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.

Departments

Contents MUSKIE • VOL. 41, NO. 6

Features

2 President’s Message, David Cates

3 Magazine Notes, Staff

4 Figure 8, Kevin Richards NEW

7 Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV), Bill Barbee

5 International News, Staff

11 Lake Saint Clair–Frequently Asked Questions,

9 Lunge Log, Jim Bunch

14 Just Big Fish, Jim Murphy

Mike Zainea

8 FCIS Boat Safety

10 Letters to the Editor

16 Chapters Tell of Their Activities At Spring Board,

21 Photo Contest, Gordon Campbell

[Centerspread]

19 Meet the Kings of the Muskie World, Joe Bednar

24 As I See It, Jim Smith

20 Kids Remember, Juris Ozols

24 Index of Advertisers

22 They Did It Again! Youth Muskie Weekend,

25 Chapter News and Views

Patricia Strutz

31 Muskie Tales, Bob Jennings

29 MUSKIE, Eric Engbretson

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

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Check One: ❑ New Member ❑ Renewal ❑ Address Change ❑ Gift

MAIL TO MUSKIES, INC. 14257 Waters Edge Trail, New Berlin, WI, 53151

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June 2007.....MUSKIE 1

International Officers President, David Cates Phone: 574-457-3222 Email: [email protected] Vice President / Finances, Jim Beaty Phone: 618-235-6370 Email: [email protected] Vice President / Research, Ken Karbon Phone: 303-688-4954 Email: [email protected] Vice President / Internal Affairs, Dick McPike Phone: 816-436-4909 Email: [email protected] Vice President / Membership, Bob Timme Phone: 715-462-3053 Email: [email protected] Vice President/Communications, Jack Moga Phone: 440-886-3926 Email: [email protected] Treasurer, Pete Barber Phone: 847-726-7267 Email: [email protected] Members Only Fishing Contest, Jim Bunch Phone: 715-723-8343 • Fax: 715-723-8354 Email: [email protected] Web Master, Ron Groeschl Phone: 262-271-1002 Email: [email protected] Int. Administrative Secretary, Ron Groeschl 14257 Waters Edge Trail, New Berlin, WI 53151 Phone: 888-710-8286 or 262-271-1002 Email: [email protected] At Large Directors

Term Expires

David Rautmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008 Don Jahnke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008 David Cates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008 Patricia Strutz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008 Karl Scherer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008 Dick McPike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009 Dan Narsete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009

WOW! The Spring 2007 International Board Meeting was full of activity. The tone was set the evening before the meeting when your Executive Committee conducted a lively discussion regarding our failure to blow our own horn adequately. The entire board addressed the issue as the first item of business. The most common response from attendees was “Wow, I’ve been blown away”. No one had a full grasp of what each of the chapters were doing for youth, fisheries and research. Juris Ozols has put together a great two-page summary of all this information in this month’s magazine. Check out pages 16 & 17; you’ll be amazed. The Strategic Planning Committee’s recommendation for altering our structure received a generally favorable response, although attendees wanted more “meat on the bones”. As you may be aware, the Strategic Planning Committee has been at work for month’s seeking to revamp our organizational structure to make us more efficient. While their general ideas met with overwhelming favor, board members in attendance asked the Strategic Planning Committee to come forward with specific recommendations for an alteration of our structure. I expect a proposal for governance by district with a much smaller International Board to be on the table at the Fall 2007 Meeting scheduled for Morrison, Ontario. I fully expect Muskies, Inc. to be a lean, efficient, youth conservation in fisheries organization. New (and old) chair of the Strategic Planning Committee Steve Budnick and the rest of the SPC have their work cut out for them. I am sure they are up to the task. No mention of the meeting would be complete without a thanks to the Central Ohio Chapter for their marvelous job in hosting the meeting. Thanks to Ross Wagner and Dan VanGorder for their tireless assistance. Special thanks also go to outgoing Vice-Presidents Jim Beaty, Ken Karbon, Bob Timme, and Dick McPike. If you don’t know, Jim Beaty was responsible for shepherding us through some difficult financial times recently and putting us on a solid financial basis. Ken Karbon was responsible for creating relationships with corporate partners as well as instigating the Best of the Best tournament, each of which improved our cash flow and assisted Jim B. in his roll. Bob Timme was a tireless worker on behalf of Muskies, Inc. and is always among the first to volunteer his services when things need to get done. Dick McPike was responsible for a reduction in insurance costs to MI, saving us significant dollars that can now be used for YFR. My thanks and the appreciation of all of Muskies, Inc. goes to each of these individuals. Congratulations are also due to our newly elected Vice-Presidents: Jim Shannon for fundraising, Vince Weirick for internal affairs, Dan Narsete for membership and marketing, Brad Waldera for fisheries and research, and last but not least, Jack Moga for communications. Muskies, Inc. has much to grow on and yet much to do. Please continue to give of your time and efforts on behalf on the resource. See you on the water. ❖

Diana Mindar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009 Jack Moga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009 Brad Waldera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2009 Ken Karbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010 Jim Shannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010 Bob Timme

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010

Mark Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010 Vince Weirick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2010

2 MUSKIE.....June 2007

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

MUSKIE Magazine Staff

At the April Muskies Inc. Spring Board Meeting we started the day with introductions, as usual. But this time President Cates had each person talk about the things that their chapter does that they were proud of. The centerfold this month captures those fascinating statements.

Rod Ramsell, Editor Emeritus Keith Ogden, Editor Emeritus

Here on the cover you see pictures documenting a sampling of those Muskies Inc. events: lake restoration, vet’s trout fishing pond, wheelchair outings, lake cleanups. And particularly, you see pictures of kids. Virtually all the chapters talked about youth events. We do a lot of those. Muskies Inc. – kids and fishing and much more. ❖

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jim Smith 15045 W. Double Tree Way Surprise, AZ 85374-8568 Phone: (623) 388-3225 Email: [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Jim Smith Phone: (623) 388-3225 Email: [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR Juris Ozols Phone: (952) 921-6311 Email: [email protected] PHOTO EDITOR Gordon Campbell Phone: (973) 208-8297 Email: [email protected]

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

BUY-SELL-TRADE MUSKIE Magazine has ad space available each month for MI members who have something to buy, sell or trade. Ads will be placed in the Muskies, Inc. Resource Section (Classified ads) of MUSKIE Magazine, and will also be included on our website in a special section for no additional charge. Cost will be $50.00 for a fifty-word ad, plus 10¢ per word over the minimum. (2 column inches maximum) Photos will be included for an additional $35.00. For information contact James T. Smith at [email protected]

Coming Next Month: ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒

TTMT article by Dr. Gene Smith Trolling in Tight Places by Justin Gauche Summer on Vermilion by Adam Glickman Nils Master Lures by Nils Master

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 Bill Barbee, Mike Zainea, Jim Murphy, Joe Bednar, Juris Ozols, Patricia Strutz, Eric Engbretson 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: [email protected].

www.muskiesinc.org

June 2007.....MUSKIE 3

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

ABOUT THE COVER

8 figure

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Figure 8 by Kevin Richards ♦ [email protected]

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Anything is possible (almost)!

8

Catching a 30-pounder this year? Certainly! How about a 40-pounder? It could happen! Me writing a monthly column for Muskie? Why not!

I

figure

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figure

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mentioned last month that I was going to take a stab at this monthly column and that my objective for the “Figure 8” is to stimulate at least some of you into striking my bait – through action and feedback. This column is one of the ways I hope to stay in touch with more muskie anglers and some of the muskie biologists who I may not run into quite as often as in the past. I am retiring as Assistant Chief of Fisheries in Missouri as of July 1st. I’ve pondered quite a few possibilities and priorities for the years ahead. One of my top priorities is certainly to catch and successfully release more muskies! To get me started on this mission I’m planning a solo trip to Lac Seul in July. Although I’ve fished that awesome body of water in the fall I’ve never been there in the summer. I am so excited about the trip and I honestly believe anything is possible when it comes to big muskies on Lac Seul. It continues to have a good population of big, old muskies and seems to have benefited greatly from catch and release. Another priority is to help foster even better communication between us muskie fanatics and the fisheries biologists and conservation agencies who manage the fisheries we love so dearly. As anglers dedicated to improving the sport of muskie fishing we must continue to work on this! Maintaining effective communication sounds like it should be so simple and straight forward, right? Well, it is possible, if we are willing to really work at it. But heck you say, this is our sport, this is something we love. Communication about muskie fishing and muskie management should be as easy as communication with your spouse or your teenager! OK, OK, maybe there is a little more to this! Now let’s make the discussion a bit more abstract – how about communication and reaching consensus on the best way to manage a non-profit organization made up of numerous chapters and passionate volunteers? I think we can be sure that the further we get from talking about muskie fishing, the more challenging our communications become. As we wander down the paths of discussing organizational structure, muskie fishing regulations, or record keeping, the more diligent we must be to ensure our communication is effective and productive. But you know what? It’s possible! To wrap this up I’ll share a true story about taking and communicating accurate muskie weights. I had the great fortune to assist one of the Missouri muskie sampling crews in late March and I got to see a number of really heavy pre-spawn muskies. The biggest females ranged from 44 to 49 inches. One of those muskies was the fattest one I’ve ever handled (not the heaviest). It was just 44.5 inches long and was weighed at 33.25 pounds. Talk about getting your heart pumping and your muskie enthusiasm kicked into high gear! Even the famously fat fall muskies at Lac Seul aren’t that fat. The weight really was almost unbelievable and another one of the muskie biologists questioned the weight and asked if the scale had been checked prior to the sampling season. The biologist in charge admitted the scale used in the boat had not been double checked this spring, so it was recalibrated against a certified scale. The scale had been off a bit; it was actually ‘under-weighing’ objects by 0.7 lbs. Therefore the fat 44.5-inch female actually weighed just a hair under 34 pounds! Not just possible, but reality!!! Remember, if you have a biology or fisheries management question you want me to try to tackle let me know. My only limitation is that I live out in the sticks and I’m on dial-up internet, so if you write to me please keep the email under 200kb which means no large attachments (sorry). Let’s continue to work together to do all we can to build and maintain great muskie fisheries! ❖

4 MUSKIE.....June 2007

(Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan):

Emergency Rule Controlling the spread of VHS The Natural Resources Board [State of Wisconsin] on April 4, 2007, adopted an amended emergency Administrative rule [PDF 240KB] that will aid the Department in controlling the spread of VHS to inland waters. This emergency rule goes into effect on Sunday, April 8, 2007.

What does the rule mean for anglers?

In November of 2006 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced emergency regulations prohibiting the commercial collection of bait fish from waters of the state where VHS has been detected, limiting the use of bait fish to the specific water from which they were collected, and prohibiting the placement of live fish into the waters of the State (including possessing, importing, and transporting live fish for purposes of placing them into the waters of the State) unless accompanied by a fish health inspection report issued within the previous 12 months.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA

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international news

Purposes of Muskies, Inc. • To promote a high quality muskellunge sport fishery; • To support selected conservation practices based on scientific merit and carried out by authorized federal and state agencies; • To promote muskellunge research; • To establish hatcheries and rearing ponds and introduce the species into suitable waters; • To support the abatement of water pollution; • To maintain records of habits, growth, and range of species; • To disseminate muskellunge information; • To promote good fellowship and sportsmanship among men, women and children.

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USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) [exit DNR] University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute [exit DNR] Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia in New York [exit DNR] VHS Briefing Paper [exit DNR] - Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources VHS Fact Sheet [PDF 994KB]

international news

In January the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission placed a temporary ban on the transportation of live fish from Lake Erie and its tributaries to inland waters, and permanent rule changes are expected. Michigan and other jurisdictions are also considering regulations to address this issue. ❖

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Leeches, worms, and insects are OK. The use of leaches, worms, and insects for bait is not affected by the new rules. In these rules the term bait means all or part of any frog, crayfish, fish, or fish egg. Be careful with live bait. If you want to use live bait (crayfish, frogs, fish, or fish egg), the bait must be a) purchased from a licensed bait dealer, b) captured legally in the water to be fished, or c) captured in an inland lake or stream and retained for use in another inland lake or stream. Be careful with dead bait. If you want to use dead bait (all or part of any fish, fish egg, crayfish, or frog), the bait must be a) used on Lake Michigan (including Green Bay and tributaries up to the first dam), b) used on the lake or stream where it was captured, or c) preserved by means other than refrigeration or freezing. Kill your fish after fishing the Great Lakes or Mississippi River. You may not transport live fish or fish eggs (including both bait and game fish) away from waters of the Great Lakes or Mississippi River drainages (including tributaries up to the first dam), except under certain unusual circumstances (contact DNR office for information). Drain your boat and live well. After fishing or boating on the waters of the Great Lakes or Mississippi River (including tributaries up to the first dam), you must immediately drain all water from the boat and boat trailer, including any bilge, ballast tank, bait bucket, and live well. ❖

The four adjacent states have not yet adopted regulations addressing the VHS problem, but steps have been taken elsewhere, particularly in the lower Great Lakes where the Great Lakes form of the VHS virus was first discovered.

international news

COMPARISON OF SIMILAR RULES IN ADJACENT STATES

international news ◆

Illinois Muskies Tournament Trail Corey Judson John Fyan, M.D. Jeffrey Gros Chris Callaway Mark Montanari Neal Tamms William Brunstad

Amy Cannon John Woehler Michael Place Don Funderud Jason Aleshire Michael Walsh Adam Johnson Donald Fundrud St.

On behalf of Muskies, Inc., thank you for adding a bit extra when you renewed your membership. – Pete Barber, Treasurer

POSITIONS AVAILABLE WITH MUSKIE MAGAZINE 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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.

Advertising Manager MUSKIE Magazine 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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. ❖

international news

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international news

D O N AT I O N S APRIL

6 MUSKIE.....June 2007

VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA VIRUS (VHSV) A MUSKIE MALIGNANT MICROBE by Bill Barbee

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deadly fish virus has infected not only Muskellunges, but also some 40-odd species of both cold-and warm-water fish. ”With state officials almost certain that a deadly fish virus in now lurking in the waters of Lake Michigan, a state agency is expected to approve emergency regulations Wednesday to control the spread of the disease.” This warning, from Lee Berquists’ article in, “JSOnline”, April 1 underlines the importance of this rod-shaped, DNA based pathogen. The total economic impact on the 4.5 billion dollar Great Lakes commercial and sport fishing industry could be devastating. Birds can transmit the disease mechanically. However, VHV is inactivated in their digestive tracts. Fish transmit the disease mechanically, through viral particles in their urine, by fish eating infected fish, and by (Cohabitation) sexual fluids. Viral microscopic particles are sucked in through the gills with respiration, invade blood vessels and internal organs, causing the fish to bleed and die. There are five known varieties of the virus and probably more subspecies. In 1988, the Pacific Northwest Viral Genotype first detected in herring, cod, and salmon, is now endemic. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, “At times, dead fish, including muskies, 3-feet high and 10-feet deep line the shores”, of some of the Great Lakes. While viruses vary in virulence, unlike most exotic species, the Great Lakes species are extremely virulent. Muskies and other fish that survive develop immunity but can become lifetime carriers, causing periodic outbreaks of the disease. This viral pathogen is not only capable of mutating but has done so. The literature is replete with assurances the virus is not, at present, harmful to humans. It may never happen, but other viral agents have mutated into the human variant. There is no cure. However, experimentally, rainbow trout have been successfully immunized with recombinant DNA. Control of the disease in wild fish is a near impossibility. A number of factors contribute, including boats and humans transporting fish from one waterway to another, plus worldwide commercial sale and transport of baitfish. Stopping the spread of VHS is not likely due to confusing regulations and a lack of regulations from differing states, plus conflicting Federal Government rules. Additionally, enforcement, due to the lack of personnel related to states budgetary problems, becomes problematic. Globalization and importation of exotic species has become the norm. Hatchery outbreaks are almost impossible to clean up and most hatcheries have to be shut down when diseased fish are found, or when testing reveals the virus. Certification of hatcheries or cultured

www.muskiesinc.org

fish is based on testing at $1000 to $1500 per test and this requires two tests and 28 days. New York State has only one pathologist to supervise the scientific side of control. Boat bilge tanks are thought to be prime factors in the spread of invasive organisms. Chlorine solutions are recommended but there are no agreed upon methods of insuring that ballast tanks are free of contamination and some tanks do not have a drain. The United States has mandatory regulations for ballast control measures enforced by the Coast Guard. Other countries may not have rules. Canada is proposing mandatory controls. New York State is suing the EPA over ballast regulations, “as we believe the current ballast exchange is insufficient to protect our waters from invasive species, not just VHS”. The Duluth News reported last year that, “No cost effective solution that will kill exotics as small as a virus hasn’t yet been found”. Interestingly, weak iodine solutions will recover contaminated salmon and steelhead eggs but aren’t effective on sticky eggs including those of muskies and pike. According to marine biologists, stressing fish increases mortality. Hot weather, angling pressure, handling fish, weed control, urbanization, loss of farmland, paving over streets with resulting storm water runoff, emissions from increased traffic, fluctuating water levels and pollution, in combination or alone, are potential stressors. There is no question The Great Lakes and surrounding waters are polluted. Some of the more potent pollutants are flame retardant chemicals such as Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Several alphabets are needed to list these widely used globally persistent pollutants, now being found as far away as the Artic. There are no defined acceptable levels for many of these chemicals either in the air or water. Pollution affects water in many ways, decreasing oxygen, diminishing the food chain, altering acid base balance and causing the organism to expend more energy to survive. To what degree this kind of stress is implicated is up for grabs but all these seemingly inconsequential details can add up to a significant impact. (Continued on page 8) June 2007.....MUSKIE 7

◆ F C I s B OAT SA F E T Y ◆ F C I s B OAT SA F E T Y ◆ F C I s B OAT SA F E T Y F C I s B OAT SA F E T Y

Boat Safety Program Produced by Farm and City Insurance Services The Angler’s Choice Insurance The Language of Vehicle Weight – Putting It All Together In the past few issues we’ve covered the language of weights and how it applies to boat safety. In this issue, we will cover how to properly determine the weight of your boat and trailer with all equipment, tackle, and fluids. For our example, we will use the specifications provided by Ranger and the 621vs model boat. According to the brochure, the trailer has a GVWR of 5,000 lbs, the boat weighs 2,295 lbs with a dual console, and it has approximately 1880 lbs designated for persons, motor, and gear. These weight figures cover standard features, options and dealer/owner installed items must also be added. Here are some figures to consider; Fuel Capacity – 55 gallons @ 6.0 lbs/gal. 330 lbs Livewell Capacity – 23, 5.5 @ 8.3 lbs/gal. 236.55 lbs Mercury 250 hp Verado ® engine – 635 lbs 175 lbs Mercury 30 hp efi These figures add up to 1376.55 pounds without people or gear included and we only have 1880 pounds designated for persons, motor, and gear. Plus, we have not included the weight of the trailer in our overall weight analysis. Keep in mind that the weight of the trailer is only a factor during travel, which would not have the weight of people at the time. Therefore, it is extremely important to do the math, and weigh your vehicle and trailer by individual axle positions. This can be done at most truck stops with certified scales that have individual pads to weigh each axle. An important shortfall of GVWR and designated weight capacity for persons, motor, and gear is it does not tell you where the weight can be added without exceeding a rating. It is important that once the vehicle is loaded for travel, it be weighed by individual wheel position as well. Too much weight on the starboard side could mean tire failure or reduced braking capacity. Keep It Safe www.fcisanglerschoice.com This article is provided as a public service to our membership. Not intended as an advertisement.

8 MUSKIE.....June 2007

VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA VIRUS– (Continued from page 7) Recently, Dr. David Evans, a Chemist at the John Innes Centre in Europe, reported they have been able to attach “ferrocene” molecules to amino acids on viral surfaces, creating, in effect, molecular capacitors. Capacitors store an electrical charge then release it in a pulse. They envision using these units in biosensors. Biosensors monitor biological processes by detecting high and low concentrations. Current biosensors are large scale contrasted to a virus. One projected use of these viral units is in monitoring brain chemistry by introducing the sensor through brain capillaries. Used in test birds as the “canary in the mine shaft”, sensors could be programmed to detect bird flu before symptoms occur. Although not mentioned by the Evans Group, conceivably, these viral biosensors could be attached to muskies to detect early on invasion of VHS or other invasive aquatic life. This scenario may seem far-fetched, but not long ago so was a walk on the moon. An accompanying article details what we as individuals can do to mitigate VHS. In addition we need to think of measures to prevent spread of all invasive aquatic species, Boots, waders, and clothing can shed particles as well as larger organisms such as zebra mussels. For private use, chlorine solutions work well and are inexpensive. Awareness of the problem and alerting anyone who will listen will spread the word. Most of us don’t have the time to deal with our Government Representatives but we do have associations, clubs and now with computers and blogs we can, with little effort, create a climate for change. We have come a long way from treating our waterways as sewers but as we control one problem it seems more show up, as is the case with fire retardants. Awareness should help in recognition and prevention. Our complex, connected global community is becoming more complicated and confrontational with time. Realistically these problems will get worse unless each of us does what we can to help. One of the reasons I fish is because it takes me to such beautiful places. If we, as individuals, and as a whole, get our act together our kids and their kids may still be able to find healthy fish in beautiful places. References available on request, [email protected] About the Author: Bill Barbee is a retired anesthesiologist, retired cattleman, avid fly fisher, hunter and member of OWAA. Bill has fished beautiful places in Alaska, British Columbia, Argentina, New Zealand, most of our western states and, as a kid in Missouri, a few ponds. ❖

by

Ji m B u n c h

General Members– How to Enter Muskie Reports On a computer that has internet access, log into http://www.muskiesinc.org. Log in as a member. If you have not done this before, instructions will be provided. On the left side of the screen will be 20 plus icons that you could click on. About the 14th one down will be one that says “Lunge Log.” Use your mouse and click on that. Now a new screen will come up. Way on the right side will be some links that you may click on; the very first one will say “Fish Submission.” Yeah team, you are now ready to record your recent muskie catch.

Member Name – When you open “Fish Submission” there will be some basic instructions, then just scroll down a bit and you will see the entry form. It will have your name and address already in there as you logged in as a member. Tip: To change it to one of your family members or a friend just type in their membership number instead of yours. Just use their membership number, do not include the chapter number. Their name and address will appear. To the right of their name it will ask for gender. Select male or female from the pull down menu. This used to say Men’s or Ladies, but now should say Male or Female.

State / Province – The next line is “State/Province”. Click on the pull down menu. This will allow you to select the state or province by clicking on the appropriate one. Tip: When you click on this you can simply type the first two letters of the state or province and it will automatically go to that state or province, then, simply hit enter.

Lure Type – It now wants the lure type. Simply click on the pull down menu, scroll up or down, or Tip: type in the first few letters and it will go directly to the lure type, simply hit enter. Now click on the pull down menu for Name. It will now show you only the names for the lure type you selected. You may scroll up or down to find the name or Tip: simply type in the first few letters of what you are looking for and it will automatically go to it. Then, simply hit enter. In some case there will be hundreds of lure names so typing in a few letters will be more efficient. Do a little searching here as Jones Jerk, Jones Crank, Jones Bait and Lure Jones maybe all the same. Your mission is to not leave any of this as Not Specified.

Not Specified – In some cases there maybe a new lake/river or a new lure name. There is a provision to type those in if you hit Not Specified. However please help me out here as in most cases it is a spelling thing, or a lure category thing for lures or a county thing for lakes/rivers. Thanks for your assistance.

Muskie Details – These are pretty self explanatory. These are the length, girth (if submitted) date caught, depth in water, lake depth, hour caught (round off ) and water temp. The length should be the one determined in the boat. For points the system will round off to the nearest inch, so type in what you determined at the time of catch. Conditions – There are six here, sky, presentation, bottom, structure, wind speed and wind direction. We wish they responded to all of these but many don’t. Fill this in the best you can. In each case when you click the pull down menu, you may type in the first few letters and it will go to what you want, then hit enter.

Division – This one is very important. Our system when accounting for points knows who is an International Men’s or Women’s Masters. (250 for men and 100 for women’s.) However in many cases that will be different for your chapter. You should then select what your chapter classifies you as. There is a report that comes off of the system that will show how you want them classified as. The Junior division is for anyone age 17 of less on January 1 of this year. When you select that, it will ask for a birthdate of the junior, please fill that in if you have it.

Released? – It now wants to know if it was released or kept and a true or a hybrid. You need to respond to these or a pop up will come up to remind you to do so. If it was kept it will then ask for more details.

County – It now has all the counties in the state you selected. You Patches and Certificates. – At the bottom it will ask you to check

may scroll up or down to find the county or: Tip; simply type in the first few letters of the county and the system will automatically go to the county you want. Simply hit enter. Tip: If it is a province of Canada, we do not use the counties. So if you hit Ontario for the province, then also hit Ontario for the county. This seems a bit weird but we have been doing that since 1970.

Lake/River – It now wants the Lake or River this entry was caught from. Click on the pull down menu. Because you selected a state or province and a county, the system will only now show you the lakes or rivers within that state or province. You may now scroll up or down to find the lake/river or: Tip: simply type in the first few letters of the lake/river and it will automatically go to it. Simply hit enter. In some cases there will be hundreds of names so typing in a few letters of the lake/river will save you a lot of time. With common names the more letters you type in the more accurate you will get. Do a little searching here as Mud, Mud Lake and Lake Mud may all be the same. Great, we are now on a roll. Your mission is to not leave any of this as Not Specified.

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if you want a release patch, an individual certificate or an annual certificate. Please select those and we will find this very handy at the end of the year.

Submit Fish – When done, hit Submit Fish. A fish I.D. number in red will appear at the top and the bottom of this page. This means it has been sent to me. Sometimes members or chairpersons think nothing has happened and hit it again. So now I have a duplicate and in one case last year a member submitted his fish eight times. Tip: Now if one of your muskies was on a trip and you caught 6 muskies the same day, on the same bait and all conditions were the same this is very neat. You can simply go back and change the length or the hour and hit submit again and you are done with your next entry. A new fish I.D. will appear for this next entry. Then back up and do the same for the third, etc. Slam bang; you can enter six fish in a minute. Pretty neat hey. Thanks a bunch Jim June 2007.....MUSKIE 9

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ◆ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ◆ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR

Dear Mr. Pribyl-Shay; Thank you for your well thought out and researched letter. In general, I agree with your conclusions. However, I feel I should clarify a couple of your points. Today we are catching more muskies that in all previous years. Due to the possession limits and the Catch & Release program espoused by Muskies Inc. there is not the opportunity for a group of muskie fishermen to show off a multitude of recently caught fish. Most, if not all, of those muskies have been returned to the water. Statewide size limits are generally a very political issue. In a number of cases Muskies, Inc. local chapters have been successful in providing accurate data and timely support to encourage a state agency to increase their size limits. 10 MUSKIE.....June 2007

Regarding the smaller muskies. Part of this is certainly size limits as you have pointed out. However, if you have the opportunity to fish outside the state of Illinois (where I lived and grew up) you’ll find some extremely large fish. In fact, I read recently that in the last couple of years some groups, guides, and individuals have caught, on the average, larger fish than in each of the preceding years. Finally, I would like to say I hope you are a member of this organization and involved with a chapter. If not, please do become a member. We, Muskies, Inc. can use folks with your interest, especially since we are all trying to work in the same direction. Thanks for your letter. I appreciate your comments. Respectfully, Jim Smith, Managing Editor MUSKIE Magazine

I

grew up on Lake St. Clair, and have been fishing on the lake for as long as I can remember. Since the first muskie I caught when I was 14, I’ve had a fascination with the species, and I couldn’t wait until the next time I had a chance to catch another. Now, I run a muskie charter on the lake, and it’s my goal to help others learn to experience the thrill of muskie fishing. It would be almost impossible to expect to be able to learn everything about muskie fishing in one article, or even in one book! However, over the years there are a few questions that always come up. In this article I will cover the most frequently asked questions, and attempt to explain the answers, in the hopes that you will finish with a better understanding of how to catch your own monster muskie. The first thing that people always ask me is: When is the best time to go muskie fishing? June and July usually offers the best potential to catch the highest numbers of muskie. On Lake St. Clair, the muskie season begins the first Saturday in June, which follows the spawning in May. During this time, the females wear themselves down and need to eat to regenerate the energy expended during the spawn. Furthermore, in the early parts of the summer, the water temperature goes up. Water temperatures around 70 degrees makes the muskie become more active, and they begin to feed. Because the warmer water speeds up their metabolism, and because they are consuming larger quantities of food to replenish lost energy, you are more likely to catch one, or several, during this time. . October and November are usually the best months to go if you want to catch a heavier fish. At this time,

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the water is beginning to cool down, and the muskie need to build up a fat layer to get them through the winter. For this reason, they are consuming a larger quantity of fish in an attempt to put on the extra weight needed for the winter. This buildup of extra weight is why you are likely to catch a heavier muskie during the fall, but the quantity of muskie you are likely to catch might decrease because they are becoming more lethargic and less active as their weight increases. Some other factors to consider when trying to find the “best” time to go muskie fishing is: weather patterns, lunar tables, and time of day. The best time for catching muskie is right before a storm front, during large pressure changes. Storms have an affect on the barometric pressure. During pressure changes the feeding patterns of fish increase significantly. The larger the change, the greater the (Continued on page 12)

June 2007.....MUSKIE 11

LAKE ST. CLAIR-FAQs

(Continued from page 11)

increase in feeding, thus making the time right before a storm one of the best times to fish for muskie. The lunar cycle of the moon also plays a big part in the behavior of animals, and muskie are no exception. The rotation of the moon around the Earth creates gravitational pull. Each day there are major and minor times when the moon’s gravitational pull is greatest. The major time is a two hour time frame that occurs during a different time each day, and varies by location. The minor lasts about an hour, and affect the behavior of animals as well, but not as significantly as the majors. During the majors, muskie become more active and feed, making this a more likely time to catch one. Another good time to catch muskie is right before dark, at sunset. During this time, the bait fish are on the move, traveling from the off-color, safer water to the clearer water where they can feed; but this is prime feeding time for muskie who feed on these bait fish, and a great time for you to catch a muskie that is in search of a meal. Ok, so now that you know when to fish, the second question that I get asked is: Where do you fish for muskie on Lake St. Clair? The fishing goes along with the water temperatures and the color and clarity of the water. During the daytime in June, the baitfish stay in the off-color water, which is usually expelled from the rivers that lead into Lake St. Clair. The Thames River is the largest contributor to the off color of Lake St. Clair, which can create a very distinctive mudline from the Thames to the Detroit River. In turn, that makes the whole south shore a very productive place to fish for muskie. In July, when the water heats up in the middle of the lake, the weedbeds offer cover to the baitfish and is a very popular spot for the larger fish. During late-July and into August, the lake goes through a transformation. At this time, the underwater growth is starting to be churned up by storms, and certain areas of the lake have a lot of floating weeds. This makes the areas that are normally very productive, unfishable. In September and October, the muskie start their fall feeding, and move more towards the edges of the lake to find the larger bait fish. Good fall locations are the Thames River, Stoney Point, and the mouth of the Detroit River. During this time, you can even fish up into the shallows. Another frequently asked question is: So, which lure is the best for catching muskie? While some lures like a Loke will be effective just about any time on Lake St. Clair, lure selection depends a lot on when you are fishing, the weather, and water color. We start off the season with smaller, tighter action lures such as a Wiley. We can run the smaller 12 MUSKIE.....June 2007

lures a bit deeper and faster because the weeds aren’t high yet. You can troll these over 4 miles per hour, but we usually stick to 3.9. As the summer goes on, the lure size increases. July is a good time to run 7-8” lures such as the larger Wileys, Z-Baits, Ziggies, 20 cm Nils, and other types of lures that have a wider wobble. At this point, we slow the boat down to about 3.8, because some of these types of lures won’t run as fast. By the end of August, we’re running larger baits like the 25 cm Nils Invincible and other jumbos. With these larger baits, the speed we troll is slowed down to about 3.4-3.6 mph. The weather and water color are something else to consider when choosing the right muskie lure. As mentioned earlier, the best time to fish for muskie is when there is a storm front coming in. At these times, the lures that have a lot of yellow and gold such as perches, Helin, or Lawton are good choices. On right sunny days, you’ll want to stick with lures that have white bellies, and lots of blue like Blue Frog and Blue Back Perch. Alternately, on cloudier days, yellow belly baits and frog patterns are usually better choices. For fishing just before dark, we switch over to darker colors such as Black Perch, Walleye, or Dark Frog. As far as water clarity, in most cases, the clearer the water, the more natural the color of bait you should choose. Examples are perch, carp, bass, or sucker. The water color we target is the edges of the off-color water because there’s no bait fish in the clear water, and because the off-color water is warmer, which muskie tend to prefer. The more off-color the water, the brighter your lure selection should be. Examples for cloudier water are Fire Tiger, glows, or frog patterns.

Having made your lure selection, there are a few things you need to know about making them run true. A lot of our customers have asked us, “How do I get this bait to run?” There are lots of different types of lures on the market, and lots of things you can do to make adjustments to them. However, I can tell you how to make three of the most commonly asked-for adjustments (1) screw-eye bait tuning (2) wire-tied bait tuning and (3) hook tuning. For a screweye bait like Lappers, Wileys, or ZBaits, the most important thing to do is never bend the screw eye because you can break it right off. Instead, turn the screw eye in the opposite direction the bait runs out. To test which way your bait is running, pull it alongside the boat and watch to see if the bait will pull to one side or the other. Then, gently turn the screw eye in the opposite direction. Begin by making very small turns, and then retest the bait to see if it needs more adjusting. Continue this process until the lure runs true. For a wire tied bait like Loke or Nils, you can test it the same way as mentioned earlier; however, the difference with wire tied baits is you can bend the tow eye. Once you determine the way the bait is pulling, you can use your pliers to gently bend the tow eye in the opposite direction. Again, begin by making small adjustments until it runs true. On baits with treble hooks, the hooks need to be bent in a way so that they don’t scratch the body of the lure or tangle with the other hooks. First, lay the lure flat, belly up. The two hook points that we bend are the ones closest to the lure body. Slowly bend them upwards, away from the lure, and toward the center point of the treble. Then slightly bend the tip of each of those two tines upward at about a 30% angle as well. This type of adjustment will help keep the sharp points of the hooks from scratching the surface of your lure, but it also helps you to get a better hook-set. Muskie fishing on Lake St. Clair can be rewarding and a lot of fun, but it can feel a little overwhelming, too. While you can’t learn

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everything about muskie fishing at one time, the topics I covered here might help answer some of your questions. Your best bet is to book a charter on the lake, and experience muskie fishing from an expert. There are several excellent muskie charter services that run on Lake St. Clair, and any of them can give you a great time fishing. However, if you’re looking to learn to fish for muskie on your own, be sure to ask lots of questions before you book a charter. Verify that the charter service you’re considering is willing to teach you what you want to learn, and is willing to help you along the way. Then, while you’re out on your charter, ask lots of questions and take notes, but remember to have fun while you’re doing it – because that’s the whole point, isn’t it? ❖ For more information or to book your own charter, call Capt. Mike at 586-747-3884.

June 2007.....MUSKIE 13

JUST BIG FISH by Jim Murphy

M

any of you have seen the advertisements for the DVD’s “Just Big Muskies”. I have viewed the films and they are just what they say, several large fish caught by a couple of regular guys. Most of all they had the presence of mind to film the catches. I interviewed Brian and Erick for a project I was doing and both agreed that Muskies Inc. members had a lot to do with their ultimate success as muskie anglers. I remember those early days; I was a rookie and joined the Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies Inc. to learn all I could about our favorite fish. I went to all the meetings and seminars and not only gained a wealth of knowledge, more importantly I made life long friends. Erick and Brian joined a few years later; both stated the eagerness of the members to help educate new anglers was refreshing and unique to Muskies Inc. We are well aware of the veil of secrecy that shrouds the muskie community. Many folks are very tight lipped. Not so with these guys. Some of the names that all of us talked about were Rick Hartz, Dave Stanoch, Dan Klien, Mike Cookas, Jim Hammarstedt, George Wahl, Al Martinson, Marv Kiley, Jack Burns and many more too numerous to mention. Brian and Erick said Wayne Klemz, “The old goat in the blue boat”, was probably the biggest influence on building their knowledge and confidence base. Wayne from Blaine, as his friends commonly call him, is a statewide guide in Minnesota. Wayne has fished on some of the best waters in North America. Wayne, like many other very good muskie anglers, stays under the

radar. Wayne is one of the most knowledgeable muskie guys I know. He is very eager to help and when he guides he stresses the educational aspect of the game. Some of my best memories of those days were the Muskies Inc. outings. The Twin Cities Chapter had outings on some of the best muskie waters in North America. Lake of the Woods, Winnipeg River, and Rowan Lake to name a few. I learned a lot at the outings and the discussions by the campfire with a few adult beverages was priceless. Everyone shared his or her experiences on the water that day. Hot presentations, baits, colors, and even locations were discussed. Many times hot fish follows were given up, but we had a deal, the guy who raised the fish had the 1st shot at it and he had a couple of days to catch the fish. Erick and his dad Dave came to many of the outings. They always had their camera with them and showed the day’s action in the cabin when they got off the water. Brian and Erick decided a few years back to share their films and “Just Big Muskies” was born. I recently watched their 3rd DVD fish from the Canadian Shield. It was very entertaining and it had segments on baits they use during specific times of the year. We are always looking for some muskie action DVD’s I think you will really like the 3 films they have produced. I know I am going to have a camera in my boat this year. I couldn’t help but think of the great memories these films will bring back while watching in the future. ❖

ABOUT THE CENTERFOLD At the April Spring Board Meeting in Columbus we had a fascinating twist on the introductions at the start of the day. President Dave Cates directed that each person give a short statement of the one thing that their home chapter does that they are proud of. Frank Walters spoke first, and he didn’t stop with one thing. He spoke at length, describing a number of things that the SOB’ers do. And the other Muskie folks followed Frank’s lead. For over an hour the board was treated to an absolutely awesome litany of projects and activities carried out by our Muskie Inc. chapters. We heard about stocking and rearing projects, lake cleanups, vet’s fishing events, wheelchair outings, donations to scholarships. And lake restoration and habitat improvement. And promotional activities at sports shows and magazine and calendar donations to schools. And fundraisers. And cooperation with state DNR’s on a variety of fisheries and research projects. And most of all, we heard about many, many youth outings and events. It was amazing to hear all that the MI chapters are involved in and what they do, really something. If you think Muskies 14 MUSKIE.....June 2007

Inc. is a dead organization, well, forget it. We are alive and energetic. What happened that morning needed to be captured. I asked the people present there to give me a short writeup of what they said, and I collected a couple of dozen of those. The centerfold summarizes their statements. There was actually more than what I reproduce here – I had to cut some back due to space limitations. I think this is a real eye-opener on what Muskies Inc. is about, a remarkable testament to the things our organization makes happen. If you read just one thing in this issue, please go through those statements by the chapters. They describe what your sister chapters do, and should give you ideas on what other things you might start up. And by the way, the background picture of the collage – that’s from the Colorado chapter, taken at one of their annual kids outings. It’s representative of similar events by so many of our chapters. Perry Smith redesigned our Muskies Inc. logo to start with “Youth,” and I personally don’t think Perry is disappointed. – Juris

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.

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June 2007.....MUSKIE 15

MISSION S TAT E M E N T “Muskies, Inc. is an active, serviceoriented, non-profit organization with the single focus of improving the sport of muskie fishing for men, women, and children. Our mission is to unite all muskie fishing interests for the promotion and protection of a high quality muskellunge sport fishery in the United States and Canada. We will accomplish this by supporting conservation practices and research based on sound scientific merit, and carried out by authorized federal or state agencies, appropriate academic institutions, Muskies, Inc chapters, and their members. We are committed to the abatement of water pollution; maintenance of records for muskie habits, growth, and range; and the dissemination of muskie information to everyone.” Adopted, April 2002

18 MUSKIE.....June 2007

Meet the Kings of the Muskie World by Joe Bednar

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es the title of this article is mainly to get your attention, and the die-hard muskie couple I’m about to introduce you to would be the last people to ever make such a claim, but because of their last name I couldn’t resist. Meet Michelle and Mike King, a muskie fishing duo who had a 2006 season that will never be forgotten. Though I’m not sure of this since records might not have been kept for similar feats, I’m willing to bet that no other muskie fishing couple has ever accomplished what Michelle and Mike King of Muskegon, Michigan, did this past year. So I’d like to take this opportunity to salute the Kings for their outstanding muskie fishing achievements and at the same time, explore the puzzling mental illness that this great fish has brought upon the King family. Michelle King set an all-time Women’s Division season record with 103 muskies over 30 inches caught during 2006, for a total of 1100 points as this goes to press. Since most of you reading these words know very well the kind of sheer insani…uh’ I mean commitment and very hard work it takes to catch muskies, period, it’s difficult to comprehend just what goes into establishing a record mark like the one set by Michelle. Her season also included her personal best fish of 52 inches and approximately 34.5 pounds, a beast caught on Lake St. Clair, October 9th. Michelle’s husband Mike made a championship run himself, finishing 2nd in the Mens division for 2006 with123 muskies over 30 inches boated for a total of 1236 points as I write this article. Mike caught his personal best fish this year as well, a 52 inch trophy boated on Lake St. Clair on October 9th as well. It’s tough to say who fishes harder, and Mike will be the first one to tell you that a main reason for their dedication and perseverance is their competition with each other while on the water, yet in a fun and supportive way. From what I’ve heard, to include an informal interview with Mike that helped lead to this article, a typical exchange in the Kings’ boat this past season goes something like this: “Nice fish Mr. King, now stop playing around with it ‘cause you’re gonna’ need to net the much bigger muskie I’m about to catch any minute now…” “Mrs. King you caught bigger fish than me the last three times out, aren’t you being a bit greedy?” “Greedy, Mr. King, is you going muskie fishing again tomorrow while I have to go back to work. In fact, I’d say that counts as cheating on me.” “Mrs. King I’m not about to cheat on you, especially with someone by the name of Joe…” And so on… The Kings’ crazy and memorable season was also made possible due in part to their lifestyle, with Michelle working three days on, two days off; then three days on and six days off as a registered nurse, and Mike being self-employed, working on his tackle company and another home business at whatever hours it takes to provide the time they need on the water. Michelle will point out that she’s the main reason for the rising success of the Kings’ business, Talonz Lures (www.fishall-lures.com) because though Mike makes the baits, it takes her much better angling skills to truly test them on the water. Mike and Michelle married in 2001, with both of them coming from a strong fishing and outdoors background. They both were and are avid all-around outdoors people, Michelle has even won events in

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target shooting, but Mike was into muskies before Michelle and is the one to be blamed for the couple’s sickness. That’s how Michelle’s family puts it, anyway, when they describe what happened to their daughter after she met Mike. But it’s been a match made in heaven really, and both Michelle and Mike will be the first to tell you that someone up above made it possible for them to get together, and for all that they’ve shared since. As Mike puts it, “After my first marriage didn’t work out and some other very difficult times, I kept praying and praying to find someone in the whole wide world that could put up with me. Then along came Michelle…” Michelle also characterizes them getting together as quite miraculous, adding “I finally found just the right guy for me, and it sure sealed the deal when I learned he can also paint lures in any custom color I could want…” I asked Mike and Michelle what was it about this year in particular that drove them to accomplish what they did, all the countless hours on the water in all kinds of weather, all the long miles on the road including trips to Northwest Ontario and all over Michigan and other Midwestern States. A season like this certainly had plenty of challenging times in with all the good times. Mike said that the competition, trying to show what they could do if they worked hard enough, was part of it, and so was trying to help put Michigan more on the map in muskie circles that aren’t always the first to recognize the state’s muskie fisheries and anglers. But he said it was mainly to prove to themselves that they could do this together, that they had the commitment and determination. I’d say prove it they did, and then some. So what are the future plans for the Kings? They plan to most definitely continue their muskie efforts, though not quite at the same pace as this year. A season like that, though very rewarding, also takes its toll in many ways including the pocketbook and even physical challenges like elbow and back problems they both worked through due to the tens of thousands of casts with heavy tackle, and the pounding of heavy seas like the 6-footers they dealt with many days on Lake St. Clair. They accomplished what they set out to do, and now want to go back to chasing muskies without competing for any titles, as well as do some other things they couldn’t get to this past year, including more expansion of the Talonz Lures business. Maybe the best way to conclude this salute to Michelle and Mike and their muskie fishing spirit is to share a recent experience I had with Mike on the water. It was a typical November day in Michigan, cold, windy, wet. I was chilled to the bone, my back hurt, my wrist hurt, I had been out all day just one day prior without so much as a glimpse of a muskie fin and this day for me had not been much better. Mike had been out several consecutive days up to the morning we met at the lake, and had fished hard through a slow spell too. As the day wore on I’m thinking “Does he really want to go all the way until dark after this many days in a row in these types of conditions?” as I strategically got in little whiny comments about my back and cold hands, prodding for an earlier end to the day. Mike never complained, not one bit, and at the end of the day I finally asked him, “Doesn’t your back hurt at least?” He paused, grinned, and said “Of course it hurts like hell, but that’s muskie fishing…” Enough said. ❖ June 2007.....MUSKIE 19

KIDS REMEMBER Remember...?

➠ Somebody got you fishing, as a kid.

got smart and learned all the serious stuff you now know?

Would you have done all that by yourself? Without that “somebody,” would your life be poorer? No memories? And all the wonderful things that followed, later on?

➠ Remember watching a red and white

➠ Like Muskies, when you yourself got

➠ Remember fishing as a kid, before you

bobber on a calm lake? Remember seeing it jiggle just a bit and the ripples spread out? And then how about when it finally went under – you couldn’t wait! – and you jerked it up? Remember that bright, shiny bluegill, all rainbow colored, popping out of the water and wiggling in the air at the end of your line?

➠ Remember when you learned to put worms on the hook? Those slimy, slippery, squishy things, that you really didn’t want to touch? And remember casting with a big plastic Zebco reel on a limp rod? And watching the bobber splash down, and the ripples die down.

➠ Did you ever throw the whole thing out, bobber and worm and all, and get it hopelessly tangled up in the tree branch above your head? And you couldn’t do anything about it and got mad at yourself? And somebody had to help?

➠ Or maybe you started with carp. Remember your mom making doughballs? Remember how good they smelled from the vanilla juice she mixed up in them? Remember throwing that doughball out into the water, and then setting the rod down on the grass and just laying back and watching the clouds scoot across the sky? Remember when the line started going out? Remember grabbing the pole and running backwards, to set the hook? Remember how strong that carp was, and you weren’t sure if you were going to pull it out or if it was going to pull you in?

➠ Remember your first Northern – the glare from its eyes, and that mouth full of teeth? And remember when you got a bass, and it came flying out of the water, and almost jumped in the boat? Remember catching a bullhead and being told to not touch it, because its fins were poisonous and you could really get hurt?

➠ Who taught you about that dangerous bullhead, anyway? And who took you out on the dock or to the lakeshore, the first time, to go after those bluegills? And who untangled your line from the tree? Your father? Maybe an uncle? Or an older friend, or a friend’s father?

20 MUSKIE.....June 2007

“old enough,” and somebody got you started on Muskies?

➠ Monster fish seen and caught, or lost. Trips to Canada. Listening to Marv and Smokey spin yarns on Tuesday night. The indelible beauty of a blue and black bucktail with a silver blade, flashing through clear water? The joy of putting a cast into exactly the right spot. Finding cabbage in the midst of milfoil. Follows. And the people – the wonderful people…

➠ You’re that “somebody,” you know. ➠ There isn’t anybody else. Take your own kids fishing. Take your kid’s kids. Don’t let them miss out. Work your chapter’s kids outing in the spring. Do all of that.

➠ And remember… Juris Ozols

Photo Contest – June Winners by Gordon Campbell

Photo Tip of the Month

Take a Kid Fishing Sticking with this month's theme, a few ideas when fishing with the kids-- Take photos and lots of them particularly if you have a digital camera. Strive for plenty of of candid, spontaneous shots to document your outing from start to finish. Candids are great because some kids can be shy and as seen in the photo of Katy Posewitz in this months issue, you'll get memorable action shots. Second, and very importantly- teach your junior fishing partners how to work your camera and give them the opportunity to practice. They'll enjoy the chance and the responsibility of handling the camera and should lightning strike for you , a knowledgeable kid behind the camera could be the difference between a striking photo and a blurry "almost".

▲ Winner #1: Michael Hannes with a hefty 43" that thrilled him by crashing his Topraider. Pictured with his Uncle Joel Michel of Chapter 35, this photo is well composed & framed. The fish is dripping wet which shows quick handling and the people have a natural, spontaneous smile. Congrats!

Last, our members have been sending in some great shots. All it takes to see your photo(s) here in Muskie Magazine is a good picture along with relevant caption info. Good luck and "take a kid fishing". Gordon Campbell, Photo Editor.

▼ Winner #2: "We've got a pair"... We don't usually award 3 monthly winners but we had to here. Marg Pauling of Chapter 41 sent in shots of siblings Christian and Marah Overmeyer . Here's Christian posing like a pro with his St. Clair whopper that taped just over 49". Great catch and good hold too, Christian.

▲ Winner #2: "Hooked For Life" Marah also up on St. Clair in August 2006 with her best - a typically spotted Muskie that measured 50.5" on the dot. These are big Muskies by anyone's standards and the kids handled things perfectly. Again a great catch and super hold considering the size of this fish.

www.muskiesinc.org

June 2007.....MUSKIE 21

Lensink Boat # 2

They Did It Again! YOUTH MUSKIE WEEKEND Guide Patricia Strutz.

by Patricia Strutz

Once again, the Between the Lakes (BTL) Muskies, Inc. chapter (Sheboygan, Wisconsin area) put together an extraordinary event. A couple of years ago I participated in their first youth musky fishing weekend. This past October I was thrilled to take a small part in the second youth adventure. It was called the Turning Leaf Challenge. Throughout the year, fourteen teenagers attended several educational sessions provided by members of BTL. They became familiar with identification of the musky, learned about their habitat and proper equipment, assessed weather situations for safety, and read maps and electronics to learn to navigate a lake and find potential fishing spots. Boating safety skills were also refreshed. A final evening session offered hands-on casting practice at a local pond. The young anglers learned to throw late fall presentations like DepthRaiders, Bulldawgs, and tandem Mepps bucktails. On a blustery fall weekend, October 27th-29th, the group made their way north. They stayed at the Sunrise Lodge in Land O Lakes and fished the revered waters of Lac Vieux Desert. The weather was miserable. Cold, windy, rain and snow mix…but, the youths had “caught the fever” and enjoyed pounding the water with their fishing guides (BTL members). Several fish were caught, but more importantly, a great experience was had by all.

Group gathering at the lodge

22 MUSKIE.....June 2007

Clint Gumieny with a 39 inch Muskie caught at Youth Weekend

As I gazed across that open lake a big smile broke out on my face. All the participants were wearing bright orange Turning Leaf sweatshirts. You could clearly see them across the lake, even in the snow and rain. Small, slight statures heaving stout musky rods and jerking Suicks…Musky fishermen are a funny sort. We all love venturing out on inclement autumn days and here was a new generation getting inducted into this madness. Each evening culminated in a campfire circle to talk about the day’s events. The true fellowship between family, friends, and fishermen was evident. This was a mixed group… a mother-daughter duo, father-son partners, and adult BTL members who were chaperoning individual youths. One family consisted of a Grandpa, his two adult sons, and three grandsons. The group reflected on the event…

Words of Wisdom & Wonder from the Youth and the Elders: “Grandpa told me about this event. I thought it would be a great way to spend time with him.” “We grew up playing outdoors…now it seems like we need an excuse to get out there and enjoy ourselves. This outing gave my daughter and me that excuse.” “The reason I musky fish is for the same reason I got married. It’s all about the fight.” “It’s our responsibility to get kids back outdoors.” ”I grew up in five foster homes. My last parents spent time with me. It’s all about spending time together…that’s what helps put focus into young lives.” “This quality time of fishing together…the interaction my dad and I had, it is unmatched anywhere else in our lives.” “I love the Northwoods. After we passed Highway 64 all your daily troubles seem to melt away. We won’t want to leave. It’s a short, quick drive up north…but it seems to take forever to get home.” “I attended the Youth Musky Adventure two years ago with my son. We had a chance to talk more than usual and that continued as we returned home. The whole trip brought us closer together. That’s why I came again, this time with my daughter… to share the same experience. It was great. We will fish more in the future.” “I always thought I was too busy at work to spend much time

with the boys fishing. But this experience really shed a new light on bonding…we shared in all the planning and took time to reflect on what we each got out of the experience compared to our hectic daily lives. It just doesn’t get any better. I’ll attend again, and next time I’ll bring another boat for any new angling family that needs one…so they, too, can experience the relations one develops with family, friends, and respect for our natural resources.” My favorite, from musky huntress Amanda Strysick…as she was casting out in a snow storm, with the wind blasting on her windburnt face…she would power the rod forward and yell, “I love the pain!” Next cast, “I love the anguish”. Next cast, as she gestured toward her new Turning Leaf sweatshirt, “But, I really love the ORANGE!” Again, what a marvelous event. Between the Lakes chapter member Roy Kalmerton notes, “We invite you to put on your own Turning Leaf Challenge. It’s a wonderful feeling to be involved with introducing our youth population to the great outdoors. Our chapter will walk you through our program, we’d be happy to help you with any questions.”

Campfire sharing circle

Any questions can be directed to: Roy C. Kalmerton, member BTL Chapter Muskie Inc., Captain/Guide Wolf Pack Adventures, cell 715-558-2105, e-mail [email protected] www.wolfpackadventures.com BTL graciously thanks sponsors who made this event possible. They include: Members of BTL Thunder Mountain Press Camp Y_Koda Outdoor Education Sheboygan County Conservation Ass’n Wolf Pack Adventures Silken Images Screen Printing, Frabill, St. Croix Rod, Sunrise Lodge,

Sponsors on Sweat Shirt

“We congratulate the Wisconsin Bear Hunters organization for holding their youth hunt and hope that becomes a tradition. These youth adventures garner great enthusiasm—not only for the participants but for the adults who are involved, too. It reminds us all about why we love the outdoors and there is no better feeling than passing on that enjoyment.” ❖

Torke Coffe, Heidenreiter Bus Service, Schwarz Fish Company

Call your prize

UAW Local 833 Wisconsin Chapters of Muskies, Inc. Coca-Cola Marshview Conservation Corp Heartland Business Bank Musky Innovations Boomer Bandstand DJ Service Jerry “The Weasel” Messman Forest Lake Country Store & Musky Mania Tackle

Group of 47 Anglers at Youth Weekend 2006

www.muskiesinc.org

Jerry and participation prizes

June 2007.....MUSKIE 23

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

I am sure that by the time you read my column for June, you’ll have seen the “Positions Available” notice looking for a new editor and advertising manager. So I’ll give you the real scoop. First and foremost, I am not leaving because I am mad, nor am I being run out. In fact, quite to the contrary. When Pres. Cates was elected he specifically asked me to stay indefinitely and is concerned about my current departure. When I took this job in October 2003, I looked forward to five years or 60 issues. So far 44 issues. Truth of the matter is Lynda and I moved to Arizona due to my health issues and to retire. In fairness to Lynda, I think it is time to really retire and travel some before I loose anymore of my health. Besides, maybe now I’ll have time to find me a 50” incher. I have had a great time as Managing Editor of MUSKIE Magazine and more recently as Advertising Manager. I am proud of where I have brought MUSKIE, but that is not to say it can’t get better. I certainly have not done this alone. I have developed a great cadre of writers. We have the best printing company anyone could ask for! I cannot say enough about the staff at SunRay Printing, especially John Windchitl, Brenda Kirchner and all of their staff. Folks like Richard Gross, Bob Jennings, and of course Juris Ozols. Gosh,

where would I be if it weren’t for Juris? His loyalty and support are beyond reproach. I have had the opportunity to meet lots of great folks, fish with a few and have had a few point me in the right direction. The membership, or as I see it, my family for the last seventeen years, have become some of my best friends and certainly great company. This is not my last issue, but that won’t be far off. I just want to say thanks and tell you all how much I appreciate the entire M.I. family. Now, I have an apology for the April Issue Chapter Projects Contest winners. I have plaques for all six of the category winners and similar plaques for each of their sponsors. They were shipped to Ohio for presentation at the Spring Board Meeting. Suffice it to say everything was shipped in a timely manner; they just never made it to the banquet. I am sorry, but as soon as I have collected all the plaques, I will re-send them to each of the chapters and each of the sponsors.

Jim Smith, Managing Editor MUSKIE Magazine, The Official Publication of Muskies, Inc. Email: [email protected]

Jim

We work to improve fishing!

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS BLUEWATER OUTDOORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 ESOX RODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 FITTANTE REPLICAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 JUST BIG MUSKIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Over

s 7,000 Muskie

LAX REPRODUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Released

On Sabaskong Bay Six-time Muskies, Inc., Chapter Challunge Headquarters 1983, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2003, 2004

LEECH LAKE BOARD OF TOURISM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 MUSKIES, INC. BROCHURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 RED WING LODGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ROLLIE & HELEN’S MUSKY SHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 SAINT CROIX RODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

• 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

SPRING BOARD SPONSORS THANK YOU . . . . . .

4

TAYLOR COUNTY TOURIST COMMISSION . . . . . . . 26

Call or write for data on musky catches:

TOM’S HARBOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1 (888) 488-5601 or (807) 488-5601 Red Wing Lodge, Box 1008, Baudette, MN 56623

TUFFY BOATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 YAKIMA BAIT COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 YOUNG'S WILDERNESS CAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

www.redwinglodge.net • www.redwinglodge.on.ca Family owned and operated for 40 years 24 MUSKIE.....June 2007

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38 37

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Chapter News and Views Phone #

www.muskiesinc.org

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 [email protected] NOTE: Sept 21st is the correct date. (The 2007 MI Calendar incorrectly shows Sept. 14th). 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 [email protected]

Special events listings are provided at no charge to Muskies, Inc chapters. To list your chapter's event, email to: [email protected] or by ground mail: Jim Smith, 15045 W. Double Tree Way, Surprise, AZ 85374-8568. Please send announcements at least 2 months in advance.

June 2007.....MUSKIE 25

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 51.....Ohio Valley Muskie Hunters, 211 Mann St., Bowerstown, OH 44695..............740-269-1216 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

CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆

No. Chapter, Address

June 12,13,14,15 2007 Chapter Challunge June 12th (Tuesday) Registration June 13th,14th,15th fishing on Lake Holcombe, Dairyland Flowage, Old Abe Flowage, Cornell Flowage. Headquarters: East Bay Restaurant Contact: Jason Smith, (715) 726-9912 or email: [email protected]

CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆

48 2

CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS

03

Chicagoland Muskie Hunters

7600 Kilbourn Ave. Skokie, IL 60076 847-677-0017 – Dean Rosset [email protected] Meets 1st Tuesday 7:30 PM, Park Ridge VFW 10 West Higgins Ave., Park Ridge, IL.

Chain O’ Lakes Guide, Darrell Baker’s presentation entitled “Location, Technique, and Patters for Muskies on the Fox Chain” on May 1st, was extremely informative. Darrell came highly recommended by many members as the guide who knows the heavily fished Chain the best. He certainly was able to impress the nice sized crowd with his on-the-water expertise. Vince Weirick of Vince Weirick Guide Service will be the June 5th speaker. Vince guides in Kosciusko County’s muskie lakes and will present a fresh look at these productive waters. The July 7th meeting will be On The Water. We will be gathering at Barnacle Bob’s on Lake Marie shortly after 11:30am. For more information email Greg Denny at [email protected]. The August meeting will be similar to July’s meeting with fishing up until the 7:00 PM gathering for the cookout and re-match casting contest. Independence Grove is a Lake County Forest preserve that has been stocked with Muskie. Independence Grove is located on Route 137 in Libertyville . See you on the Water Greg Denny

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 club had an excellent turnout for its annual spring seminar that was held on April 19th at the Park Ponderosa in McFarland. This is the club’s major fundraiser for the year. This year’s featured speaker was Mr. Tony Grant, a professional guide from Cave Run Kentucky. Mr. Grant also guides in Vilas county Wisconsin in the summer and fall. The first part of his presentation dealt with identifying and fishing in heavy weed cover. He shared his approach to fishing different type of weeds, the lures he has found most effective when fishing in weeds, and advised the crowd to mark lake maps where weed cover is located. The second part of his presentation dealt with catching tiger muskies. Mr. Grant is famous for catching big tiger’s. He shared some interesting facts that he has learned over the years such as the importance of water temperature, time of year, and the fact that he catches his largest tiger muskies on very small baits. Mr. Grant’s presentation was entertaining as well as very informative. The club held its first outing of the year in Iowa (named the Hawg outing) . Twenty four club members ventured to Pleasant Creek Lake in Northwest Iowa. It was a rough day due to very severe weather in the area that cut of fishing short. Even rougher than the weather was the fact that no fish were caught. Three club members had fish on their lines but were lost before being netted. The club has four more outing planned for 2007 and we hope that the success is better than the first one. There is quite a buzz in the chapter membership as the fishing opener for Southern Wisconsin is only a couple of weeks away. Reporting: Gary Hoffman

09

West Virginia

1270 Federal Road Little Hocking, OH 45742 740-667-3571 http://westvirginiamuskiesinc.org Meets: No definite schedule-call

Our 2007 Tournament Schedule kicked off with our Spring Mail-In. The first day of the Tournament coincided with our effort to catch brood fish for WV DNR at North Bend Lake. Despite a terrific turnout, only one muskie was boated. Norman Boley arrived early and caught a 30” almost immediately on his newest Crane Bait before most of us pulled into the parking lot. Meanwhile, a similar scene played out on Piedmont Lake where Bill Boggess caught the winning fish, a 41”, on his very first cast with a Cee Bee Jerk before partner Chuck Braniff could get a lure in the water. Bill never moved another muskie the rest of the day. Maybe the early bird does indeed get the worm! Nelson Brown and Elbert Robinson enjoyed a brief flurry of super action on the Buckhannon River with a 35” and a 33” only fifteen minutes apart. Nelson’s 35” came on a NJB Crank and Elbert’s 33” on a NJB Spinnerbait. And special congratulations to young Raymond Rector, a Jr. Member for his 32” on an Amma Bama Jerkbait also from the Buckhannon River. Thanks to Sharon Crane who served as Tournament Chairperson. Our annual roundtable discussion with WV DNR officials was held 3-27-07 in the conference room of the Gander Mountain store in South Charleston. Several topics were discussed including a kiosk and the Radio Telemetry Project at North Bend Lake, Water Access Surveys, Viral Hemmorhagic Septicemia, droplines on muskie streams, Designated Trophy Muskie Waters and the muskie rearing and stocking program. We appreciate the opportunity to meet with DNR officials in this small group format which facilitates discussion and the exchange of ideas better than larger, more formal meetings. Already this spring several muskies have been captured and tagged by DNR near the mouth of Middle Island Creek. About half of the fish now being captured have been previously tagged. One of the fish electroshocked this spring (2007) was tagged in 2005 in the Blue Hole. This fish moved about fifty miles downstream and grew from 33” to 37”. Like most other muskies observed to travel long distances in WV streams, it was a male. In all of his years of electrofishing, Scott Morrison; District VI Fish Biologist has only captured one 40” male. John Kaltenecker, Secretary

11

Mississippi Valley

5301 11th Ave “C” Moline, IL 61265 • 309-797-1803 Email: [email protected] Meets 2nd Wednesday 7:00pm at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island, IL.

Chapter membership meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the QCCA concession. Meeting starts at 7:00pm. We invite everyone to attend. We are setting our calendar of outings for the 2007 year. We would like to hear from you for suggestions for outings. I am now taking care of all catch and release forms. Please submit all forms to Rob Dickinson, 1531 11th St. Rock Island, IL 61201. If you would like to submit your own catch and release forms on line, please also send me an

26 MUSKIE.....June 2007

Headwaters

12

P.O. Box 652 Eagle River, WI 54521 715-477-2913 – Paul Hansen www.headwatersmuskies.com Meets 1st Wednesday 7:00 PM

as well as providing, piers and docks on numerous lakes. A number of chapter awards were given out at out banquet. Junior awards were received by Joseph Tynan and Peter Blicharz. Women’s awards went to Linda Jacobs and Rosemary Owen. Pattie Miller was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In the men’s category awards went to John Ascenbrenner, Bruce Ludke and Ed Spoerl. Charles Schauer was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Lunker awards were given for the largest released fish in various categories and were given to Joseph Tynan, Pattie Miller, Brian Widule, Tom Rahlf, Paul Hansen and Rosemary Owen.Congradulations to the above recipients Additional information and photos of our banquet can be found on our website www.headwatersmuskies.com. Our June open membership meeting will be June 6th at 7 PM at the Eagle River Inn. If visiting the area be sure to stop in. Regards, Glenn Matula Secretary Headwaters Chapter 12

13

Hayward Lakes P.O. Box 609 Hayward, WI 54843 715-634-4543

Plans for our 30th Annual Fall Tournament are close to being finalized. The event will again be held the first weekend of October, the 5th,6th and 7th this year. Hayward Power Sports will again be our major sponsor. Thanks to them our top prize will be a Lund 1700 Explorer with a 50 hp. Mercury on a E-Z Loader trailer. Power Sports is located ten miles east of Hayward on highway 77 east. Stop and see them for not only boats but also ATV’s and snowmobiles and they rent all these toys too. Tell them you’re with Muskies Inc.and you appreciate their support. In June we are going to have two meetings. We had already scheduled a meeting for Tuesday June 5th. Our guest speaker will be Mike Cookas. Mike has been active in Muskies Inc. for many years and has fished and guided in Sawyer county for most of his life. Mike also fishes our local rivers, which few people do, so his presentation will be

interesting. We will meet at the Beerhunters Restaurant, 11 miles east of Hayward on highway 77 east at 7:30 p.m. The second meeting was just put together recently. We are going to host Mike Staggs, the head of fisheries for the Wisconsin DNR. This is co- sponsored with Walleyes For Northwest Wisconsin. The event will be Thursday June 14th at 7 p.m. at the Hayward Veterans Center in downtown Hayward. Mike will also answer questions after his presentation. Everyone is welcome. The Hayward Chapter recently donated $5,000 to remove Northern Pike from Musky Bay on Lac Court Orielles and turn the fish into fish patties to be donated to Fishing Has No Boundaries and the local food shelf. This developed when Dave Nueswanger contacted us with an idea to help Musky reproduction on Lac Court Orielles by reducing the competing Pike population. The DNR gets large numbers of Pike in it’s nets each spring while trying to capture walleyes and Muskies. The Pike were brought in and taken to a butcher shop for processing so the not for profit groups could use them. 2,500 fish were harvested, about 15% of the adult population. Many of these fish were ripe females who had not yet spawned. This produced 1,200 pounds of processed fish patties. The DNR will do follow up survey work to check on the effect of the removal. Good Fishing, Mike Persson

19

Akron-Canton 10957 Northwood Ave. NE Bolivar, OH 44612 Gordon Selden - 330-874-2773 http://[email protected]

Meets 3rd Monday 7:00 PM, Belgrade Gardens, 3476 Massillon Road, Akron, OH.

The Muskie Maniacs had their first tournament of the 2007 season at Salt Fork Lake on April 21 and 22nd. Club member Jack Whyde brought a guest with him to be his partner. Well, Jack’s partner Warren Sturtz won the tournament with a

(Continued on page 28)

The Headwaters Chapter 12 of Muskies Inc. is ramping up for a very busy season. Upcoming events include our youth trout fishing pond held April 27th at the Eagle River Home Show. Funds generated help our youth programs. May 26th is the opening day for musky fishing in Northern Wisconsin and will be our first member’s only outing chaired by Roger Sabota and Jim Rechlitz. Club members will be meeting at Oneida Village in Three Lakes, WI after a day of fishing to see who had a lucky opening day. Our 27th annual Headwaters Spring Classic will be held on June 9th on the Eagle River Chain. This event is chaired by Jeff Miller and Jim and Carol Heffner. If you are looking for a premiere tournament with first place prize of $15,000 check out our website www.headwatersmuskies.com. Headwaters Chapter 12 held its 29th annual banquet on March 29th at the Eagle River Inn with about 175 musky enthusiasts attending. Dale Peterson did an outstanding job as chairperson of our banquet. The banquet is a major fund raiser that allows our club to give back to the community in many ways including youth programs, muskellunge research to ensure a quality fishery

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June 2007.....MUSKIE 27

CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS

Email or print a copy. I need to have a verification copy in case of a lost on line form. Please send pictures if available. We are always looking for pictures to add to our photo album. We had 35 fish caught in the 2006 season by our members. 34 were released, one was kept. This member gave all he could but release was unsuccessful. The following were awards given for the 2006 season. First place men’s division with 17 releases 129 points, was also top hunter for June, July and August went to Jim Megli who also had largest release. 2nd place men’s division with 2 releases, 26 points, top hunter for September was Denny Johnson. There was a tie for 3rd place. Men’s division first with 3 releases, 22 points, top hunter for May was Russ Schnieder. Sharing 3rd place of men’s division with 2 releases, 22 points went to Paul Sikkema. Juniors division 1st place 3 releases, 35 points, top hunter in May went to Brandon Schnieder. Let’s not forget the Ladies! First place went to Dee Megli with 2 releases, 12 points, top hunter June. Congratulations to all the members who caught fish in the 2006 season! We hope you all will have a great 2007 season with many catch and release forms. The Chapter gives heart felt sympathy to the friends and relatives of Rick D’Angelo who passed away. He will be missed. We still have jackets and denim shirts available at Custom Designs in Monogramming in Moline, IL. Please contact Joan at (309)7641690. You can bring in your own jackets or shirts for them to embroider or buy directly from them. Jackets complete run $70 and denim shirts complete are $50. You may also have them personalized with your name for an additional cost. Joan and Tom will be more than happy to give you these prices or help you with any other custom embroidery. We would like to give a big thanks to Joan and Tom for all their help and time in getting the new design and colors set for our jackets. Thank You. Rob Dickinson

CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS ◆ CHAPTER NEWS & VIEWS

nice 42” fish. This is Warren’s first muskie he has ever caught and managed to also catch two sub legal fish of 26” and 27” fish. Way to go Warren! I think he is now hooked on to muskie fishing. Guy Bechter won the big fish pool with a 31 ?” fish. One of our new members Gary Puckett caught his first Ohio muskie with a 30” fish. Good Job Gary! We had a great tournament and you couldn’t have asked for the weather to be any better. We want to thank Chris Shuck for providing us with some great pointers on how to fish Salt Fork Lake at our April 16th meeting to get us ready for our first tournament. Chris also handed out maps and highlighted were he has caught fish. Thanks again Chris! Our next event will be our Chapter Challenge May 19th and 20th at Salt Fork Lake. We are hosting this event and hope we have the same weather for this event as we had with our first tournament. On June 9th and 10th, we are going to have our 2nd tournament at Leesville Lake. I will give the run down of the Chapter Challenge results in the next month’s article. Until then, catch some fish………! Kevin Proffitt

22

New Jersey http://www.mi22.com/

Spring fishing is underway and it sounds like Norm Small is the first to put a few in the net. Greenwood Lake survived the drawdown and Chuck Graf provided a trapnetting report: “Netting is going well so far with the biggest a 47” female along with quite a few Muskies in the 3640” range”. Craig Lemon will have a full report when the work is complete. At a recent meeting the Chapter bestowed the first “ Hall of Fame “ award to “Smitty”. To those who know him, he was a tireless fundraiser in the early days and always had a contagious enthusiasm for building NJ Muskies Inc. and the fishery. A plaque was awarded to Jim and we would like to formally thank and recognize him for all his efforts and friendship over the years. Put June 23 on your calendar as that’s our annual spring Tournament with Greenwood and Monksville as the 2 qualifying waters. Dinner afterwards will be at the American Legion Hall in the village of Greenwood Lake. Watch our site mi22.com for further details. No more meetings til September... it’s been a long Winter so enjoy the fishing. Submitted by Gordon Campbell, VP Chapter 22.

Shawnee

28

P.O. Box 602 DeKalb, IL 60115 815-756-3231 – Gary Dew (815) 529-1159

Meets: varies-call for schedule.

Shawnee Muskie Hunters Calendar July 14 Shelbyville Bellow Dam Fish Outing & meeting & Lunch @ 12:00 P.M. August 12 Board of Directors Meeting, 7 P.M. Phone Conference September 14-16 Prairie Lake Outing in Jim Edgar Panther Creek (W. of Springfield) meeting & camping Jim Beaty is setting this up 618-

28 MUSKIE.....June 2007

971-7806 (Prairie Lake Weekend that will start Friday, September 14th thru Sunday September 16th. Panther Creek is located in the Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area, 10149 County Hwy 11, Chandlerville, IL 62627. There is a no limit HP lake, but the entire 210 acre lake is “no wake”. There is no fee for launching a boat. We have reserved 3 cabins (#2, 3, & 4). The total cost of each cabin is just $85.00 each for the two nights. Check in is 3:00 Pm and check out is 1:00 pm October 20 Guide For Day & Meeting (7 pm) after dinner @ Paul Ice Ramp on Kinkaid Lake October 21 Guide For Day continues…if interested please contact Manuel Santa Cruz [email protected] or (618) 610-5003 or David Artrip @ [email protected] October 27-28, 7th Annual Fall Brawl Tournament, Kinkaid Lake (IMTT) November 3 Outing for Veterans & Board Meeting If You Are Interested In Helping Let Manuel Santa Cruz Know [email protected] or (618) 610-5003 or Jerry Ford [email protected] 618-628-4205 November 10-11 IMTT IL State Muskie Championship, Lake Shelbyville December 1 Christmas Party Place To Be Announced Lake Clean Up Event (4/14)-There was 2,000 pounds of trash taken out of Lake Kinkaid. “SMH members and friends teamed up with local support to haul out a ton of trash. THANKS for all that helped on this cold rainy day. “ Muskie Gal! Shannon Beaty-Dingus [email protected]

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Upper Great Plains 1788 Hwy 4 Estherville, IA 51334 712-362-2501

Meets 3rd Thursday , Legion Club, 1709 Okoboji Ave., Milford, IA.

On April 19th board members Carl Waddell, Skip Frakes, Mark Mithchell, Virg Harrison, Leo Kofoot, Dale Witt, Scott Larson, Randy Meyer, Shannon Greene, Ryan Blau, Rod Blau, and myself were all in attendance for our annual monthly meeting at the American Legion in Milford. Various topics were discussed which included gillnetting results by the IDNR, website updates, and upcoming chapter events. As far as gillnetting on the Iowa Great Lakes, the up and down water temperatures made things tougher then normal for IDNR fisheries staff at the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery. However, over 200 muskies were caught in the gillnets. The largest muskie was a 53 inch 47 pound beauty caught in Big Spirit along with several others in the 30 lb. class range.As far as upcoming events we have muskie league nights and the 3rd Annual June Outing on Big Spirit Lake this month. League night will be on Big Spirit Lake on June 6th and June 20th at Templar Park boat ramp. July 11th we will be on West Okoboji at Triggs boat ramp and then back on Big Spirit on July 25th at Templar Park boat ramp. League night fishing will start at 6:15 pm and you can sign in with Rod Blau or myself from 5:30-6 at the boat ramp. Entry fee for league night is $7. The outing on Big Spirit Lake will be held on June 23rd. Fishing hours are from 7am to 7 pm. After fishing we will have a BBQ dinner at the Templar

Park shelter. There is no entry fee for the outing and we encouraging bringing someone new to expose them to our great chapter and to this sport we all love so much. This a good opportunity to get some good fishing in, have a great dinner and to socialize with fellow chapter members. You can go to the UGP chapter website http://muskieclub.com to see all the upcoming event dates as well as pictures from gillnetting on the IA Great Lakes. On behalf of all the chapter board members we wish everyone a successful and safe muskie fishing season. Sincerely, Pete Hildreth Chapter Editor, [email protected]

Fox River Valley

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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, A couple of quick reminders. Like you, I am out on the water. This month starts our “Summer fishing League.” The days are: Sunday June 10th, Sunday July 8th, and Sunday August 12th. Times on the water have been revised from last year. We will be starting at Five a.m. and go until 11 a.m. The points system remains the same. Check the web site for further details. Remember to purchase your tickets for our electronics “Mega Raffle.” 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” 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. Upcoming Club 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. 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.

MUSKIE by Eric Engbretson

T

he first time I came face to face with a muskie underwater in it’s environment, I thought I was going to have a stroke. I was scuba diving in a small northern Wisconsin Lake known primarily for bass and bluegills, when I turned and found myself face to face with a monster that looked more like an alligator than anything else. To say I was startled would be an understatement. I remember screaming into my regulator as an eruption of air bubbles exploded from my lungs and raced towards the surface. My arms and legs moved involuntarily in panic and I stirred up a cloud of silt that quickly enveloped both the beast and me. After a few seconds, when I had recovered from the start, and regained my composure, I was amazed to see that the giant fish hadn’t moved an inch. It was still there, just three feet away hanging motionless in the slowly clearing water. In stark contrast to my initial panicked surprised its reaction was just the opposite. It’s demeanor was calm, and it’s steely-eyed gaze remained fixed on me the entire time like a gunslinger in a Clint Eastwood western. This was a fish filled with confidence, instead of fear. He was the ruler of this underwater kingdom, and seemed to regard me with the same sense of apathy and disinterest that’s normally reserved only for telemarketers and late night TV pitchmen. Finally, he slowly finned away into the depths and I was left with a feeling of awe and admiration for these magnificent fish that has only grown over the years.

I began taking pictures underwater in 1993. I’d been an avid fisherman all my life, but one sunny August afternoon, instead of grabbing my rod and reel, I grabbed a cheap mask, snorkel and fins that were 3 sizes too small and dove into a clear water lake near my home. That day changed my life. As a fisherman I remember staring down into the water from the boat or the end of the dock and wondering “What’s down there? Are there any fish in this lake? What do they do down there all day long?” Diving under the sur-

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face of the lake that August day was like stepping into a new world. I couldn’t believe the radiance of this underwater landscape. Plants, rocks, sunken trees covered in green algae…it was simply breathtaking! An underwater paradise! And then there were the fish. I saw more fish in one afternoon than I had seen as a fisherman in the previous year! It was my first glimpse into an astounding silent world filled with unsurpassed beauty and teaming with life! As the days and weeks passed, I found myself fishing less and less and snorkeling more and more. Eventually I bought a cheap underwater camera so that I could take pictures and show my others this amazing new world, and photos of what the fish looked like “on their own turf ”. It wasn’t long before I wanted to go deeper and take better pictures. I began buying scuba equipment and more sophisticated cameras and learning the craft of underwater photography. Eventually, I sold an underwater picture of a bass to a small fishing magazine. By this time, I had fallen deeply in love with the underwater realm and the fish that lived there, and I knew that this passion would become my life’s work. Today, 13 years later, I’m a freelance photographer. My underwater fish pictures appear in fishing and outdoor magazines around the world. I sell pictures to book publishers, calendar companies, advertising agencies, state natural resources departments, and so on. I spend 7 months a year taking pictures underwater in the lakes and rivers of the upper Great Lakes Region where I live. Often my life feels like a non-stop vacation and I wouldn’t trade places with anyone else. I’m also very lucky that I just happen to live in an area that’s home to some of the most legendary muskie lakes in the country. Over the years, I’ve had a chance to swim in some of these famed waters and encounter muskies up close in their own environment. There’s nothing quite like seeing a large muskie underwater. They (Continued on page 30)

June 2007.....MUSKIE 29

MUSKIE (Continued from page 29) glide effortlessly through the water with the supreme confidence reserved for members at the top of their food chain. Because of this, they’re not afraid of divers and I’m able to approach them usually fairly easily. They are surely aware of all the other fish and animals that populate their world and because divers are an anomaly, they will routinely approach me with what I can only characterize as curiosity. They often make a complete circle around me as if to inspect this ‘strange creature” from every angle. They also display keen awareness. When I enter a lake, I don’t have to search for the muskies. I’ve discovered that if I’m patient, they will find me. Drawn, I’m sure by acute imperceptible sensory abilities and also probably just by the noise of my air bubbles too. One of the attributes of water is that when viewed through a prism of air, objects appear to be larger than they really are. So when I’m underwater looking through my diver’s mask, a 45-inch musky appears to me to be a 60-inch fish! Fish and anything else viewed underwater are only ? of their actual size. Fisherman often ask me how big the fish are that I see. I do my best to adjust for the optics of underwater viewing, but the fact is, I just don’t know. Fish look really big underwater, and big fish look positively huge when viewed underwater. For the first few years, I got really excited whenever I saw muskies. “Wow! That’s gotta be a world record!” I would say to myself. But over the years, I’ve come to better understand this illusion and now I don’t pee my wetsuit quite as often when I see what looks like Moby Dick. What this means sadly, is that all those reports you hear of 6 foot long monsters swimming next to the boat, or huge fish that got off before they could be netted are really just ordinary sized muskies. Some may argue that the fish lined up exactly with something on the boat that’s of known size and therefore, that’s evidence that the fish was really a whopper. This of course is nonsense. Since you would still be viewing the fish in water through a space of air, the magnification illusion is still in play. Your boat is a poor yardstick since it’s in air, and the fish is underwater. (If you don’t quite grasp this idea, lean over the side of the boat sometime and stick your hand underwater about a foot. Then take a ruler and hold it above the water’s surface and take a good measurement of what you see. Next, take your hand out of the water and measure it. If you did this right, your actual hand will measure only ? of the size of your estimated measurement while it was underwater.) Having said all that, I remember a particular encounter last spring. I was taking pictures in Lake Tomahawk in Vilas County Wisconsin. I came across 2 muskies engaged in spawning activity. It was a very dark rainy afternoon and the light was terrible and I wasn’t able to get any pictures, but the fish I saw that day was truly impressive. The size of the spawning male was not remarkable. In fact, he was simply dwarfed by the female he was swimming with. She was a real beauty. She was enormous, and had a girth like those big watermelons that win ribbons at the county fair. She swam along side of me and I took a good long look. I’m five foot, eight inches tall, and the fish lined up next to me was longer than I was! Was this a 630 MUSKIE.....June 2007

foot long muskie? I did the quick arithmetic: Since it appeared to be 70 inches or more, its real and actual size would have been a little over 50 inches. Possibly even a little more. It looked to me like it could have been the next world record. It wasn’t, but at 50+ inches, it was a spectacular fish in anyone’s book

My three best tips for muskie fisherman: Over the years observing muskies underwater, I’ve seen a few things that I feel confident in professing. Many fishermen believe that muskies favor certain “spots” in a lake. I can certainly testify to that. Some downed trees or weedbeds hold muskie all the time. So after a few visits to a lake, once these hang outs are found, I will almost always find a muskie there on subsequent dives. Because of this first hand observation, I believe that fisherman who fish the exact same spots where previous muskies were caught increase their chances tremendously. However, these muskie hot-spots do change from time to time, just like a restaurant or bar that may be really popular for a season and then cool off. Once a musky is caught however, I recommend moving to a new area immediately. It’s my experience that muskies, not engaged in spawning rituals, stay far away from each other. I’ve never seen 2 muskies in close proximity to each other. It makes me wonder if they might have agreed upon territories that are off limits to rivals. I think most muskie fisherman miss some of the best water and best opportunities to catch a large early season muskie, In May and early June, I see many muskie in very shallow water. Sometimes as little as 3 feet. Which means, basically, you want to go to the end of your dock and cast sideways or perpendicular to the dock, not straight out. If you’re fishing in a boat, concentrate on areas that would seem to be much too shallow to possibly hold a large fish. If you think you’re fishing too shallow, go even shallower! I think you’ll be surprised. I never spent much time fishing for muskies in the days when I used to fish a lot, but if I were fishing them today, I’ll tell you what I would use. I would look for a crank bait about 13 inches long that resembles a walleye. If no one makes a walleye imitation for musky they really should. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen muskies stalking schools of walleyes. I think the amount of predation that occurs is vastly understated and understood. Muskies target walleye with great regularity. Walleye fishermen often report muskie attacking their catch as it’s coming to the boat. I want to assure you this is neither an aberration nor a deviation from their normal diet. Muskie regularly follow, stalk and target walleyes. I’ve seen this many, many times. I think that bass are taken occasionally too but no where near the frequency that walleyes are preyed upon. If you make your own lures, or can paint, and you fish muskie in lakes that have walleyes, I’d strongly recommend a walleye patterned lure. You’ve undoubtedly heard that muskie prefer soft rayed fish like suckers and avoid sharp, spiny-rayed fish like walleye. That’s nonsense. I’ve seen both northern pike and muskie swallowing large walleyes tail first! The spiny erect dorsal fin is crushed with little effort just like a tin can under the wheels of a city bus. ❖

Set That Hook–HARD!!! I looked at his dad, grinned a bit and said to the boy, “With Muskies my friend—ya gotta set that hook….and SET IT HARD!!” I met a fellow Muskie Fisherman and his young son, Cody at the Chippewa Flowage Campground last summer. My wife, her mother and I were there for the month of June. I had fished alone in the Chip and also Callahan. I had no luck in the Chip, but boated two in Callahan; one legal sized—both were released. A Bald Eagle swooped down out of nowhere and pounced on the legal sized Muskie as he was treading water ready to swim away. The Eagle took to the air empty han…er…clawed. Mr. Muskie disappeared to the deep!! Anyhow, back to my two new Muskie friends. They invited me along one day—they had a nice boat, rigged proper for the Sport. We decided on Moose Lake, got on the water by about 8 AM. We worked the shore line casting until our arms were sore. About 2 PM, we were quite a ways from where we had put in. It clouded up. A storm was moving in fast, so we started back just as it started raining. And rain it did. My friend was a good boatman as he kept us on a slow but steady course. We had all donned ponchos and a good thing we did. About half was back I asked, “The bilge pumps start automatically?” “Yep!” Was all I heard through the pounding rain. The rain did not let up all the way back. There were no cross winds—just a steady down pour of rain and more rain. We got back, safe and sound—Wet? Clear through to our skin and then some. Two days later, we went again; this time to Tiger Cat Flowage. We had a good time—no rain, a nice day. I caught nothing. The gentleman boated a couple of Northerns as did Cody. They planned on pickling them. Northerns seem to hit and stay hooked. Muskie? An entirely different story. Both my new friends were using spinner baits in a brown color. I was hoping we would tie into some Muskies. They were happy with the Northerns they had caught. I was watching as Cody’s spinner bait came alongside the boat when a nice Golden Muskie hit it. I was just starting to say, “Hit it!” when this Muskie was gone. Cody didn’t see this Muskie, but he knew he had had a strike and felt bad about not getting it. We kept casting for about another thirty minutes and again I was watching Cody’s spinner bait come alongside the boat. His dad was on the forward casting platform and turned just in time to see another Goldie hit Cody’s spinner bait. But this time, Cody saw the Muskie too! “SET IT!” Was said by his Father. Cody reared back….I saw the slack line when this Muskie had hit the spinner bait….the flash of this fish, and in another flash he was gone back to the deep! “What Happened??” Asked Cody, not knowing what to think and also thinking we were going to ‘holler-on-him’ for not hooking this Muskie.

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I looked at his dad, grinned a bit and said to the boy, “With Muskies, my friend—ya gotta set that hook….and SET IT HARD!!” “He’s right.” Said Cody’s dad. The boy looked down at the water, then up at us with a defeated look. I could see that this boy is a good candidate for the famous ‘Muskie Fever’ so I said to him, “You got thru lesson number one— and there will be more—but you’ll win over the Muskies.” “Really?!?” “Sometimes.” I answered. He looked at his dad; who said, “Well…son…ya see……Sometimes….” ❖

June 2007.....MUSKIE 31

Kelsey Eitel age 13 displaying a 35" Kentcky fish released November of 2006. Chapter 52's Larry Besant submitted the shot.

Katy Posewitz reeling one in. One of a series submitted by father Jack, it's an excellent action shot. This type photo adds to a great collection.

Chapter 50's Joe Tarditi proudly hoisting a 38" caught by son Nicholas while casting as daughter and sister Olivia looks on. A great perspective as seen from another boat.

"Starting Early" - Paul Hartman and daughter Gracie, 9 months up on Leech Lake. Photo by Wife and Mom Kristi.

Austin Smith nicely photographed by his father Jason. He's off to a good start with this Northern Pike.

☞ Proper Muskie Holding Techniques for MUSKIE Magazine Photos including Covers, Article Support, Photo Contest Entries & Member Photos

32 MUSKIE.....June 2007

"Musky Tom" who prides himself as a "teaching Guide" helped Eric Gooden to this catch. "Eric had a ton of fun and handled the fish perfectly". Tom can be reached at [email protected].

Amanda Strysick won this Frabill net donated here by Jerry Messman for the Between the Lakes Youth Outing. Now she's ready for the big one! Another of several shots submitted by Capt. Roy Kalmerton, [email protected]

Also from Larry, a family photo of Chris Haley, with kids Charlie and Christine all holding up a 36" Green River Muskie.

Fred Brogle of Chapter 12 took out young Karsten Hultgren, age 10 and his Dad Randy for Fall fishing . Randy beat the elements for this his first Muskie and immediately joined Muskies Inc. Good job to all.

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June 2007.....MUSKIE 33