00
p.m., when ultraviolet exposure is the most dangerous.
Ocean Waves takes pediatric eye care very seriously. They have
frames available to fit small faces. Yes, children have a tendency to
lose things…Ocean Waves also offers a variety of gripper cords to
keep the sunglasses safely attached to fast, moving bodies!
www.oceanwaves.com (800) 495.9283.
Do you like to jam to Nickelback or Frank Sinatra while you
fish? Oakley has brought sunglasses into the new millennium…Their
sport designed THUMP PRO’s are not only sweat resistant (perspiration actually increases the grip) but also offer digital music. A digital
audio engine is fully integrated into the frame. It is a cordless design,
with adjustable speakers. The 1 GB version has the ability to store up
to 240 songs and plays up to 6 hours on a single charge. So, rock on!
www.oakley.com (800) 431.1439.
See more, catch more? Well, I don’t know if that’s true or not.
But, one thing is for certain: protecting your eyesight ensures you’ll be
able to enjoy a lifetime of great scenery…baby loons, brilliant sunsets,
and big muskies! ❖
*Authors Note: While researching this article, there was one thing I was
unable to find… “floaties.” Does anyone know if there are any sunglasses
cords that are floatable? Thus, if you do drop your glasses in the water,
they’ll float? Any information is welcomed, please email me: info@ablondandherboat.com
Patricia Strutz
www.ablondandherboat.com
(715) 891.1173**
Meanwhile, Back at
Lonesome Lodge...
“We had better drive up to Lonesome
Lodge to celebrate you catching your first
Muskie.” I said to Rog.
“Yes, we should, but would they be
offended that I caught my first Muskie down
South?” Rog asked.
“I hardly think so….but now if it was a
New World Record ….that would be a different story.”
“Could a New World Record come from
a Southern Reservoir?”
“I don’t know; what I do know is that
they grow faster down South but don’t live as
long.”
“I heard or read that somewhere.”
We decided to drive up to Lonesome
Lodge for a couple of days, maybe even do
some Muskie Hunting.
We arrived at noon and were greeted by
Harold, “Well, Gentleman, this is a pleasant
surprise. You’re just in time for lunch.
They’re all in the dining room at the big
round table; go in and I’ll get you rooms for
a couple of days. Number 7 for you, Mr.
Jenkins and number….Hmmmmm…we’ll
give you the SPECIAL, Mr. Hunter.
Hey…maybe we ought to be calling you
Mister Muskie Hunter since you’re not a
Greenhorn anymore!”
“Wha…?! How’d he know…did you
tell Keg?…Kodie?” Asked Rog.
“No…”
We got seated at the big round table by
James who welcomed us saying, “I hear you
got plenty figure 8 practice in Bob, while
Rog, the new Mr. Muskie Hunter scored
with his first Muskie!”
“You sure they ain’t filming ‘Green
Acres’ with a new twist?” Rog asked.
“I don’t think so….just remember that
this place is enchanted.”
“That it is.”
“Well, if it isn’t the Great Mr. M.
Hunter,” Rod said.
“I’ve only caught one an…”
“But now you are one of us,”
Cal said, “Bring another pot of that
Safari Blend Decaff please Bill, we
want to hear Rogs’ story.”
“Coming right up Gentleman and, Ms
Kodie.” Bill said.
“But you guys have caught many and
many big ones; I’m sure you’ve been through
and heard one like mine a thousand times.”
Rog said.
“We want to hear it from the horse’s
mouth.” Said Louie, “Did you get Muskie
www.muskiesinc.org
Fever?”
“Not if that guide got the name right!”
Rog answered.
“Tell us in yer own vords, ve vant ta ‘ere
it fer da first time here at Lonesome Lodge.”
Said Albert, “’N vhut lure vere ya usin’.”
Bill brought the fresh pot of coffee,
poured us all a cup, took our lunch orders
and Rog began to speak: “Well…it was the
morning of the second day, I was casting a
triple blade spinnerbait….I looked down and
saw this Muskie…..”
“Yes?” Encouraged Kodie.
“PM*ZZGM!!#!”
“ That’s how it will happen.” Louie said.
“What will happen?” Everyone asked.
“Just what he said.” Answered Louie.
“But he said, “PM*ZZGM!!#!” Keg
said. Everyone agreed.
“Yes, your right.” Louie again answered.
“Whaddeya mean, ‘Yes, you’re right’.
What did he actually say?” Asked Cal.
“Darn, darn, darn….I see you people
need just a little more experience. What he
said was….”and Louie related Rog’s story.
“Did I get it right, Rog?” Louie asked.
“GM*#!!!ZH*”
“Thank you, I thought I did.”
Rog sipped some coffee, then said,
“Well, how’d I do in telling my story?”
“Fantastic!” said Cal.
“HEAR! HEAR!” We all shouted.
Lunch was served. Rog and I said we’d
like to give it a try late afternoon.
“Better go soon as rains are coming in at
about sundown.” Keg announced.
“I got da 16 footer vid da Fleetvin ready
‘N vaitin’. I’ll take youse guys out ‘N do da
rovin’.” Albert offered.
“We’ll take you up on that offer, Albert;
just let us get out tackle and we’ll head out..”
I said.
“Try casting the shoreline other side of
Charlie’s Point. We’ve hooked some nice
ones of the Clear Pattern there.” Said Otis.
“We’ll motor right over there and give it
a try…Thank you!” I said.
“Yah….Tanks!”
We got going and
motored past Charlies’ Point
and Albert cut the motor.
Rog was using a spinnerbait. I showed
him and Albert my lure. I said that I had
sanded the sides flat on a Gray Wisher Jr and
painted them silver.
“Looks good!” Said Rog.
Albert was giving me a squinte eyed look
as he glanced at the lure.
“Albert” I said, “Think of this as a miniature ‘DAT LURE’”.
There was a slight pause….then….
“Yah….By Yiminey, I vas tinking da
same ting. A minne…minner….minna…
’ow ‘bout Little Dat Lure?”
“Sounds good to me!”
We both began casting the shoreline as
Albert did the rowing.
A beautiful sight is seeing a Muskie hit a
top water lure. The boil, swirl and sharp hit!
I jerked back twice to assure a good set.
“Yew gotta goud von!” Albert said as he
maneuvered the boat. Rog reeled in and got
the net. Twice, this Muskiie went under the
boat but Albert quickly got the boat’s position changed. I got the Muskie headed for
the net that Rog had just put in the water.
This fish was in the net and in the boat in a
flash. Albert got it unhooked and Rog took
a quick photo. Not a biggie, but 32 inches of
a fighting Clear Pattern Muskie! Albert
released him but he turned on his side.
“Voops! Better rewiwed him.” Albert
said as he rowed to the Muskie. I was closest
so I grabbed his tail, turned him upright and
moved him back and forth a few times, then
let go. Albert held the oars out of the water.
We drifted slowly away from this muskie. He
stayed upright, moved a little, then disappeared to the deep.
“Dat von’s OK now.” Said Albert, “Yew
did a goud yob a rewiwing ‘em.”
“Thank you, Albert.” I said, “That’s the
way I like to see them swim off.”
“How come you didn’t get
‘Muskie Fever’ Bob?” Asked
Rog.
“Ahhh….I’ve had
it—and I’ll get it
again!” I answered.
“When will that be?”
“On my first one over 40 inches!!” ❖
"Beauty" Joey Wyszynski as photographed
by husband Ryan with a perfect 49.5 up in
the Bemidji area.
Great catch and camera work.
"Blue Grass"- Jaime Friedman & Dad Lou
headed from New York City to Kentucky for
the Cabin Fever Challunge. Jaime put
points on the board & received a plaque
from Tony Grant seen here while Dad won a
fully stocked tackle box. Congrats, Jaime.
"Urban Muskie" Rick Hefner trolled this Lake Minona 44
with the Madison, WI skyline as a backdrop.
Great catch and unique setting.
"Like Father Like Son"- Justin Ledman with
a Vermilion 47.5 as photographed by father
Dave. The family has made several photo
submissions and this one is sure to be
memorable. Good job, Justin.
☞
Proper Muskie
Holding Techniques
for MUSKIE Magazine Photos including Covers, Article Support, Photo
Contest Entries
& Member Photos
"Attention..."- Craig Lemon orchestrating
fish rescue carried out by Chapter 22 &
NJDFW. 21 Muskies up to 48" & over 50
Walleyes saved from spillway.
Photo by Tom Amels.
"Snack Time" -Mike Moschell with one of several good
fish from last year. This 45 grabbed a
Muskie Treat then the battle was on.
"Bucket Brigade"- John Amels, son of Chapter 22's Tom Amels
ferrying soon to be stocked Muskies from hatchery truck to
awaiting boats. Nice job, John.
"Another" – Dave Ledman & family
had a great season up in Minnesota.
Big fish came their way.
"Big Tiger"- Earl Blume of Chicagoland submitted this hybrid
with a death grip on a live Sucker. A fisherman for over 50
years, it thrilled Earl and was amongst his biggest. Congrats!
"Success"- new member Jeff Batt with a 37.5 caught first time out.
He caught this one on the Fox chain while casting a Shad Rap
fishing with the South of the Border Chapter # 14. Welcome!
www.muskiesinc.org

MUSKIE Magazine

Transcription

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