musky ad.8x10.5 layout 1 1/14/15 3:13 pm page 1on the last day. also a good job by the new jersey...

Musky Ad.8x10.5_Layout 1 1/14/15 3:13 PM Page 1

Name _______________________________ Phone ________________

Address ___________________________________________________

City & State ____________________________ Zip_________________

Chapter Affiliation Choice Number __________D.O.B ____-____-______

Old Address (for address change only) ___________________________

City & State ___________________________ Zip_________

My Membership # ______________ Expiration Date _______

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

Email ________________________

Name of Sponsor (if applicable) _________________________________

Sponsor’s Membership ID # ___________________________________

Name of Spouse ________________________D.O.B ____-____-______

Junior Member(s) Date of Birth (DOB) Name ___________________________________ DOB ___________

Name ___________________________________ DOB ___________

Name ___________________________________ DOB ___________

MAIL TO: MUSKIES, INC. 1509 Stahl RoadSheboygan, WI 53081

1-888-710-8286

Regular Membership: ❑ 1 Year-$35.00* ❑ 2 Years-$65.00 ❑ 3 Years- $95.00Family Membership: ❑ 1 Year-$47.50* ❑ 2 Years-$90.00 ❑ 3 Years-$132.50Junior Membership (Under 18): ❑ $20.00* ❑ For Donation $________ * Addresses outside the U.S. must add an additional $15 per year (U.S. funds) to cover postage.

Payment: ❑ Check or ❑ Credit Card:

Card # __ __ __ __- __ __ __ __- __ __ __ __- __ __ __ __ Exp. Date ____ /____ Signature ____________________________________________

(to find the number of the Chapter you wish to join, see the Chapter News & Views section)

ContentsMUSKIE • VOl. 49, NO. 6

Join Muskies, Inc. ...or give a member ship as a gift.

❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard

MUSKIE magazine is published six times each year and is the Official Publication of Muskies, Inc.Ellen Wells, Administrative Secretary, 1509 Stahl Road, Sheboygan, WI 53081. Ph: 1-888-710-8286.© Copyright 2015 by Muskies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Departments1 About the Cover, Sean Landsman2 President’s Message, Carl Phillips3 Index of Advertisers4 MUSKIE News6 Lunge Log, Randy Loewecke11 Figure 8, Sean Landsman15 Photo Contest, Brad Waldera24 Member Photos, Brad Waldera25 Chapter News and Views

Features12 Get Out There With a Bass Fisherman, Mark Bromann16 Humble Pie, Ace Sommerfeld20 Observations From the Water, Erik Jacobson

www.muskiesinc.org November / December 2015.....MUSKIE 1

About the CoVeRRobert Miller (Chapter 54) sent in our cover photo for this issue. It shows his son, Alec, casting a Pounder on Mille Lacs while their friend looks on. This is classic late fall fishing. A time when big baits + big water = big fish.

I love the action shot here. We don’t get too many sub-missions like this, but these types of shots really strike a chord. Casting is such a tactile thing and those of us that are avid fans of the technique know exactly what it feels like to perform

this movement. A common technique photogra-phers shooting stock images employ is to deliberately leave out the face of the human subjects. This enables the viewer to put themselves into a scene, allowing them to connect on a deeper level with an image (or product as is often the case). As I sit viewing Robert’s photo, I feel like I am his son, bundled up and heaving a giant chunk of rubber for a 50 pound muskie.

- Sean

Board of DirectorsExecutive CommitteePresident, Carl PhillipsPhone: 612-709-8066Email: [email protected]

VP Finance/Treasurer, Jim ShannonPhone: 763-434-9729Email: [email protected]

VP Fisheries & Research, Dan Crooms Phone: 507-744-4265Email: [email protected]

VP Internal Affairs, Dan KoniewiczPhone: 847-682-9238 Email: [email protected]

VP Membership & Marketing, James AshtonPhone: 636-227-5248Email: [email protected]

VP Communications, Ron TeschnerPhone: 701-640-0544Email: [email protected]

VP Youth Activities, Kevin BushnickPhone: 847-987-3622Email: [email protected]

Corporate Secretary, Thomas ArdolfPhone: 320-260-2262Email: [email protected]

Past-President, Jay ZahnEmail: [email protected] Regional Representatives are also

Executive Committee Members

Regional RepresentativesRegion 1 Term Expires *Eric Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 Jeff Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2016 Curt Ellestad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2016Region 2 *Jeff Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 Robert Petzke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2016 Joe Heil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017Region 3 *Jim Evers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 James Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 Jack Moga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017Region 4 *Earle Hammond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 Frank Walter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2016 Kimberly Cates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017 * = Senior Regional Representative

SupportAdministrative Secretary, Ellen Wells1509 Stahl Road, Sheboygan, WI 53081Phone: 888-710-8286Email: [email protected]

Executive Accountant, Kathryn GoonPhone: 419-945-2940Email: [email protected]

Merchandising Director, Will SchultzPhone: 616-447-1688Email: [email protected]

Web Master, Randy loeweckePhone: 815-520-3628Email: [email protected]

It has been a busy but eventful year! This year I had the opportunity to fish in the Gil Hamm Memorial Chapter Challunge on beautiful Leech Lake in Walker, Minnesota. My boat partner was Jim Evers from Chapter 22. The Fargo-Moorhead Chapter put on a fabulous event; they are experts at hospitality. I extend my congratulations to Star of the North Chapter as they eked out the win on the last day. Also a good job by the New Jersey Chapter with a 13th place finish. It was good to see old friends and make new ones.

I also attended the 2015 Youth Muskie Hunt, held each year on Moose Lake, Wisconsin. This event is put on by the Youth Conservation Alliance (YCA) and co-sponsored by Muskies, Inc. and Kevin Bushnik, MI – VP. The YCA has done an incredible job in putting on this event. This is something that every member should attend at least once. I really encourage Chapters and/or Regions to con-tact Kevin and try to emulate this event. The smiles were ear to ear. The public-ity is priceless. Like MI, the YCA is a volunteer organization. I was amazed at the caring and dedication of the volunteer guides and staff. This is a great event. We, at MI, should be proud to be able to work with these kids. Sixty-five kids caught sixty-eight muskies over the three-day event, a new record! We want to export this Youth Muskie Hunt to other states and/or regions. Kevin is available to speak to your group on this topic.National level discussions are as follows:

- Annual Calendar - Remember that our founders set MI up differently. Every dollar that is raised at the Chapter level remains at the Chapter. This allows the local Chapters to use their funds locally as they see fit, it also means that the national organization is completely dependent upon dues and its own ability to raise money. The 2016 Calendar will be going out shortly. The Calendar Program is our big national fund-raising program. At our current membership level we are breaking even. There is so much more that you want MI to do; youth events, fisheries and research, marketing and promo-tion, tournament support and so on. The list is endless. We really need your financial help. At the very least please consider a small donation to offset the cost of this program. We can make this Calendar-fundraiser a success, but only if we all pitch in and contribute. Don’t set it aside; please send a contri-

The President’s MessageBy: Carl Phillips, Muskies, Inc. President

Email: [email protected]

2 MUSKIE..... November / December 2015

MUSKIE Magazine StaffEDITOR & MAGAZINE DESIGNAmy Penza105 Fairview laneNekoosa, WI 54457Phone: (715) 213-7206Email: [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORSean landsmanPhone: (217) 649-4449Email: [email protected] CONTEST EDITORAmy PenzaPhone: (715) 213-7206Email: [email protected] LOG EDITORMembers Only Fishing ContestJim BunchPhone: (715) 226-0295Email: [email protected] SALES TEAMKevin Richards, Advertising ManagerPhone: (573) 280-2300Email: [email protected] SALES REPRESENTATIVES:Harlan FierstinePhone: (218) 255-3461 Email: [email protected] PischkePhone: (920) 676-7893Email: [email protected] ACCOUNT MANAGERSunray Printing Solutions, Inc. - Stacey ThielenILLUSTRATORS/CARTOONISTSRichard Gross, Charles WeissFIELD EDITORSPatricia Strutz, Ace Sommerfeld,Kevin Pischke, Kevin Richards, Rick Helm, Adam M. Glickman

MUSKIE is published exclusively for the membership of Muskies, Inc. and subscriptions come with a paid membership. Muskies, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Membership classes and associated annual dues are listed on the form at the bottom of page one. Copies of MUSKIE magazine are available at $3.00 each from the Muskies, Inc. Administrative Secretary.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.

bution. The calendar will have complete instructions for mailing donations. Thank you.- Symposium Celebration - The 50th Anniversary Celebration and Symposium along with the Annual Board Meeting will be held in Minneapolis March 12th- 15th, 2016. The Celebration Banquet ticket prices have not been deter-mined. For the Symposium - each Chapter may send a representative at a reduced rate of $100. Any additional Symposium attendees from that Chapter will be at the normal registration fee of $195. Both rates include meals. We encourage Chapters to have at least one representative at these events. We are structuring the Board Meeting so that Chapter opinions can be shared with voting Representatives in real time. Please do all you can to attend these important events.- Pre-Regionalization period - Many people have mentioned to me that the before MI went to the four Regions, the format allowed different Chapters to get together and share ideas. In the past the Spring and Fall Board Meetings allowed social times and idea sharing. I agree with this but I also noticed that participation in the Gil Hamm was down this year. There continue to be events meant for national participation. The March 2016 Celebration/Symposium weekend is a golden opportunity to meet and greet members from other Chapters. We need to get out of our comfort zone and meet members outside of our chapter. - Your Chapter NEEDS YOU - In 2002, I met Perry Smith at a fund-raising event for Smokey Swenson in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was thinking about volunteering but I was busy with job, kids, etc. Perry told me, “Carl, you will never have time, so just do it. There will never be an ideal time.” Perry was right. There isn’t a perfect time. Your organization needs you. So in the words of Perry Smith, “You will never have time, so just do it.”As always, my thanks and admiration goes out to the volunteers. Tight lines.

CHAOS TACKLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11FITTANTE REPLICAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21FISHHARD CLOTHING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14HUGH BECKER MUSKIE SYMPOSIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 LAKEWOOD PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17LURE PARTS ONLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9RED WING LODGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12ST . CROIX RODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCT’S TACKLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22SPORTSHOW LOCATOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33SPORTSMAN’S REPAIR SHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6W . PA MUSKIE MAX SHOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18YOUNG’S WILDERNESS CAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

Persons interested in submitting material for publication should contact the Editor.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. website.

Submissions to MUSKIE Magazine

November / December 2015.....MUSKIE 3www.muskiesinc.org

press releases and publications- If this project fails to reach its purpose, through false reporting, deceit, and/or other unprofessional acts, the requesting group may be responsible for restitution (committee determination) - NOTE: No indirect costs (overhead) will be awarded on research proposalsAddendum:Projects/activities that may qualify per the wishes and conditions of Hugh C. Becker Trust include, but are not limited to:• Muskie propagation by the Twin Cities Chapter #1, in their own ponds with their own equipment• Stocking, by either raising Muskie fingerlings or purchasing fingerlings/ yearlings/adults for public use in designated waters• Habitat protection and improvement• Clean water (quality) protection and improvement• Professional research by qualified personnel (not limited to Minnesota, but must include accountability data)• Expansion of the present muskellunge range (special consideration for the Missouri river system in North/South Dakota)The Twin Cities Chapter #1 Committee will

consider projects based on their respective merits per criteria above, and awards will be published in the Muskie magazine. The principles of Muskies, Inc., Youth, Research, and Fisheries are guidelines inclusive in qualifying and evaluating proposals.

**** NOTE: Accountability reports, DNR letters, Research papers, publications, University acknowledgements, and any other follow-up information for awards given in a particular year will be required before any individual or group is given consideration for future grants.

- George Selcke

Hugh C. Becker 2016 Foundation AwardsInitial Requisition Criteria for disbursing funds,

subject to future amendments.All requests are to be received between November

1st, 2015 and BY January 31st, 2016. Address (do not e-mail) all requests to Hugh C. Becker Committee of Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc., c/o George Selcke, 13004 Shady Dale Road, Minnetonka, MN 55343-4904.

Format: Requests are not to be more than five (5) legibly typed pages, ORIGINAL and FIVE (5) copies, to include all the following criteria:

1) Name and address of the group, and a history of the group’s accomplished projects to date, if applicable.2) Demonstrate need- how will this project benefit the Muskellunge program(s) in area, region, or range (Canada included)3) What is the project and what is purpose of project?4) Where is this project taking place?5) What is the duration of this project/start and finish dates?6) What are the cost breakouts? Itemize equipment and labor, and provide quotes.7) Who will be involved: the project team, project manager/coordinator, and applicable means of contact (phone numbers)8) Submit “milestones” dates for progress reports and accountability.9) Can the requesting group match funds from another source? Please list.Other Considerations:

- Cap on any individual grant/fund will be $10,000; incrementally within year or over the course of years, unless the Grant Committee decides otherwise on any specific proposal- Credit to the Hugh C. Becker Trust Foundation will be included in funding- The Hugh C. Becker Trust has priority rights to all


Special thanks to these members and supporters for their recent

donations to Muskies, Inc.:

• Ben Frieden• Patrick Fields• Adam Andresky• Michael Nabb• Victor Allen Fox

DONATIONS

• Juris Ozols• Hayward Chapter• Dean Rosset• Jeff Bielein• Cybermation (Ardolf)

Messages from your Editor

Muskie Cover Contest TimeHow would you like a chance

to win a $100 Gander Mountain gift card AND be on the cover of the January/February issue of MUSKIE? All you have to do is submit your photos with the following information: your name, your chapter number/name, and a small description about your submitted photo. When submitting your photos for the contest, you’re giving MI permission to use your photos as needed in MUSKIE and MI Calendars. If there is more than one person in your submitted photos, you must be given permission by all persons for use of the photo. By submitting the photos you are giving MI permission from all parties in the photo to use the photo. Our goal through running this photo contest is to increase content in our image archives, which is used for creating calendars, promotional materials, magazine content (e.g., covers), and sprucing up the website.

Our submission guidelines are simple: 1) High-resolution photo2) Any muskie shown must be handled properly 3) Photo themes are left up to the photographer and may encompass anything related to muskie fishing. Preference for the January/February issue of MUSKIE will be given to photos that are oriented vertically, meaning longer top-to-bottom than left-to-right, but we welcome all submissions. We reserve the right to dismiss any submissions that do not follow the submission guidelines or are otherwise deemed inappropriate.If you are interested in entering the contest, send

you photos to our Assistant Editor, Sean Landsman, at [email protected]. A winner will be announced in the January/February 2016 issue of MUSKIE.

Photo Editor NeededBrad Waldera is hanging up his hat as Photo Editor.

He’s been a true volunteer for the magazine since 2001 and we wish him the best of luck in the future. With that said, we are now looking for a volunteer Photo Editor. The duties include, but are not limited to, the following: collecting and submitting photos and captions for the Members Photos Contest and Members Photos sections of MUSKIE magazine. All photos collected will be saved and compiled into an archive for future uses of the photos (such as the calendar).

If you would like to volunteer your services, please send an email to your Editor, [email protected]. The position will be effective immediately. Let’s give Brad a tip of the cap for all he’s done over the years

ATTENTION CHAPTERS!Due to the upcoming 50th Anniversary of

Muskies, Inc. I would like to collect as much information as I can for a project I am working on. I would like each chapter to send me a TOTAL of muskies stocked by their chapter during their chapter’s existence. I am very interested in publishing this information in the January/February issue of MUSKIE. Please email me ([email protected]) this information no later than November 20th, 2015.


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2015 Lunkers – The 50+ EntriesIt’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of September! This year has

flown by with the Lunge Log recording some interesting numbers. Since the first of the year and the writing of this article, the number of 50 plus inch recorded and released muskies are up approximately 17 percent over last year. We cur-rently have 216 entries of 50 plus lunkers. Within that number, we also have five Junior Division members added into the ranks of a 50 plus incher for this year.

To date in the Men’s Division, the largest entries are at 56.5 inches, entered by Dale Junk of Chapter 47 (caught in August) and Shawn Maher of Chapter 23 (caught is September). In the Women’s Division, Sylvia Spitzer of Chapter 50 caught a 56 inch fish in August. In the Hybrid Division, we have a Junior Member, Ian Stroud having a 50 inch fish caught in May, and then lastly in the Junior Division, we have Kellen James Krause catching a 52.75 inch fish caught in August.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s an amazing feat to catch a muskie, let alone one that is 50 inches or more. There’s nothing that can compare to catching the big-

gest muskie of your life (regardless of its size). The effort in making sure you catch and handle the muskies correctly, and then lastly the releasing of the fish is critical in having it swim away to be caught another day. The efforts of understanding and then practicing our catch and release philosophy is a credit to our membership.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time and making the effort to put your entries into the Lunge Log so that we may track the habits of these amazing predators.

- Randy Loewecke

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Chapter Length Date Caught Lake County State Lure1 Dale Junk 47 56.50 8/8/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Medussa2 Shawn Maher 23 56.50 9/23/2015 Georgian Bay Ontario ON Hosebait3 Brent Fox 1 56.00 6/13/2015 Metro Hennepin MN Jake4 Daniel Lacko 69 56.00 7/18/2015 St. Lawrence River St. Lawrence NY Red October Tube5 Marko Brinatte 1 55.50 7/5/2015 Minnetonka Hennepin MN Jake6 William H Wright D.V.M 28 55.50 7/10/2015 St. Lawrence River Quebec QB Llungen DC107 Tim Connaughty 8 55.50 9/26/2015 Green Bay Brown WI Spanky Fireball8 Spencer Berman 58 55.25 8/24/2015 Lake St. Clair Macomb MI Bull Dawg Jerk9 Ken Worel 15 55.25 9/16/2015 Vermilion St. Louis MN Zippity‐Do‐Dah10 David Gustafson 1 55.00 6/7/2015 Minnetonka Hennepin MN Jake11 Mark Seys 41 55.00 6/14/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Tuff Shad12 Reed Findlan 16 55.00 7/23/2015 St. Lawrence River Ontario ON Grandma Crank13 Larry A Ramsell 13 55.00 7/30/2015 Ottawa River Quebec QB Ghost Tail14 Gary Spitzer 50 55.00 8/2/2015 St. Lawrence River Ontario ON Red October Tube15 Jim Carow 39 55.00 8/2/2015 St. Lawrence River St. Lawrence NY Red October Tube16 Klaus Trieb 39 55.00 8/14/2015 Ottawa River Quebec QB Double 1017 Spencer Berman 58 55.00 9/9/2015 Lake St. Clair Macomb MI Bull Dawg Jerk18 Brian Rutten 15 54.50 9/13/2015 Vermilion St. Louis MN Homemade Bucktail19 James M Gotham 33 54.00 7/19/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Bull Dawg Jerk20 Gary Spitzer 50 54.00 7/31/2015 St. Lawrence River Ontario ON Spanky Fireball21 Gary I. Woods III 1 54.00 8/5/2015 Minnetonka Hennepin MN Homemade Bucktail22 William H. Wright D.V.M 28 53.75 8/12/2015 Ottawa River Quebec QB Cowgirl/Double Cowgirl23 Chris Thury 46 53.50 6/23/2015 Marquette Beltrami MN Headlock24 Shawn Arndt 41 53.50 7/5/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Ziggie Crank25 John Bennett 61 53.50 8/1/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Medussa

Men's Top 25 for 2015 Rank / Member

St. Croix Reel Repair Center

Chapter Length Date Caught Lake County State Lure1 Ed (James) Walzer 64 48.00 8/16/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly2 Matt Pelletier 59 47.50 5/6/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Homemade Fly3 David Goodrich 59 47.25 4/10/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Fly4 Ed (James) Walzer 64 47.00 5/23/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly5 Ed (James) Walzer 64 46.00 5/23/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly6 Josh Caroon 2 46.00 7/11/2015 Flambeau River Rusk WI Homemade Fly7 Ed (James) Walzer 64 44.00 5/30/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly8 John Ringenbach 19 43.00 3/1/2015 James River Botetourt VA Fly9 David Goodrich 59 43.00 4/21/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Fly10 Ed (James) Walzer 64 43.00 5/9/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly11 Matt Pelletier 59 42.00 4/20/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Homemade Fly12 Ed (James) Walzer 64 42.00 5/9/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly13 Ed (James) Walzer 64 42.00 5/9/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly14 Ed (James) Walzer 64 42.00 5/23/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly15 Ed (James) Walzer 64 42.00 6/27/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Homemade Fly16 Ed (James) Walzer 64 42.00 8/22/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Fly17 David Goodrich 59 41.00 2/6/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Fly18 Ed (James) Walzer 64 41.00 5/16/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly19 Ed (James) Walzer 64 41.00 5/30/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly20 Ed (James) Walzer 64 41.00 6/27/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Homemade Fly21 John Ringenbach 19 41.00 9/22/2015 Leesville Reservoir Carroll OH Renner Shad22 Matt Pelletier 59 40.50 2/4/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Homemade Fly23 David Goodrich 59 40.00 3/13/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Fly24 Ed (James) Walzer 64 40.00 5/30/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly25 Ed (James) Walzer 64 40.00 5/30/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly

Fly Top 25 for 2015 Rank / Member Chapter Length Date Caught Lake County State Lure

1 Ian Stroud 59 50.00 5/16/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Rapala Jerk2 Ken Worel 15 49.50 6/25/2015 Mississippi River Itasca MN Zippity‐Do‐Dah3 Ed (James) Walzer 64 48.00 8/16/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly4 Michael Floyd 57 47.75 8/6/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Savagegear 4Play5 Michael Floyd 57 47.50 9/11/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Homemade Bucktail6 David Goodrich 59 47.25 4/10/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Fly7 Douglas Grahl 41 47.25 7/5/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Tuff Shad8 Ed (James) Walzer 64 47.00 5/23/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly9 Ken Worel 15 46.50 7/20/2015 Moose Itasca MN Top Raider10 Ed (James) Walzer 64 46.00 5/23/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Homemade Fly11 Don Maves 6 46.00 6/10/2015 Holcombe Flowage Chippewa WI Suick12 Joe Shay 3 46.00 7/22/2015 Boulder Lake Ontario ON LeLure Creeper13 Charles T. Heidt 32 46.00 9/14/2015 North Twin Vilas WI Jig & Creature14 Bob Sisson 41 45.50 6/26/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Tuff Shad15 Michael Floyd 57 45.50 8/21/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Savagegear 4Play16 Mike Crisanti 57 45.50 9/9/2015 Curlew Ferry WA Mepps Musky Marabou17 John Williamson 59 45.00 4/12/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Ducktail Warrior18 Daniel Fuller 57 45.00 6/13/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Mepps Musky Killer19 Robert M. Weeks 57 45.00 7/11/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Buck Tail20 Greg Lehmann 32 45.00 7/23/2015 North Twin Vilas WI Dadson Bullet21 Tim Connaughty 8 45.00 8/5/2015 Eagle Lake Ontario ON Spanky Fireball22 Michael Floyd 57 45.00 8/11/2015 Lake Tapps Pierce WA Homemade Bucktail23 Pete Bergman 57 44.75 4/18/2015 Mayfield Lake Lewis WA Savage Gear Freestyler24 Michael Floyd 57 44.75 8/28/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Rapala Jerk25 Mike Crisanti 57 44.50 7/29/2015 Merwin Cowlitz WA Mepps Musky Killer

Hybrid Top 25 for 2015 Rank / Member


Chapter Length Date Caught Lake County State Lure1 Kellen James Krause 33 52.75 8/15/2015 Island St. Louis MN Jake2 Mason Shoffner Marzo 22 51.00 7/19/2015 Lake St. Clair St. Clair MI Z‐3 Jake Evertz 21 50.50 8/12/2015 Yellow Burnett WI Cowgirl/Double Cowgirl4 Ian Stroud 59 50.00 5/16/2015 Bluewater Lake Cibola NM Rapala Jerk5 Ethan Cain 39 50.00 7/4/2015 Lake St. Clair Macomb MI Wiley Crank6 Mason Shoffner Marzo 22 49.50 7/4/2015 Chautauqua Chautauqua NY Z‐7 James Albee 12 49.00 7/4/2015 Lake Of The Woods Ontario ON Mepps8 Brendan Brill 24 49.00 7/12/2015 Cedar Aitkin MN Reef Hawg9 Seth Niday 8 49.00 8/27/2015 Eagle Lake Ontario ON Spanky 8 Ball10 Brendan Brill 24 49.00 8/30/2015 Lake Of The Woods Ontario ON Bobbie11 Jake Evertz 21 48.50 8/24/2015 Yellow Burnett WI Pacemaker12 Olivia Peters 3 48.00 6/26/2015 Crow Lake Ontario ON Kapow Now13 Benjamin Wilary 32 48.00 7/2/2015 Bone Polk WI Perfect 814 Paige Sommerfeld 1 47.00 8/9/2015 Winnibigosh Cass MN Ghost Tail15 Adison Thompson 16 46.75 5/24/2015 Kinzua Reservoir Warren PA Blue Water Bait16 Jake Evertz 21 46.50 7/3/2015 Bald Eagle Ramsey MN Kramer Bros17 Zachary Scheuers 12 46.50 8/29/2015 Lake Of The Woods Ontario ON Fat Bastarrd18 Ryan Baratta 3 45.50 7/25/2015 Lac Seul Ontario ON Top Raider19 Ravyn Swanson 21 45.00 6/5/2015 Bone Polk WI Bucher Depth Raider20 Jake Evertz 21 45.00 7/13/2015 Bone Polk WI Super Vibrax21 Seth Niday 8 45.00 7/20/2015 Lake St. Clair Oakland MI Spanky Fireball22 Benjamin Wilary 32 45.00 8/23/2015 Long Legged Ontario ON Perfect 823 Kyle Honeycutt 41 44.50 6/23/2015 Alum Creek Delaware OH Alley Cat24 Olivia Peters 3 44.50 6/24/2015 Crow Lake Ontario ON Kapow Now25 Zachary Scheuers 12 44.50 8/8/2015 Long Oneida WI Cowgirl/Double Cowgirl

Juniors Top 25 for 2015 Rank / Member

Chapter Length Date Caught Lake County State Lure1 Silvia Spitzer 50 56.00 8/2/2015 St. Lawrence River Ontario ON Red October Tube2 Denise Strickland 46 55.25 6/28/2015 Bemidji Beltrami MN Headlock3 Jillian Glas 14 54.00 6/7/2015 Green Bay Door WI Spanky 8 Ball4 Cindy Hegdahl 1 54.00 8/30/2015 Bemidji Beltrami MN Shallow Invader5 Catherine Latoza 39 54.00 9/3/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Homemade Bucktail6 Nikki Swain 42 52.50 8/22/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON St. Clair Hound7 Silvia Spitzer 50 52.00 7/9/2015 Rowan Ontario ON Homemade Bucktail8 Rena Goldberg 19 52.00 7/31/2015 Cedar Ontario ON A Team Bucktail9 Vickie Banks 52 52.00 8/27/2015 Lake St. Clair St. Clair MI Wiley Crank10 Cheryl Ford 28 51.25 7/17/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Sanky Tail11 Samantha Gerou 47 51.25 9/27/2015 Elk Chain Grand Traverse MI Dadson Bullet12 Dawn Enger 8 51.00 7/12/2015 Lake Of The Woods Ontario ON Cowgirl/Double Cowgirl13 Silvia Spitzer 50 51.00 8/2/2015 St. Lawrence River Ontario ON Red October Tube14 Dawn Hines 24 51.00 8/28/2015 Big Beltrami MN Cowgirl/Double Cowgirl15 Silvia Spitzer 50 51.00 9/2/2015 Rowan Ontario ON Homemade Surface16 Silvia Spitzer 50 51.00 9/7/2015 Rowan Ontario ON Homemade Bucktail17 Silvia Spitzer 50 51.00 9/7/2015 Rowan Ontario ON Homemade Surface18 Cindy Hegdahl 1 50.25 7/24/2015 Bemidji Beltrami MN Homemade Spinner19 Nancy Hinkforth 35 50.00 5/25/2015 Fox River Brown WI Double 1020 Deborah S. Crossley‐Davis 19 50.00 7/2/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Baby Depth Raider21 Catherine Latoza 39 50.00 8/13/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Boss Shad22 Catherine Latoza 39 50.00 9/3/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Homemade Bucktail23 Mary N. Arndt 41 49.75 8/28/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON St. Clair Hound24 Deborah S. Crossley‐Davis 19 49.50 7/24/2015 Lake St. Clair Ontario ON Boss Shad25 Samantha Gerou 47 49.25 9/25/2015 Elk Chain Grand Traverse MI Dadson Bullet

Women's Top 25 for 2015 Rank / Member

Chapter City State Muskies Points Avg.1 Ed (James) Walzer 64 Damascus OR 26 367 402 Matt Pelletier 59 Albuquerque NM 27 252 353 David Goodrich 59 Prewitt NM 26 244 354 Kevin Menicucci 59 Alburquerque NM 7 48 335 John Ringenbach 19 Lakewood OH 2 32 426 Josh Caroon 2 Moorhead MN 1 20 467 Leah Pelletier 59 Albuquerque NM 2 17 35

Rank / Member NameFly Division for 2015

Chapter City State Muskies Points Avg.1 Andy P Schutz 8 McFarland WI 69 956 402 Chuck Harmon 19 Akron OH 79 951 383 David Palo 69 Erie PA 87 870 364 Beau Chumley 23 Hartville OH 67 833 385 Peter Kangas 8 Evansville WI 74 753 366 Mike Lambrecht 15 Cohasset MN 51 718 407 Dave Selle 21 Lino Lakes MN 39 671 438 Derek Wenzel 9 Marietta OH 51 602 389 Mark Seys 41 Wallaceburg Ont. CN 47 599 3910 Daniel Weible 47 Fraser MI 38 566 4111 Steve Ault 41 Hilliard OH 42 535 3912 Roger Wayne Hinkle Jr 19 Akron OH 37 512 4013 Michael Handlogten 47 Middleville MI 34 482 4014 Donald Magney 24 Isanti MN 30 481 4215 Steven Pedersen 47 Belmont MI 38 478 3816 Sylvester Trunkett 19 North Ridgeville OH 41 464 3717 Harlan Fierstine 24 Walker MN 39 462 3818 Harold Hall 6 Cornell WI 43 460 3719 Matt Pelletier 59 Albuquerque NM 48 441 3520 Robert A Basic 23 Youngstown OH 35 437 3821 Steve Bates 21 North Saint Paul MN 51 414 3422 Mark Weiss 21 Stacy MN 23 414 4423 Brett Olson 6 Altoona WI 38 406 3724 Marko Brinatte 1 Watertown MN 22 403 4425 Dale Junk 47 Detroit MI 28 395 40

Men's Division for 2015Rank / Member Name

Chapter City State Muskies Points Avg.1 Deborah S. Crossley‐Davis 19 Coshocton OH 77 1,037 392 Silvia Spitzer 50 Chadds Ford PA 39 734 453 Catherine Latoza 39 Burbank IL 46 673 414 Charlotte Fuchs 19 No Canton OH 52 650 385 Margaret Pauling 41 Fremont OH 41 527 396 Mary N. Arndt 41 Elmore OH 40 483 387 Sheila McCord 9 Roanoke WV 19 269 408 Pattie Miller 12 Eagle River WI 16 231 409 Mary Hoernecke 32 Byron IL 14 137 3610 Nancy Hinkforth 35 Menomonee Falls WI 6 108 4411 Lynne M. Dembiec 35 Hartland WI 8 104 3912 Cindy Hegdahl 1 Bemidji MN 7 100 4013 Ruth Anderson 2 Alexandria MN 12 87 3314 Sonya Anderson 38 Alexandria MN 7 69 3615 Barbara Clemente 23 Hubbard OH 2 21 37

Rank / Member NameWomen's Masters Division for 2015


Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State1 23 Maher Shawn Mens 56.50 24 09/23/2015 Georgian Bay ON2 47 Junk Dale Mens 56.50 0 08/08/2015 Lake St. Clair ON3 50 Spitzer Silvia Womens Masters 56.00 0 08/02/2015 St. Lawrence River ON4 69 Lacko Daniel Mens 56.00 0 07/18/2015 St. Lawrence River NY5 1 Fox Brent Mens 56.00 0 06/13/2015 Metro MN6 8 Connaughty Tim Mens 55.50 24.5 09/26/2015 Green Bay WI7 28 Wright D.V.M William H. Mens 55.50 0 07/10/2015 St. Lawrence River QB8 1 Brinatte Marko Mens 55.50 24.5 07/05/2015 Minnetonka MN9 15 Worel Ken Mens Masters 55.25 0 09/16/2015 Vermilion MN10 58 Berman Spencer Mens 55.25 0 08/24/2015 Lake St. Clair MI11 46 Strickland Denise Womens 55.25 24 06/28/2015 Bemidji MN12 58 Berman Spencer Mens 55.00 0 09/09/2015 Lake St. Clair MI13 39 Trieb Klaus Mens 55.00 0 08/14/2015 Ottawa River QB14 50 Spitzer Gary Mens 55.00 0 08/02/2015 St. Lawrence River ON15 39 Carow Jim Mens 55.00 0 08/02/2015 St. Lawrence River NY16 13 Ramsell Larry A. Mens Masters 55.00 0 07/30/2015 Ottawa River QB17 16 Findlan Reed Mens Masters 55.00 24.5 07/23/2015 St. Lawrence River ON18 41 Seys Mark Mens 55.00 0 06/14/2015 Lake St. Clair ON19 1 Gustafson David Mens 55.00 0 06/07/2015 Minnetonka MN20 15 Rutten Brian Mens 54.50 0 09/13/2015 Vermilion MN21 39 Latoza Catherine Womens Masters 54.00 0 09/03/2015 Lake St. Clair ON22 1 Hegdahl Cindy Womens Masters 54.00 0 08/30/2015 Bemidji MN23 1 Woods III Gary I. Mens 54.00 0 08/05/2015 Minnetonka MN24 50 Spitzer Gary Mens 54.00 0 07/31/2015 St. Lawrence River ON25 33 Gotham James M. Mens 54.00 0 07/19/2015 Lake St. Clair ON26 14 Glas Jillian Womens 54.00 0 06/07/2015 Green Bay WI27 28 Wright D.V.M William H. Mens 53.75 0 08/12/2015 Ottawa River QB28 39 Pehta Rick Mens 53.50 0 09/06/2015 Eagle Lake ON29 1 Woods III Gary I. Mens 53.50 0 08/15/2015 Minnetonka MN30 19 Bond Jason Mens 53.50 0 08/05/2015 St. Lawrence River ON31 9 Hall William A. Mens 53.50 23.5 08/03/2015 Cedar ON32 61 Bennett John Mens 53.50 24.8 08/01/2015 Lake St. Clair ON

50+ inch catches in 2015 (Table 1)Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State33 41 Arndt Shawn Mens Masters 53.50 0 07/05/2015 Lake St. Clair ON34 46 Thury Chris Mens 53.50 29 06/23/2015 Marquette MN35 1 Williams Christopher Mens 53.25 23 08/01/2015 Minnetonka MN36 4 Kallman Rick Mens 53.25 0 05/23/2015 Fox River WI37 8 Nelson Brad P. Mens 53.00 20 09/24/2015 Detroit Lakes MN38 39 Wren Richard K. Mens Masters 53.00 0 09/17/2015 Vermilion MN39 23 Maher Shawn Mens 53.00 25 09/15/2015 St. Lawrence River ON40 1 Sommerfeld Tony Mens 53.00 21 08/08/2015 Winnibigosh MN41 12 Mc Mahon Tim Mens Masters 53.00 0 08/07/2015 Lake St. Clair ON42 21 Selle Dave Mens 53.00 0 07/22/2015 Vermilion MN43 69 Lacko Daniel Mens 53.00 0 07/16/2015 St. Lawrence River NY44 13 Ramsell Larry A. Mens Masters 53.00 0 07/10/2015 Ottawa River QB45 52 Horsley Shan Mens 53.00 0 06/22/2015 Lake St. Clair MI46 47 Spedoske Adam Mens 53.00 0 06/20/2015 Lake St. Clair ON47 47 Handlogten Michael Mens 53.00 24 06/13/2015 Lake St. Clair ON48 4 Knoll Kreg Mens 53.00 0 05/23/2015 Green Bay WI49 33 Krause Kellen James Juniors 52.75 0 08/15/2015 Island MN50 33 Kahler Jason Mens 52.75 0 06/17/2015 Vermilion MN51 1 Fredrick Mark Mens Masters 52.50 0 09/16/2015 Bemidji MN52 21 Wagner Bob Mens 52.50 0 08/27/2015 Independence MN53 42 Swain Nikki Womens 52.50 0 08/22/2015 Lake St. Clair ON54 24 Brister Mike Mens Masters 52.50 0 07/14/2015 Marquette MN55 24 Brister Mike Mens Masters 52.50 0 07/07/2015 Cass MN56 16 Fetzko Ed Mens Masters 52.50 0 07/03/2015 Lake St. Clair ON57 4 Rasmussen Ryan Mens 52.50 25 05/22/2015 Green Bay WI58 19 Bond Jason Mens 52.25 0 08/03/2015 St. Lawrence River ON59 47 Scarpelli Scott Mens 52.25 0 07/29/2015 Lake St. Clair ON60 21 Espedal Jason Mens 52.25 0 07/24/2015 Minnetonka MN61 47 Weible Daniel Mens 52.25 0 07/19/2015 Lake St. Clair ON62 33 Kahler Jason Mens 52.00 0 09/29/2015 Island MN63 16 Alcorn Frank Mens Masters 52.00 23 09/28/2015 St. Lawrence River QB64 21 Ellis Luke Mens 52.00 0 09/12/2015 Miltona MN

50+ inch catches in 2015 (Table 2)

Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State65 52 Banks Vickie Womens 52.00 21 08/27/2015 Lake St. Clair MI66 1 McLean Alexander Mens 52.00 0 08/20/2015 Cass MN67 24 Brister Mike Mens Masters 52.00 0 08/06/2015 Plantagenet MN68 50 Spitzer Gary Mens 52.00 0 08/01/2015 St. Lawrence River ON69 19 Goldberg Rena Womens 52.00 0 07/31/2015 Cedar ON70 24 Magney Donald Mens 52.00 0 07/29/2015 Vermilion MN71 47 Weible Daniel Mens 52.00 0 07/28/2015 Lake St. Clair ON72 9 McCord Kenneth Mens 52.00 0 07/23/2015 Stonewall Jackson Lake WV73 21 Stevens Jay (Jason) Mens 52.00 0 07/20/2015 Rush Lake MN74 8 Moats Dan Mens 52.00 0 07/19/2015 St. Lawrence River ON75 8 Moats Dan Mens 52.00 0 07/17/2015 St. Lawrence River ON76 15 Harwood JayMe Mens 52.00 23.5 07/14/2015 Deer MN77 50 Spitzer Silvia Womens Masters 52.00 0 07/09/2015 Rowan ON78 39 Trieb Klaus Mens 52.00 0 07/07/2015 St. Lawrence River ON79 41 Pauling Mark Mens Masters 52.00 0 07/05/2015 Lake St. Clair ON80 39 Wren Richard K. Mens Masters 52.00 0 06/29/2015 St. Lawrence River QB81 39 Behrends Steve Mens 52.00 0 06/20/2015 Lake St. Clair ON82 9 Burnette John C. Mens 52.00 26 06/17/2015 French River ON83 26 Schillinger Jason D. Mens Masters 52.00 25 05/26/2015 Green Bay WI84 35 Hinkforth Roy Mens Masters 52.00 22 05/24/2015 Fox River WI85 3 Butts Kevin Mens 52.00 0 05/23/2015 Green Bay WI86 6 Eiden Matthew M. Mens 51.75 21 07/20/2015 Vermilion MN87 41 Smart Robert A. Mens 51.75 0 06/23/2015 Lake St. Clair ON88 13 Allen Scott Mens 51.50 0 09/17/2015 Big MN89 39 Wisner Bruce W Mens 51.50 0 09/11/2015 Long Legged ON90 19 Davis J. Dean Mens Masters 51.50 0 08/06/2015 Lake St. Clair ON91 35 Hinkforth Roy Mens Masters 51.50 21 08/03/2015 Detroit Lakes MN92 19 Bond Jason Mens 51.50 0 08/02/2015 St. Lawrence River ON93 19 Bond Jason Mens 51.50 0 08/01/2015 St. Lawrence River ON94 24 Burrow Dan Mens 51.50 0 07/25/2015 Leech Lake MN95 24 Burrow Dan Mens 51.50 0 06/26/2015 Leech Lake MN96 22 Toia Brian Mens 51.50 0 05/14/2015 Greenwood NJ

50+ inch catches in 2015 (Table 3)Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State97 47 Gerou Samantha Womens 51.25 22 09/27/2015 Elk Chain MI98 28 Ford Cheryl Womens 51.25 21.3 07/17/2015 Lake St. Clair ON99 13 Ramsell Larry A Mens Masters 51.25 0 07/07/2015 St. Lawrence River QB100 42 Welker Rusty Mens Masters 51.25 0 06/22/2015 Little Vermillon ON101 37 Sharer Justin Mens 51.00 0 09/26/2015 Lobster MN102 47 Handlogten Michael Mens 51.00 0 09/25/2015 Lake St. Clair ON103 50 Spitzer Silvia Womens Masters 51.00 0 09/07/2015 Rowan ON104 50 Spitzer Silvia Womens Masters 51.00 0 09/07/2015 Rowan ON105 54 Miller Robert J Mens 51.00 0 09/06/2015 Big Mantrap MN106 9 Amick Paul Mens 51.00 0 09/04/2015 Lake St. Clair MI107 50 Spitzer Silvia Womens Masters 51.00 0 09/02/2015 Rowan ON108 46 Rogers Ethan Mens 51.00 21 08/28/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON109 24 Hines Dawn Womens 51.00 24 08/28/2015 Big MN110 54 Schultz Jeff Mens 51.00 24 08/24/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON111 39 Michalec John Mens 51.00 0 08/22/2015 Lake St. Clair ON112 8 DeVos Matthew Mens Masters 51.00 0 08/22/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON113 1 Sommerfeld Tony Mens 51.00 22 08/08/2015 Winnibigosh MN114 32 Stenzel Kevin Mens 51.00 0 08/07/2015 Lake St. Clair ON115 2 Anderson Jeff Mens 51.00 0 08/06/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON116 19 Simpson Rick Mens 51.00 0 08/03/2015 Vermilion MN117 50 Spitzer Silvia Womens Masters 51.00 0 08/02/2015 St. Lawrence River ON118 19 Harmon Chuck Mens 51.00 0 07/31/2015 West Branch Reservoir OH119 24 Justin Nick Mens 51.00 22 07/31/2015 Vermilion MN120 37 Poissant Eric W Mens 51.00 22 07/30/2015 Sugar MN121 39 Latoza Denny Mens Masters 51.00 0 07/29/2015 Lake St. Clair ON122 3 Wall John W Mens Masters 51.00 0 07/23/2015 Vermilion MN123 33 Gotham James M Mens 51.00 0 07/20/2015 Lake St. Clair ON124 22 Marzo Mason Shoffner Juniors 51.00 21 07/19/2015 Lake St. Clair MI125 24 Brister Mike Mens Masters 51.00 0 07/14/2015 Marquette MN126 8 Enger Dawn Womens 51.00 21 07/12/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON127 1 Newman Jr John C Mens 51.00 0 07/09/2015 Vermilion MN128 3 Soltys Joe Mens 51.00 0 06/16/2015 Lake St. Clair MI


Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State129 1 Woods III Gary I Mens 51.00 0 06/08/2015 Minnetonka MN130 3 Rickleff James Mens 51.00 20 06/07/2015 Lake St. Clair MI131 1 Mc Allister Pat Mens 51.00 0 06/06/2015 Forest Lake MN132 33 Okeson Keith A Mens 51.00 0 06/02/2015 St. Louis River MN133 3 Zofkie Brian Mens 51.00 0 05/25/2015 Green Bay WI134 4 Knoll Kreg Mens 51.00 0 05/25/2015 Green Bay WI135 39 Zimmerman Lance Mens 51.00 22 05/24/2015 Fox River WI136 21 Maslowski John Mens 50.75 0 08/22/2015 Plantagenet MN137 8 Schoonover Troy Mens Masters 50.75 0 08/19/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON138 15 Rutten Brian Mens 50.75 0 08/06/2015 Leech Lake MN139 37 Lauer Alex Mens 50.50 0 09/27/2015 Alexander MN140 63 Buckner Brandon M Mens 50.50 0 09/27/2015 Lake St. Clair ON141 41 Neville Robert Mens 50.50 0 09/06/2015 Alum Creek OH142 39 Kretchmer John Mens 50.50 0 08/25/2015 Eagle Lake ON143 16 Andresky Bill Mens Masters 50.50 0 08/16/2015 Chautauqua NY144 21 Evertz Jake Juniors 50.50 22 08/12/2015 Yellow WI145 21 Weiss Mark Mens 50.50 0 08/09/2015 Vermilion MN146 13 Ramsell Larry A Mens Masters 50.50 0 07/31/2015 St. Lawrence River QB147 21 Poppler Nick Mens 50.50 0 07/26/2015 Vermilion MN148 33 Gotham James M Mens 50.50 0 07/22/2015 Lake St. Clair ON149 8 Petkovsek Ray Mens 50.50 24.5 07/12/2015 Pipestone ON150 21 Selle Dave Mens 50.50 0 07/12/2015 Bald Eagle MN151 30 Rude Jon Mens Masters 50.50 0 07/09/2015 Winnipeg River ON152 37 Lauer Alex Mens 50.50 0 07/03/2015 Mille Lacs MN153 39 Wren Richard K Mens Masters 50.50 0 06/29/2015 St. Lawrence River QB154 21 Klobe Brian Mens Masters 50.50 0 06/27/2015 Vermilion MN155 62 Koepke Rick Mens 50.50 0 06/16/2015 Wisconsin River WI156 47 VandeKopple Jason Mens 50.50 0 06/12/2015 Thornapple Lake MI157 21 Powers Dustin Mens 50.50 0 06/10/2015 Forest Lake MN158 12 Mc Mahon Bill Mens 50.50 0 06/08/2015 Peshtigo River WI159 52 Davis Seth Mens 50.50 25 05/31/2015 Buckhorn KY160 42 Swain Rick Mens Masters 50.50 0 05/12/2015 Sawmill Lake IN

50+ inch catches in 2015 (Table 5)Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State161 9 Looney Bill Mens Masters 50.50 0 01/01/2015 Elk River WV162 54 Miller Robert J Mens 50.25 0 09/20/2015 Not Specified ??163 7 Schuit Richard Mens 50.25 0 09/12/2015 Thornapple Lake MI164 37 Lauer Alex Mens 50.25 0 09/01/2015 Alexander MN165 47 Weible Daniel Mens 50.25 0 08/29/2015 Lake St. Clair ON166 8 Hopkins Winston J Mens 50.25 0 08/27/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON167 1 McLean Alexander Mens 50.25 0 08/20/2015 Cass MN168 8 Schoonover Troy Mens Masters 50.25 0 08/20/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON169 8 Nesheim Shane Mens 50.25 0 08/19/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON170 1 Hegdahl Cindy Womens Masters 50.25 0 07/24/2015 Bemidji MN171 46 Potter Rory Mens 50.25 0 07/22/2015 Pike Bay MN172 39 Quinn Michael Mens 50.25 0 07/15/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON173 3 Rickleff James Mens 50.25 0 07/12/2015 Eagle Lake ON174 21 Evertz Chase Mens 50.25 0 07/09/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON175 8 Kangas Peter Mens 50.25 0 07/03/2015 Kawaguesaga WI176 24 Fierstine Harlan Mens 50.25 0 06/26/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON177 46 Strickland Michael Mens 50.25 0 06/07/2015 Plantagenet MN178 12 Olson John W Mens Masters 50.00 0 09/23/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON179 39 Quinn Michael Mens 50.00 0 09/20/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON180 6 Milz Michael Mens 50.00 0 09/13/2015 Rowan ON181 6 Spletter Chuck Mens Masters 50.00 0 09/13/2015 Island MN182 1 McLean Alexander Mens 50.00 0 09/10/2015 Cass MN183 3 Johnson Thomas W Mens 50.00 0 09/08/2015 Lake St. Clair MI184 39 Latoza Catherine Womens Masters 50.00 0 09/03/2015 Lake St. Clair ON185 33 Krause Peter J. Mens 50.00 0 08/31/2015 Vermilion MN186 56 Weber George Mens Masters 50.00 0 08/28/2015 Lake St. Clair ON187 8 Spilde Leif Mens 50.00 0 08/27/2015 Eagle Lake ON188 18 Ball Joe Mens 50.00 0 08/21/2015 Lake St. Clair ON189 39 Trieb Klaus Mens 50.00 0 08/13/2015 St. Lawrence River QB190 39 Latoza Catherine Womens Masters 50.00 0 08/13/2015 Lake St. Clair ON191 39 Michalec John Mens 50.00 0 08/08/2015 Lake St. Clair ON192 8 Nelson Brad P Mens 50.00 0 08/05/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON



Rank Chapter Last Name First Name Division Length Girth Date Caught Lake Name State193 19 Bond Jason Mens 50.00 0 08/05/2015 St. Lawrence River ON194 50 Spitzer Gary Mens 50.00 0 08/02/2015 St. Lawrence River ON195 6 Scott Tyler Mens 50.00 0 07/31/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON196 21 Selle Dave Mens 50.00 0 07/30/2015 Vermilion MN197 5 Richards Kevin Mens 50.00 0 07/17/2015 Lake St. Clair ON198 21 Garaghty Patrick Mens 50.00 0 07/12/2015 Vermilion MN199 39 Gutmann Phillip Mens Masters 50.00 0 07/12/2015 Lake Of The Woods ON200 1 McDonald Matt G Mens 50.00 22 07/11/2015 Leech Lake MN201 24 Forsberg Terry K. Mens 50.00 0 07/11/2015 Mille Lacs MN202 39 Trieb Klaus Mens 50.00 0 07/08/2015 Ottawa River QB203 39 Trieb Klaus Mens 50.00 0 07/06/2015 St. Lawrence River ON204 39 Cain Ethan Juniors 50.00 0 07/04/2015 Lake St. Clair MI205 19 Crossley‐Davis Deborah S. Womens Masters 50.00 0 07/02/2015 Lake St. Clair ON206 16 Andresky Adam Mens Masters 50.00 0 06/29/2015 Lake St. Clair ON207 33 Ellestad Curt Mens 50.00 0 06/21/2015 St. Louis River MN208 39 Behrends Steve Mens 50.00 0 06/19/2015 Lake St. Clair ON209 24 Beck Eric Mens 50.00 0 06/13/2015 Miltona MN210 8 Radomski CJ Mens 50.00 20 06/13/2015 Maynard Lake ON211 47 Handlogten Michael Mens 50.00 0 06/12/2015 Lake St. Clair MI212 30 Pettis Corey Mens Masters 50.00 0 05/25/2015 Flambeau River WI213 35 Hinkforth Nancy Womens Masters 50.00 0 05/25/2015 Fox River WI214 9 Haddox Daniel Mens 50.00 21.5 05/23/2015 Stonecoal Lake WV215 59 Stroud Ian Juniors 50.00 21 05/16/2015 Bluewater Lake NM216 42 Swain Rick Mens Masters 50.00 0 05/05/2015 Webster IN


Chapter City State Muskies Points Avg.1 Jeff M Hanson 8 Verona WI 144 1,862 392 David White 18 Moundsville WV 108 1,296 383 J. Dean Davis 19 Coshocton OH 86 1,055 384 George Weber 56 Kettering OH 74 1,012 405 Mark Pauling 41 Fremont OH 67 928 406 Adam Andresky 16 Gibsonia PA 77 897 387 Ed Fetzko 16 Jefferson Hills PA 66 814 388 Michael Floyd 57 Auburn WA 74 813 379 Charles Schauer 12 Wisconsin Rapids WI 55 801 4110 Kevin LaRoche 19 Aurora OH 67 727 3711 John Cade 9 Clarington OH 57 682 3812 Bob D Marshall 19 Bowerston OH 54 628 3813 Bill Schultz Jr 19 Bolivar OH 55 599 3714 Mark Swanson 21 New Richmond WI 44 569 3915 Shawn Arndt 41 Elmore OH 40 543 3916 Dave Wenzel 9 Beckley WV 41 533 3917 John Ringenbach 19 Lakewood OH 39 528 3918 Denny Latoza 39 Burbank IL 35 500 4019 Rick Swain 42 Upland IN 34 495 4020 Ken Worel 15 Grand Rapids MN 30 493 4221 Danny Kurttila 0 Riverton WY 48 492 3622 David Van Doorn 39 Carpentersville IL 39 454 3723 Joe Hardy 2 Carlos MN 56 439 3424 Richard K Wren 39 Warrenville IL 29 425 4125 Jon Rude 30 Holmen WI 34 425 38

Men's Masters Division for 2015Rank / Member Name

Chapter City State Muskies Points Avg.1 Jake Evertz 21 Blaine MN 25 262 362 Seth Niday 8 Oregon WI 19 244 393 Madeline Frustereo 19 Chardon OH 17 159 354 Grayson Anderson 38 Alexandria MN 16 152 365 Ethan Cain 39 Gilberts IL 11 125 376 Zachary Scheuers 12 Princeton WI 10 122 387 James Albee 12 St. Germain WI 9 111 388 Ravyn Swanson 21 New Richmond WI 7 94 399 Cortland Spletter 6 Cornell WI 8 92 3710 Brendan Brill 24 Breezy Point MN 6 91 4111 Charles Neville 41 Summit Station OH 9 82 3512 Marryn Willberg 46 Clearbrook MN 8 79 3613 Olivia Peters 3 Glenview IL 4 73 4414 Brandon Broetzmann 20 Sheboygan Falls WI 6 72 3815 Benjamin Wilary 32 Inver Grove Heights MN 5 67 3916 Chase Gibson 9 Philippi WV 7 62 3517 Ryan Baratta 3 Willowbrook IL 5 62 3818 Sam Becker 3 Mokena IL 4 52 3919 Mason Shoffner Marzo 22 Pittstown NJ 2 49 5020 Max Gibson 6 Elk Mound WI 4 48 3821 Rian Stauffacher 12 Eagle River WI 4 47 3822 Brandon Enger 3 Morton Gove IL 3 45 4123 Allison Klug 9 Proctor WV 4 43 3724 Markus Klobe 21 Andover MN 7 34 3125 Aaron Eberly 17 Hickley IL 2 33 43

Rank / Member NameJuniors Division for 2015

Chapter City State Muskies Points Avg.1 Nikki Swain 42 Upland IN 53 726 402 Vickie Banks 52 Wellington KY 36 450 383 Natalie Fetzko 16 Jefferson Hills PA 17 188 374 Donna Ball 18 Hopedale OH 13 154 385 Donna Bork 11 Davenport IA 15 135 356 Darlene Kelley 9 Salem WV 10 133 397 Becky Oestreich 32 Blaine MN 8 106 398 Doris Dahlk 8 Madison WI 7 95 399 Margie Hollnagel 12 Princeton WI 6 94 4110 Sandy Petrozzi 18 Wintersville OH 6 77 3911 Stephanie Neville 41 Summit Station OH 6 75 3812 Gloria A Roberts 19 Norton OH 7 74 3613 Joey Wyszynski 21 Oak Grove MN 6 72 3814 Ellen M Wells 20 Sheboygan WI 6 72 3815 Lori Place 20 Sheboygan WI 6 71 3816 Samantha Gerou 47 Rapid City MI 3 68 4917 Mary Pokora 35 Menomonee Falls WI 7 66 3518 Cheryl Ford 28 OFallon IL 4 66 4219 Mickey Penley 6 Rice Lake WI 5 60 3820 Denise Strickland 46 Bemidji MN 3 58 4521 Dawn Hines 24 Brainerd MN 3 54 4422 Janet Carr 18 Hopedale OH 3 43 4023 Carol l Nixon 39 Crystal Lake IL 4 42 3624 Linda Knutson 1 Hugo MN 3 39 3925 Jody Young 24 Brainerd MN 3 39 39

Women's Division for 2015Rank / Member Name

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Month Member City/State Water Length StatusJanuary Bill Looney Amma, WV Elk River, WV 50.50 Inches ConfirmedFebruary Edward T Lawton Blacksburg, VA New River, VA 44.50 Inches ConfirmedMarch Zachary Kirkpatrick Reno, OH Piedmont, OH 49.00 Inches ConfirmedApril Shaun Cox Sandy Hook, KY Cave Run Reservoir, KY 49.50 Inches ConfirmedMay Kreg Knoll Menasha, WI Green Bay, WI 53.00 Inches ConfirmedJune Brent Fox St. Paul, MN Metro, MN 56.00 Inches ConfirmedJuly Daniel Lacko Kenmore, NY St. Lawrence River, NY 56.00 Inches ConfirmedAugust Dale Junk Detriot, MI Lake St. Clair, ONT 56.50 Inches ConfirmedSeptember Shawn Maher Keswick, ONT Georgian Bay, ONT 56.50 Inches Pending

Lunker of the Month


Registration Fees Notes

Student Rate (2015 - 2/16/2016) $75.00 (undergraduate students only must present student ID at registration table)Normal (2015 - 2/16/2016) $195.00Late (after February 16th, 2016) $225.00 DNR Group (5-6 people) $500.00 (group rate good for all not-for-profit groups only – group id required)DNR Individual $100.00 Muskies, Inc. Chapters $100.00 (1 designated Chapter member- by mail application only)

Where: Sheraton Minneapolis West on Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka, MN.(952) 593-0000; double occupancy rooms available for $89 (plus tax).

Plan to date:Friday, March 11 - AL SKAR Leadership Forum 2:00 p.m. and Hospitality Room available evenings after each day’s events from 6 -10:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 12 - Annual Board Meeting 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Saturday, March 12 - Muskies, Inc. 50th Anniversary Celebration and Fund Raising Banquet. Doors open 5:00 p.m./dinner 6:00 p.m. cost $50.00 (sign up coming soon)Sunday, March 13 - Symposium Welcome and Panel Discussion starting mid-day with guest speakers.Sunday, March 13 - continues with 6:00 p.m. dinner for Symposium attendees and speakers/presentersMonday, March 14 - Symposium begins after breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until 6:00 p.m. dinner.Tuesday, March 15 - Symposium continues after breakfast at 8:00 a.m until conclusion at 11:30 a.m. with final remarks and event closure.

QUESTIONS – please call toll free to Muskies, Inc. at 888-710-8286look for the registration options online.

March 11th - March 15th, 2016

2016 Hugh C. Becker Muskie Symposium

www.muskiesinc.org

As I write this, the temperature is dropping. The leaves are changing color, there’s fog on the water, and the days, sadly, are getting shorter.

During a much simpler time in my life, these days brought excitement. They meant the beginning of shore-fishing season which carried right through December and even beyond. I was recently reminded of this type of fishing after reading Doug Stange’s Editor’s column in the October-November 2015 issue of In-Fisherman. Doug, like me and I suspect many others, has made lasting memories casting jigs, spinners, live-bait, and all manner of presentations for a vari-ety of species.

Some of my fondest muskie-related experiences came walk-ing the shoreline of Illinois’ Kaskaskia River below Lake Shelbyville’s dam. It’s no secret that the outflow of this reservoir contains a large population of fish, although that fishery has changed substantially over the years. Indeed, at times it seemed like “shooting fish in a barrel” was not just hyperbole, but possibly something attainable!

I can remember the time a friend hung my favorite Top Raider on a power line, something I explicitly told him not to do. Fortunately for our friendship, the late Lake Shelbyville legend, Ralph Stanley, found and retrieved that Top Raider during a high water period – 6 months later – and surprised me with it one day. That lure is still catching fish today.

Or the time a big group of friends – mostly bass anglers – and I fished late afternoon and into the evening along the Kaskaskia River. We caught several muskies that day and posed with one for a group photo that is one of the most cherished images in my

archives. Many other memories are coming flooding back as I type this: acrobatic four-footers, funny moments of tripping over a log and falling into the water (not so funny?), run-ins with (harmless) water snakes, and conversations with colorful locals all come to mind.

This was no-frills fishing. Grab a backpack, a small box of your favorite lures, some release tools, and maybe a sandwich plus bottle of water and you were good to go. I look forward to the next time I can get back to doing this.

Photo ContestSo far the photo contest is going really well. We’re collecting

lots of fantastic images; you guys and gals take some great pho-tos! We appreciate all the submissions. Keep sending your shots in and you might find yourself the winner of a $100 gift card to Gander Mountain and featured on our January/February 2016 issue. Send any submissions to me at [email protected]. We ask for high-resolution photos (ideally at least 1MB), but image content can be anything related to muskie fishing. Preference for covers will be given to vertically oriented photos (images taller than they are wide), but we accept landscape format, too.

Remember two things: 1) wear your sunscreen (yes, even this fall) and 2) practice catch-and-release.


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Mark Bromann took this muskie on a Bulldawg worked 15 feet down on the Moen Chain in

Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

According to recent data, an estimated 480,000 anglers fished for muskies in 2010. That’s in Wisconsin alone. Without question, many muskie anglers are admittedly hooked on the sport. So hooked in fact, that when asked to go fishing on a lake in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, Minnesota, or some other destination, the first question is always the same one: “Is it a muskie lake?” If not, the muskie fisherman may still join up with the fishing excursion, but with dampened enthusiasm. To them,

any body of water devoid of muskie is not exactly the pride and joy of Wisconsin. However, it makes sense that if they panfish for a few days with their bass fishing pals, then down the road they may be so inclined to spend some time in their muskie boat floating along on big, deep waters.

Muskie fishing entails many hours of casting, drifting, strategizing, perhaps some trolling, and plenty of conversation. As going it alone is not as much fun, the best option is to pack up and embark on any muskie trip with reasonable expectations, and one or two other optimistic anglers. There are not many other sporting opportunities that require the mindset of an inflated optimistic attitude. After all, a hope accompanies each cast, regardless of the odds. One hit every seven hours or so? Not a problem; those of us chasing muskie carry on with unbridled resolve, knowing full well the absolute thrill of the ever-possible battle with a pugnacious muskie, whether it be 25, 35, or 50 inches long. There is nothing half-way about that.

We’re all aware of the first challenge encountered by the muskie fisherman to find a partner with an equal or greater level of addiction to this glorious pastime. In my head I have a list of roughly 10 individuals who are (1) passionate about muskie fishing, but (2) lead busy lives that may often thwart participation in even a short 2-day trip. Nevertheless, these are guys so invested in the sport, that they will always at least consider any invitation, whether it is in a competitive tournament or simply a creational weekend trip.

This discussion is all about the fishing trip where no one is available except your good pal who is really, at heart, a bass or walleye guy. Or, the self-proclaimed “pan fisherman” who proudly states that he “wants to catch anything that swims.” Someone in the bunch will be in hearty agreement

- Mark Bromann


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GET OUT THERE WITH A BASS FISHERMAN: THEY’RE JUST AS


that a fishing trip is in order, mainly because he loves to fish, or in some cases, lives to fish. So you both share that inherent energized spirit, and a measured beacon of hope with every cast. I love the energy. To validate being in attendance on a muskie excursion, all bass or walleye fishermen will even regale you with their own (usually one) muskie fishing tale (which normally falls into the “one that got away” category). The bottom line is, to muskie fish with a bass fisherman creates an experience that, remarkably, can turn out to be one of the best ever.

Let’s look at the positives:- Bass fishermen know as much as you do about the behavior and foraging tendencies of fish in general, and can thereby sniff out potential hot spots. They are a focused, honed product of their own fishing experiences.- You don’t have to worry about the net job, the grand majority of bass fishermen are naturals who absolutely know what they’re doing in that department.- Launching the boat? No problem there.- Just like you, they would rather be on a lake than on a golf course.- There is no need for extensive instruction; they know how to fight a fish.- They pack great coolers.

General guidelines:- Listen to their ideas: at some point, the bass fisherman will suggest trying a spot on the lake that you had not planned on fishing. Without hesitation, I boat over to exactly where they want to go, and I’ve had terrific luck following their hunches. Especially on “dog days”.- Refrain from acting like a teacher or a guide all day long: if they want to rip an Eagle Tail or Billy Finn through thick weeds instead of just outside the weed line, well then who’s to say if their chances of a big strike aren’t greater than yours? But you’re still the Sherpa. Just make sure that if they do hook into a big carnivorous lunker, and it’s on light line, you instruct them to play out that big fish until he’s tired and that takes time.- Laugh it off when they say that there’s no fish in the lake: bass fishermen are notorious for getting bored a little earlier in the day than the muskie-only fisherman. Sooner or later they may change tackle to something with very small hooks as they try for bass. Since all they’re after is a little action, don’t say a word and consider yourself fortunate that you have apparently drifted to a spot that your buddy feels is baitfish heaven; this could be a honey hole for muskie as well. It’s a fact that when you find the protein for the muskie, you often find the muskie.- They are not novices: bass fishermen understand helpful suggestions like “Use a slower retrieve,” or “Make

the lure dance on the surface,” and most definitely “Keep the line tight!”- Get them in the habit of always standing up: some of them do have a tendency to sit down a lot. Often with a cold one within arms reach.- Let him pick his own type of lure. Definitely. Let him choose the size, blade, and color he wants as well.

FUNDAMENTALSWhile it’s true that there may not be a

whole lot of tangible differences between the nature of your approach and his, a brief skull session prior to trip departure is a must. For example, the bass fisherman may have his drag set very loose. This is problematic of course, as is the use of any light equipment. If he doesn’t have a heavy bait-casting rod,

Early morning mist surrounds two fishermen.


strong leaders (he may not even have any leaders), and at least 20 lb. test line, then he is going to be using yours. While on the lake, remember this: while everything may look like a great bass spot to him, you are keeping an eye on water depth, rock, timber, and sand structure, creek inlets, and weed cover including the types of weeds. Choose your spots accordingly. And your very first cast should finish with a long sweeping figure-8 demonstration for his viewing enjoyment. This is an issue that you’ll have to monitor all day long; no one remembers to figure-8 on every cast their first day of muskie fishing so you’re just going to have to be obnoxiously persistent and annoyingly insistent on this point. Whatever it takes.

FINDING THAT RHYTHMBass are less aggressive on the bite, but respond to similar

triggers. The “jig” technique used by bass fishermen is very similar to the “twitch” or “snap” used by a muskie fisherman, which simply mimics the actions of a dying, flailing baitfish. You yank the line so that the lure jerks quickly (normally downward), and then let the lure slowly float up (also called “the pause”). The natural instinct of the fish is to strike as the lure rises (you can also use this method on the figure-8). The point is that the opportunity will be there to learn something brand new by watching the seasoned jigging techniques of the bass fisherman. Get him talking because you’ll soon find out what methods have led to success in his past angling ventures. You’ll also learn quite a bit if your buddy hooks into a muskie. Watch how he plays the fish. While he won’t be accustomed to managing a fish of this size, he may surprise you with his own unique tactics. If the muskie quickly burns line off his reel, let him know right away that he’s got a good-sized hog, and will have to set the hook more than once during the fight, a set made by jerking the rod tip straight up.

You know that you cannot resist giving out advisories freely throughout the day. Keep them simple and be patient. Tell him to expect a follow on every cast. If you see a follow coming, accelerate the lure into the figure-8. Shallow water equals fast retrieve. Colder water equals slow retrieve. The key to success is to maximize your time on the water, so don’t cheat yourself. Throw yellow, chartreuse, or whites on sunny days. Black is a good choice no matter what the weather. Use small lures in the spring, upsized ones in the fall. Get out when the light starts to fade prior to dusk, and cast something shiny to trick those monsters in the low light. Muskie fishing strategy is not a lost art.

Eventually it all comes together. The bass fisherman’s role in this endeavor is not a supporting performance. By fishing together as a team, the total effort is enhanced. Believe me, fishing for muskie with a bass fisherman is win-win. Muskie fishing is a sporting challenge of percentages, the odds of which any strategical input from a bass fisherman can only improve. But that’s not the only payoff – you may just get to be the one who nets your pal’s first one. And that’s a moment not soon forgotten.

Natalie Dillon watched Charlie

Bromann work a fall sucker over thick

weed cover, a tactic that this Oneida County monster couldn’t resist.


Photo ContestBy: Brad Waldera, Photo Editor - [email protected]

Here is a very nice picture of Cade Busche, who is 15 years old and a member of the lake Superior Chapter. He caught this 50.5 inch muskie this year, which was a personal best at the time. I love the look on his face, and that’s a big fish anywhere. Great job Cade, I hope you have many more to come.

Frequent contributor to our photo pages of MUSKIE magazine, Jason Smith, took this great shot of his son Austin casting a topwater lure at sunset. They are members of the 1st Wisconsin Chapter, and were fishing in a Muskies, Inc. tournament at the time. Austin actually nabbed the Big Fish honors that day for the Junior Division. This shot nicely captures that moment of the day when all muskie fishermen would want to be on the water casting topwater baits. Thanks for sending it in Jason, great photo.

The first piece of pie goes down pretty smoothly. We’ve hit on something exciting, and we’re trying to learn everything overnight. Information is absorbed like a sponge. We latch on to every detail we think will help us catch fish. Veterans’ advice is like gospel. Those days weren’t so long ago that I’ve forgotten them. Trying to learn on my own led to a few years of frustration, and mediocre success. Like most beginners, it was easy to admit I needed constructive criticism. A break came along when I met Paul Gottwald at a boat landing. He introduced me to the organized muskie world. Paul and the veterans in Chapter 6 took me under their wing.

Chuck Spletter was one of those guys. It was a privilege to see how a master with 25 years’ experience conducted himself. He went through a checklist as the boat hit open water. Which way is the wind blowing? Where’s the competition? Should we cast or troll? The floor of his boat had so many rods it looked chaotic. As the evening progressed I saw the method to his madness. Every rod had a specific purpose. Switching from jerk bait to topwater was as simple as dropping one rod, and picking up another. He wasted no time when there was no time to spare. Each rod was set up to take full advantage of its lure.


Len Rubesch played a major role in the author’s success on rivers. The author

was humble enough to shut up and listen, and the results can be seen in this

photo. Photo courtesy Len Rubesch.

- Ace Sommerfeld

HPumbleie

Grandma didn’t bake it. It’s not an English rock band. Humble Pie for muskie anglers is divided

into many pieces. Some of them will help you understand muskies. Others will force you to realize muskie sticks are often at the mercy of

greater forces. Pounding the water for days on end without moving a fish will humble the most hardened veteran. Some of the pieces will teach

you to be a good ambassador on and off the water. When the pie is nearly gone most muskie

sticks will have a greater appreciation of the fish, and what it takes to make the grade.

Getting out with a variety of anglers has advantages. You’ll soon learn each one has a specialty. If you’re on their home water they may show you a weedbed or submerged tree few others know about. They could reveal a color pattern you never tried before. Each veteran is sure to offer information someone else failed to point out. Keep a humble attitude, be a good sport, offer to pay for gas, and you have a good chance of being asked to go again.

The information bombarding you could become overwhelming. Books, programs, partners, articles can make your head spin to the point where you’re more confused than anything. It is important to realize a lot of what you’re learning is general information. Hone your skills to match the water you fish. Pick up a little at a time. The pieces will fall into place naturally.

One of my early lessons came about by over-hearing a conversation at a chapter meeting. The talk centered on my home lake. “The lake goes nuts ten nights a summer,” one of them said. I wanted to know what made those ten nights so special. I don’t know if I stumbled across his secret, but every time the wind came out of the south fish moved onto a mid-lake hump. It was a sure bet I’d have some action at twilight and slightly after dark. When any amount of southern wind is hitting the lake, I’ll crawl over sharp hooks to get on that spot for a few hours.

The step from novice to intermediate requires another big piece of pie. The 14 foot aluminum runabout grandpa gave you got traded in. Your new boat is set up for one purpose. Stickers plastered from bow to stern make it clear you are after ‘skies. You have full confidence that your gear is top notch. Your enthusiasm has gotten you scolded by other anglers a few times. You’re beginning to realize the mystery of muskie fishing can be solved. You tell a novice you’re fishing with about the time two years ago when you released three fish in two hours. Pictures of your latest release end up on Facebook.

Intermediates’ are the most likely group to give up on muskies. The long hours between fish in rough conditions takes its toll. Some anglers get frustrated and quit with a knee-jerk reaction. For others, it’s a slow process of diminishing interest. Before you throw in the towel consider a few things. Remember that you’ve learned a lot about muskies. Think of the exciting fish you’ve battled. On the practical side, you’ll get pennies on the dollar for equipment that took years to assemble. Getting advice may be all you need to get back in the groove. Take a break. Your partners - and the muskies - will wait.

Other intermediates accept the notion that dues must be paid. Muskie fishing comes down to extended periods of persistence, close calls, and hard knocks between spurts of wild action. Those who can deal with getting beat down now and then will probably become successful muskie veterans.

Veterans think a lot differently from anxious beginners. They realize knowledge and time on the water won’t mean much when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Some things are beyond the control and skill of the best angler. They’ve learned to shut it down and live to see another day. Good conditions will come their way. Confidence has been built into every cast by countless hours of hard work and memorable moments.

There is always room for improvement. Jason Smith


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Chuck Spletter has passed his knowledge of muskies on to his son, Cortland.

from Chapter 6 told me, “I try to learn something new every time I get out.” Those are compelling words considering Jason is approaching 700 releases, and is a permanent fixture on his home lake. His objective isn’t always centered on how many casts he can get in. On blue bird days he can be found putting down waypoints around a hump he’ll come back to when conditions are right.

Getting useful information, especially for veterans, can come from strange sources. You can’t judge knowledge by age. When a 20 year-old jumps into my boat for the day, I let him talk. For all I know his dad put a lifetime into muskies, and passed the knowledge on to his son. One suggestion could save years of figuring something out on your own. Chuck’s son, Cortland, taught me how to sharpen hooks more effectively when he was 11 years old. Getting set in your ways may take a big piece of pie to get over.

Embracing modern technology is another humbling experience. I’m not suggesting you scrap your 15 year-old electronics just because all your friends have. Perhaps you see no advantage…cost is also a limiting factor, but our world is changing at warp speed. Advances in the past eight to ten years have been seismic. If you have equipment older than that, take an open-minded look at the market. From reels to outboards, something out there will make life easier, and put more fish in the net.

The most important piece of pie deals with how other people perceive you as a muskie angler. Remember that people are watching you. Our boats are big and impressive. When we stand up and cast lures they consider to be as big as a loaf of bread we stand out. Frayed nerves after a frustrating day have led to confrontations on the water, and at boat landings. The offended party will likely leave the situation with a negative feeling about muskie sticks. In the end all water users must work together in order to preserve and enhance the resources associated with our interests. We should strive to be a welcome sight to anyone who comes in contact with us. Pulling a stranded boat to shore may slow you down, but it could pay dividends when your chapter needs the support of a Lake Association.

Finding time to get on the water can be the most challenging aspect of muskie fishing. It would be a shame not to take full advantage of your opportunities. Take a humble approach, and those precious hours will be more productive and enjoyable.

Cortland Spletter’s 46” natural tiger, assisted by the author. Cortland has the

advantage of learning from his dad, Chuck, a 25-year muskie veteran.

Through the years I’ve observed a lot of people fishing. Much can be learned from watching others on the water. Sometimes I see

something new I want to try myself, and other times I question the decisions of those around me. Have you ever been on the water

fishing and watching some of the other fishermen and asked yourself, “What are they doing?” I’m easily distracted, so maybe it happens

more to me.

-Erik Jacobson


bservations From the WaterTips for efficiently using your time on the water!

The author with his then 8-year old son, Noah, with a 50 inch fish from Lake of the Woods.

Some fishermen don’t appear to have much of a game plan. Having a game plan can take a lot of the guesswork out of the decision making process when you’re on the water. It doesn’t have to be a master plan, just a simple plan of where you want to be at certain times of the day. Key times, like a moon occurrence or sunset for instance. That way, when prime time comes and you’re tired and sunburned from a long day on the water, you’ll be able to capitalize on that key period. This is the time you’ve been waiting for all day, and

with a plan you can make the most of it. Being aware of your surroundings and knowing

there are certain times of the day that are better than others will up your odds of having some action. Many times I’ve seen a boat pick up and move five minutes before a moon occurrence. Combine that with a sunset and they’ve probably just missed a great opportunity for some action. I’m not saying the fish bite at every moon and sun occurrence, but it can be consistent enough to warrant working it into your plan, like being

on one of your best spots at these key times. In this information age it’s really easy to find the times for your area. Most GPS’s have that information, as well as calendars, or the Internet. I remember once seeing a notable guide pick up and move right before a moonrise, and just then I hooked a nice muskie on the figure-eight. As I battled the fish, I watched them getting farther and farther away, wondering, “Why did he do that?”

Another common thing I see is boats going the same speed while casting a piece of structure, even though there are some sweet spots along the way. By moving down the structure at the same speed you’re treating the prime areas on the spot the same as the secondary areas. Let’s say you’re working a broken rock shoreline, but up ahead there’s a deadfall, past that a little point with a submerged rock splashing, and then a short stretch of reeds.

The deadfall, the little point and the reeds would be the sweet spots along the otherwise broken rock shoreline. These are the areas you’ll want to slow down and pick apart more than just the one or two casts you might hit them with on your way by. If you treat the prime fish holding areas like secondary areas it’s going to cost you fish in the long run. Take the time to recognize the sweet spots and make the speed adjustment on your trolling motor accordingly, or stop all together, but be sure to fish what looks to be prime areas thoroughly.

Another observation I’ve made is seeing people wildly figure-eighting on a clear-water lake that is not known for

November / December 2015.....MUSKIE 21

bservations From the Water

www.muskiesinc.org

giving up many muskies on that technique. Unfortunately, by doing that you’re telegraphing to all the others anglers in the area that you had a fish up. Don’t get me wrong, if the fish comes all the way to the boat hot – which is not common on clear, pressured water – that’s one thing. But if the fish flares fifteen feet from the boat and goes the other direction, I would rather make another cast in the direction the fish went, then to go into an exaggerated figure-eight and alert other anglers in the area that I had a fish up. In this day and age of more and more fishing pressure, as far as I’m concerned, the less attention you can draw to yourself the better.

Conversely, if you are fishing on a lake that’s known for figure-eight fish, then you need to be ready at the end of every cast, prepared to see a fish, and be in position to do a good figure-eight. This may be your best chance to catch one on stained water. Leaning against the butt seat when your lure is coming to the boat and lunging forward when you see a fish can spook it, lessening your odds of actually catching it. Go ahead and lean against the seat while you cast and retrieve, but when your lure is getting close to the boat, be sure you’re in a good position – near the edge of the boat – to be able to simply lean over in a smooth motion and figure-eight your follow, keeping your overall body movement to a minimum.

This next one is very common here in Minnesota (though I’m sure it happens all over) and it really bothers me because of how dangerous it is. For instance, I have been night fishing and heading towards a spot that appears to be void of other boats. As I pull back the throttle on my final approach, lights suddenly appear on a boat that was there the whole time. That is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous and disrespectful to the other anglers

and boaters on the lake. I’m not sure the reasoning behind it. Maybe they think the lights are spooking fish, if that’s the case, I completely disagree. The lights have actually aided me in seeing fish following and made them easier to read. If it’s the bugs, well, that just comes along with night fishing. Get a head net.

Casting into the wind is another thing I’ve seen. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen boats positioning downwind of a spot and deliberately casting into the wind. Obviously there are spots when there is simply no other choice if you want to fish them. But when you do have a choice, always try to cast downwind. Not only will you get a considerably longer cast, but you won’t be backlashing as much and fighting the wind. A weed line is a perfect example. If


The author nicknamed this 53 inch muskie “Nemo” because of its deformed right pectoral fin. Its

capture was a direct result of having a game plan before ever hitting the

water.

you have a strong off shore wind, why fight it? Simply position the boat on the inside of the weed line and cast out, with the wind at your back. Not only will it be a lot easier, but you’ll also be giving the fish a little different look then the other anglers stubbornly fighting the wind.

Boat control is the last thing I’d like to touch on. It can’t be stressed enough how important it is. If you’ve ever watched a good guide control their boat, it’s an art form. It’s smooth and consistent. There are no wasted movements, no big moves, and no drifting off the spot because the driver left the trolling motor. Letting the boat drift off the spot into low percentage water while you change lures, or mess with your equipment, is a waste of fishing time. If you’re fishing with someone else, have them come up and keep the boat in position until you’re ready again. Having a trolling motor that does that by itself can be a huge advantage.

Another thing you don’t want to do is put the boat right on top of the structure you’re fishing. This is going to alert any fish in the area and make them harder to catch. If I can look down in the water and see the structure I’m trying to fish, I’m too close and I’ll move out about a half cast. In this day of GPS, it makes it a lot easier to position the boat without having to physically see the structure. Taking the time to learn how to use your GPS will pay dividends. It’s more important these days, as our favorite waters seem to be more pressured than ever. It’s easy to become complacent, and cut corners with your boat control. Muskie fishing (and fishing in general) really is a matter of details. Getting the details right will give you a big advantage over the other anglers out there just “fishing” the same water.

One last thing I’ve also seen is people fishing with their big motor tilted all the way out of the water.

I’m not sure why. If you’re using a bow mount trolling motor, it’s going to make your boat control much harder, especially if there’s some wind. I like to keep the big motor down, as it will act like a keel and help keep the back end from swinging around so much. If you’re worried about tangling your line in it, I’ve found it easier to fight a muskie around the motor when it’s down by plunging my rod tip into the water, then when the motor is tilted all the way up. If it’s shallow, and you’re worried about hitting it, simply trim it up half way, but keep it in the water. I like to trim mine to the top of the power stroke, if it suddenly gets shallow, I can quickly tilt it the rest of the way out of the water.

There’s something to be learned every time you’re on the water. Being aware of your surroundings and having a game plan can make the difference between a good day on the water and a great one. They say things done in repetition become habit, good or bad, so try your best to make good habits, and it will pay off in the long run.


Being prepared, such as anticipating a figure-eight strike at any time, is a big part of achieving muskie

success.

Erik Jacobson is an avid angler residing in central MN. He can be contacted at the following websites:

www.justbigmuskies.com www.facebook.com/justbigmuskiesdvds

www.muskiesinc.org


Bill Balcom of Chapter 59 thought this cloud in the New Mexico sky looked like a

muskie follow.

Tom Morris of Chapter 23 sent in this picture of his grandson Ian Erb

with a 40 inch muskie he caught during a tournament.

Twelve year old Junior Member Greta Heiser caught her personal best, this 40 inch muskie, while on her first muskie

trip of the year. Nice going Greta.

Jason Bond of Chapter 19 sent in this picture of his son Preston enjoying a 43 inch at Chautauqua. I hear Preston is

now hooked on muskie fishing.

Mike Moschell of Chapter 9 took this picture of MI member Scott Salchli in the morning fog. Very

nice Mike.

Bob Busche of Chapter 33 caught this 51.75 inch muskie while fishing alone earlier this year. Not a

bad picture for being by yourself, nice job.

Bob Miller of Chapter 54 caught this 51.5

inch muskie in September.

Nice fish Bob.

Nice double for John Michniak of the Northwoods Chapter with his personal best 52.5 inch muskie, and John Miklos of the Chicago Chapter

with his 46 inch muskie.

Jefferson Batt of Chapter 14 caught a 45 inch muskie on the Fox Chain in IL. while

fishing from a kayak.


No. Chapter, Address Phone #01.....Twin Cities, 2024 Idaho Ave. E., Saint Paul, MN 55119 ...................................651-353-376902.....Fargo-Moorhead, Box 2021, Fargo ND, 58107 ................................................920-207-544103.....Chicagoland Muskie Hunters, 2801 Old Glenview Rd, Wilmette Il 60091.......847-256-932204.....Titletown/Packerland, 901 Ethel Street, Green Bay, WI 54303 .......................920-562-524405.....Pomme De Terre, PO Box 5, Hermitage, MO 65668 ........................................314-440-217306.....First Wisconsin, PO Box 122, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 ................................715-839-708907.....South Side Muskie Hawks, 5211 S. Narragansett Ave., Chicago, Il 60638 ......773-581-865008.....Capital City, PO Box 8862, Madison, WI 53708 ...............................................608-669-504609.....West Virginia, 1270 Federal Road, little Hocking, OH 45742 ..........................740-667-357110.....Heartland, 14 26th St. SW Mason City, IA 50401 .............................................641-430-696111 .....Mississippi Valley, 501 26th Ave, Moline, Il 61265...........................................309-797-180312.....Headwaters, PO Box 652, Eagle River, WI 54521 ...........................................715-891-557413.....Hayward lakes, PO Box 609, Hayward, WI 54843 ..........................................715-634-454314.....South of the Border, 28926 W. Big Hollow Rd, McHenry, Il 60050 .................815-385-902615.....Star of the North, 16078 East Maple Drive, Pengilly, MN 55775 ......................218-259-997016.....Three Rivers, 119 Buss lane, Renfrew, PA 16053 ...........................................724-789-786617.....Quad County, PO Box 185, Plano, Il 60545 ....................................................815-695-149418.....Hopedale, PO Box 118, Smithfield, OH 43948 .................................................740-733-814419.....Akron-Canton Muskie Maniacs, 3907 McTaggart Blvd. Kent, OH 44240 .............. 330-221-7617 20.....Between the lakes, PO Box 61, Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085-0061 ................920-602-141921.....North Metro, PO Box 480098, Plymouth, MN 55448 ........................................612-916-742622.....New Jersey, 1524 Old Bethlehem Rd. Quakertown, PA 18951 ........................908-319-220523.....Cleveland, 5007 Starr St., Newton Falls, OH 44444 ........................................330-219-796424.....Brainerd lakes, 18031 Heritage Road, Brainerd, MN 56401 ...........................218-838-550926.....Central Wisconsin, PO Box 263, Medford, WI 54451 .......................................715-748-487428.....Shawnee Muskie Hunters, 2933 Bridle lane, Swansea, Il 62226 ...................618-971-780629.....Upper Great Plains, 1788 Hwy 4, Estherville, IA 51334 ...................................712-362-250130.....God’s Country, PO Box 1461, laCrosse, WI 54602 .........................................608-606-306531.....Penn-Ohio, 309 Spring St, Jamestown, PA 16134 ...........................................724-932-581532.....Flatlanders, 6259 Walnut Grove Road, loves Park, Il 61111 ..........................815-703-936533.....lake Superior, 2031 Hwy. 33 S., Cloquet, MN 55720 ......................................218-879-271235.....Milwaukee, PO Box 28842, Greenfield, WI 53228 ...........................................262-250-644437.....St. Cloud, 109 Greenstone ln., Waite Park, MN. 56387 ..................................320-656-116038.....Alexandria-Vikingland, 11513 State Hwy 29 South, MN 56308 ........................612-554-817039.....Fox River Valley, 1253 Cobblers Crossing, Elgin, Il 60123 .............................847-741-977141..... Central Ohio, 1094 Eastmoor Blvd. Columbus, OH 43209 740-225-115242.....Hoosier Muskie Hunters, PO Box 501371, Indianapolis, IN 46250 .................. 317-372-011144.....Colorado, 2031 Granger Circle, Castle Rock, CO 80109 .................................303-263-378345.....Kentucky, 212 linden Ave., Southgate, KY 41071 ...........................................859-441-166646.....Bemidji/Cass lake, PO Box 6, Bemidji, MN 56619 ..........................................218-766-669747.....Michigan Muskie Alliance, PO Box 512, Caledonia, MI 49316 .........................616-447-168849.....Webster lake Musky Club, PO Box 670, No. Webster, IN 46555 ....................574-834-166950.....Penn-Jersey, 4 Shull Farm Rd., Erwinna, PA 18920 ........................................610-585-103852.....Daniel Boone, 813 US 62, Maysville, KY 41056 ..............................................606-759-761053.....Huskerland Muskie Hunters, 15706 Hamilton St, Omaha, NE 68118 ............... 402-498-895954.....Southern Crossroads, 850 Riverwood Place, Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 ....507-455-164456.....SW Ohio Muskie Assoc., 524 Sterling Meadows Place, Brookville, OH 45309 .937-833-183357.....NW TIGER PAC, 31900 104th Ave. SE #F205 Auburn, WA 98092 .................253-833-172558.....lake St. Clair Muskies, Inc., 34047 Williamsburg Ct, Sterling Hts MI 48312 ....586-873-915459.....New Mexico Muskies, Inc., P.O. Box 65575, Albuquerque, NM 87193 ............505-264-299960.....Mountain Muskies, 6610 N. Hartley Spokane, WA 99208 ................................509-263-723561.....Northwoods Chapter, P.O. Box 1090 PMB #204, Minocqua, WI 54548 ...........715-356-975862.....Wasau Area Chapter, 5709 Canoe Street, Weston, WI 54776 .........................715-297-757363.....South Central West Virginia , HC61 Box 39B Frame Town, WV 26623 ...........304-364-887864.....Nittany Valley Musky Alliance, 175 Industrial Park Rd. Edensburg, PA 15931 814-421-650269.....New York Muskies, P.O. Box 10401, Rochester, NY 14610 .............................585-670-0422

Chapter News and ViewsATTENTION

CHAPTER CONTACTS:Please make sure

your chapter addressand phone number

is correct on this pageAND on the M.I. website.

Whenever you update chapter information on

the website, please send an email to the Editor so we can

keep this page current. Thanks!

Special Events2015There are people hoping to get muskies stocked in Arizona as evidenced by an online petition www.ipetitions.com/petition/ari-

zona-muskie-fishing and a Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/arizonamuskiefishing

group. If you would like to offer your support, visit the links and

sign the petition.

If you have a special event that you would like listed in this

section, please send an email to Amy (managingeditor@

muskiesinc.org) five days before the deadline dates, which are listed

below.

Issue 2016 Deadline DateJanuary/February November 20th

March/April January 20thMay/June March 20th

July/August May 20thSeptember/October July 20th

November/December September 20th

MUSKIE Deadlines

We have started back up with our monthly general meetings. Our new location, Giuseppe’s La Cantina, has turned out to be a great fit for us with good food, ample free parking, and nice meeting rooms. Ray Thompson of the Illini Muskies Alliance was the speaker at our August meeting. Ray gave an interesting presentation on the state of Illinois muskies in regards to their past, present and future. In September, Ben Modica gave a presentation on the Fox Chain and Doug Kloet spoke at our October meeting. In November, Phil Gutmann will be speaking on one of our Chapter’s favorite destinations, Lake of the Woods. We will hold our chapter elections at the December meeting. We are happy to report that our chapter is growing. We have recruited over 50 new members so far this year. Our Membership Director, M.I. Hall of Famer, Dean Rosset, does an exceptional job recruiting and retaining members.

Our chapter is also catching a lot of fish. As we enter the home stretch of our Members Only Fishing Contest, our current division leaders are as follows:

Masters: Frank Loye (234 points); Men’s Release: Randy Jaros (209 points), Michael J. Farmer (167 points), Thomas Johnson (164 points); Women’s Release: Chantal Loggains (24 points). John Wall, who fishes under Emeritus status, leads everyone with 366 points. Kevin Butts still holds the lead for longest release, with a 52 inch he got back in May. There are still a lot of fish yet to be caught, and it’s really anyone’s contest to win.

Our junior members continue to do some serious damage on the water. To date, we have 23 fish up to 48 inches, logged by the following 9 junior members: Ryan Baratta (5 fish), Max Becker (1 fish), Sam Becker (4 fish), Brandon Enger (3 fish), Richie Hoff (2 fish), Alan Otto (1 fish), Charlotte Otto (1 fish), Olivia Peters (4 fish), and Zachary Pflum (2 fish). We only had one Junior Division entry in 2014. It’s nice to see that the future of our sport and our organization looks so bright with so many good young anglers coming up through the ranks.

Our final chapter outing will be the Illinois Muskie Tournament Trail (IMTT) Championship on the Fox Chain, on October 24th and 25th. Hopefully some of our chapter members will be able to put a few fish on the board. Either way, I’m sure everyone who participates will have a good time.

You can keep up with all of our chapter’s events and activities by following us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chicagolandmuskiehunters.

Keep on chuckin’- Frank Loye

Fall is upon us and the Titletown Chapter has been active, as we wrap up the 2015 season and plan for a bigger and better 2016. On July 28th and 29th, Titletown members observed the stocking of yearling fish from the Wild Rose Hatchery. Nearly 2,600 fish were stocked in three brood stock lakes, 6,350 fish in nine locations in the Fox River and Green Bay, and 650 fish in Lake Butte des Morts and Poygan. These fish averaged nearly 14 inches. This Wisconsin DNR program of stocking yearling fish will continue in 2016.

Our annual Veterans event took place on Shawano Lake, from August 14th through the16th, in conjunction with Take em’ Outdoors. Veterans were treated to a weekend of lodging, fishing, and camaraderie. Thank you to all Titletown members who volunteered at this event.

Our 54 inch signage project has been finalized. Signs are in the process of being installed at boat landings and fishing sites from De Pere to Marinette on the west shore and De Pere to Sturgeon Bay on the east shore. Many thanks to club members Tyler Rovinski, Curt Cornelius, Brad Kloehn, and Jordan Olson for their involvement in this project, as well as many more club members who worked with area municipalities and park departments to secure approval and installation.

The club would like to thank member Rob Brice for his involvement with the Alliance boat raffle ticket sales. Club sales totaled $1,000, the largest in several years. The money raised will help support the sign project mentioned above.

On September 12th, the 2nd Annual Lure for a Cure Muskie Tournament, to benefit The Ribbon of Hope and Breast Cancer Family Foundation, was held. Headquartered out of the Green Bay Yacht Club, Titletown members assisted with registration and boat landing check in. Many club members fished the tournament and attended the Friday evening pre-tournament event. Four fish were caught by 28 boats. First place went to the team of Kevin Pischke and Shane Hanson with a 50.5 inch. Last year’s winners Guy and Trap Valleskey finished second with a 44.5 inch. Ryan Rasmussen and Chase Clover were third with a 37.25 inch and Steve and Mike Fidler were 4th with a 37 inch.

On September 25th and 28th, this year’s fish from the Besadny Fish Facility in Kewaunee, will be stocked in Green Bay. These fish are from eggs collected in the Fox River in De Pere, on May 5th. This year, a second pond was utilized after renovation, to increase the amount of fish to be stocked. As mentioned in previous articles, Titletown has committed $15,000 over 5 years, to assist with this project. Numbers of fish stocked will be reported in a future issue. Along with the 6,350 yearling fish mentioned above, this will be the most fish stocked in Green Bay since 2006.

Titletown/Packerland901 Ethel Street Green Bay, WI 5433

920-866-5244Meetings held the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 7:00 p.m.,

at the Green Bay Yacht Club, 100 Bay Beach Road, Green Bay, WI. Follow us on Facebook at Titletown Muskies, Inc. Chapter 4

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2801 Old Grove Rd. Apt. 424, Wilmette, Il 60091847-256-9322 – Dean Rosset

[email protected] the 2nd Tuesday of each month @ 7:30 PM,

Giuseppe’s la Cantina Pizzeria @ 1062 lee Street in Des Plaines

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We are beginning to finalize speakers and events for our upcoming winter meetings. Tim Simonson of the Wisconsin DNR, will be our guest speaker December 9th. Our annual banquet will be on Friday, March 18th.

Respectfully submitted, - Bill Gerndt

First WI Chapters 39th Annual Tournament is in the books. Our main fundraiser is a total catch and release event held September 18th – 20th. Of the 197 entrants, 50 anglers released 79 muskies, 34-inches and longer, from 15 bodies of water. The longest, a 49.5 inch, was caught by Tony Fastbender on Lake Holcombe. Lake Holcombe also produced a 48.25 inch for Don Maves. Tony Rust took first place with 5 fish for 52.25 points. Jeremiah Wolf placed second with 3 fish for 52 points. Brett Olson placed third with 4 fish for 50 points. Further results are available on our website. A huge THANK YOU to our many sponsors who donated prizes and the 197 anglers who participated. Also thanks to the members on the tournament committee, headed by Don Maves and Joe Heil. The 40th will be held September 16th – 19th, 2016. Please mark your calendars and join us.

General meetings through April are held at the Fill Inn Station in Chippewa Falls, on the first Monday of the month, at 7 p.m. These meetings feature presentations on muskie fishing. The speakers will be announced on our website under the “Newsletter” button. These seminars are free and open to the public.

- Paul Gottwald

Fall is in full force now and the weeks left for the 2015 muskies season are getting to be fewer and fewer. The Capital City Chapter Muskies, Inc. members are fortunate to be able to chase muskies well into November and often times December. Many anglers are able to find a muskie or two willing to reward them with their dedication and willingness to brave the Wisconsin elements.

On September 26th, we held our 2nd Annual CCMI PIT Tag Challunge on Lake Monona. This is an even that is both fun yet serves a useful purpose by getting a large number of

anglers to spend the day on Lake Monona with multiple PIT Tag scanners readily available to allow for us to harvest the data and increase the amount of information in our database for our stocky study. Gary Hoffman does a wonderful job organizing this event. For the second straight year he had a large supply of great prizes and raffle items for the entrants and he also ensured that nobody left hungry by having a very respectable and delicious cookout at the end of the event. I do not have the results of the outing available to me as I write this.

We held our Annual CCMI Vilas County on October 9-10th. The attendees were able to fish for Muskies on Friday and Saturday on Big St. Germain. When the fishing concluded an awards banquet was held at Fibber’s Resort and Restaurant. This is always a great event and this year’s installment was no different. There were some fish caught, laughs shared, a lot of memories made. Dale and Colette Anderson did a wonderful job organizing and running the outing and I extend a very big “Thank you” and “Congratulations” to the both of them. I have to apologize as the results of this outing are also not available to me as I write this column.

In November, we stocked several hundred Leech Lake strain muskies into Lake Monona. Before the future Lunkers were released, we inserted a PIT Tag into each fish as part of our ongoing stocking study. We are very fortunate to have a great partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and it is because of the great partnership that our stocking study has been such a great success. We thank all of the WI DNR employees that helped with the stocking and assist us with our study and maintaining data. I also want to thank the CCMI members that came to the Olin boat launch to help us with the stocking and the insertion of PIT Tags. Many hands made for light lifting.

We also have our Monthly Membership meetings on tap for both November 9th and December 14th. Our meetings are always held on the second Monday of the month and they are conducted in the very beautiful 5100 Bar (5100 Erling Ave., McFarland,WI). I invite you to join us for our monthly meetings. Our Vice President Winston Hopkins does a tremendous job lining up quality speakers to help educate our members on different techniques and Muskie waters all over Wisconsin and beyond. I really urge you to make it a point to join us for a night of food, fun, and of course, muskies.

I urge you to visit our website www.capitalcitymuskiesinc.org for information on the events listed above plus additional details on all of the latest happenings of Capital City Chapter Muskies, Inc. I wish you the best of luck as you close out your muskie season and I hope you catch a monster.

- Chapter President, Luke Vike, Sr.

First WisconsinP.O. Box 122, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

www.firstwimuskiesinc.org

Meetings 1st Monday, 5:30 PM, at Rod and Gun Club, lake Wissota from May-September and at the Fill Inn Station, 104 W. Columbia St., Chippewa Falls from

October-April.

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Capital CityP.O. Box 8862, Madison, WI 53708608-669-5046 – Gerard Hellenbrand

www.capitalcitymuskiesinc.org Meets 2nd Monday at the 5100 Bar, 5100 Erling Ave., McFarland, WI.

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Greetings everyone from Chapter 10! After a successful Spring 2015 muskie tournament, we are busy planning for the 2016 tournament already. We have decided the date for the spring tournament next year, will be April 30th with a rules meet on Friday evening, April 29th.

Plans are underway to include Chapter 10 apparel that will be available at the spring tournament. If you have any special requests, please email the club.

The officers would like to welcome members and guests to attend the monthly meetings held the second Tuesday of every month. They are held at The Other Place (The OP) restaurant in Clear Lake, Iowa. We look forward to seeing you there!

The weather is changing, cooler nights and shorter days…get out there and enjoy them. The soft water days are numbered, as well as the opportunities for catching that final fish story.

Enjoy, thanks for now.- Scott Pingel

The guest speaker for our September meeting, was Neil Rosenberg. He is the manager of the DNR Spooner fish hatchery. Neil discussed all aspects of the hatchery operation for all the different species of fish they produce, including muskies. Our club and the Hugh Becker fund, donated money to the hatchery for a new outboard motor, a depth-finder GPS and money to erect fencing to keep otters out. The otters were eating the fish being raised. Neil explained how successful the fencing was in keeping the otters out and how the motor and locator made the hatchery crew more efficient during spring spawning work.

The fish reported in our members contest are listed as follows:

Women’s: Vicki Shumway (30.5, 36, and 44 inch equaling 33 points); Men’s: Emmett Brown (38, 45, 35, 43, 32, 40, 34 inch equaling 85 points), Carl Langham (32, 39, 43.5, 34, 32, 32, 34, 44 inch equaling 83 points), Tom Kersten (41, 35, 37, 33 inch equaling 42 points), Steve Truver (41, 38.5 inch equaling 28 points), JB Ellis (47.25 with 21 points), Bob Reinert (35 inch with 9 points), Al Hoeft (35 inch with 9 points), and Ernie Thieding (32 inch with 6 points). Men’s Masters: Larry Ramsell (51.25, 46.5, 46, 53, 42, 45.5, 47, 40, 50.5, 55, 43.5 inch equaling 236 points), Mike Persson (37 inch with 11 points).Our 38th Annual Fall Tournament was the first weekend

of October 2nd - 4th a complete report and fish list will be on our website and the Hayward Bait website.

Tuesday, November 3rd at 7:00 p.m. will be our meeting at Coop’s Pizza in Hayward. Check our website for more information on club activities. www.muskiesinc-hayward.org

Good Fishing, - Mike Persson

We hosted our third tournament of the year on August 22nd on the Allegheny River. We had 14 people signup and three muskies were landed. Results are as follows: First place, Dave Rankin (42 inch); second place, Shawn Klavon (39 inch); third place, Richard Marnic (35 inch). Congrats to all the winners and thanks for your support of the club!

We look to continue our support of the Butler VA Hospital and Jim Burr next year, by having a picnic and small fishing get together with some of the veterans. Our tentative date is sometime in April. Please stay tuned to the website for more info on this. We have one more tournament of the season at Lake Arthur in October. Hope to see some of you there!

As of the time of writing this article, some of our members have already assisted in float stocking the 2015 fingerling muskie with the PFBC, throughout the waters of Western Pennsylvania. We still have not received a date for our next meeting with the PFBC, to update us on moving forward with trying to improve our waterways with better muskie fishing opportunities.

We would also like to thank our sponsors and lure makers of the club. Next time you’re out don’t forget to take a look at their lures or services. Wiley Lures, Legend Lures, Leo Lures, Mtailz lures, Newman Lures, Grandma lures, Muddy Creek Guide Service, Fec Hammer Lures, Allegheny Guide Service, Boss Shad, Red October Baits, Baker Baits

Good Fishing, - Joel Morrow

It has been a while since the June open tournament, but the results certainly deserve mentioning in the magazine. There were 28 people registered to compete and 9 turned in catches. This was a two day event at the lake of your choice. Some traveled hours to fish greener pastures, while some stayed local. Joe Ball’s 4 fish and 52 points won the tournament. Jim Petrozzi’s 39 points took second, while Joe’s longtime partner in life and the boat, his wife Donna, grabbed third with 36 points. The rest of the field turning in catches looked like this: Dave Nabb, 34 points, Sandy

Hayward lakesP.O. Box 609

Hayward, WI 54843715-634-4543

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Heartland14 26th St. SW Mason City, IA 50401

641-430-6961 - Ryan Wilckewww.heartlandmuskies.org and Facebook @ Heartland

Muskies, Inc. Chapter 1010CHAPTER

Three Rivers119 Buss lane, Renfrew, PA 16053

(724) 789 - 786616CHAPTER

HopedalePO Box 118

Smithfield, OH 43948740-733-8144– Jerry Pruneski

Meets 1st Thursday 7:30 P.M., Pine Valley Sportsman’s Club, Smithfield, OH..

18CHAPTER

(Continued on page 30)


Petrozzi, 22 points, Dave White, 19 points, Mike Sall Jr., 16 points, Michael Sall, 9 points, and Bert Collette, 6 points.

The awards banquet being moved to March has extended the cutoff for release points for the chapter contest to December, 31st. Steve Russell must have the release report by that date.

Ohio’s whitetail deer season has made it necessary to move the December meeting to the 10th.

Gordon Carr won the September tournament with 7 points. Bill Zonker grabbed second with 6 points. Charlie Alexander will receive an honorable mention with a sub-legal.

- Chapter Vice President, Kevin Singhaus

The Muskie Maniacs held their joint tournament with the OHMC, on August 15th, at Leesville Lake. There were 31 anglers that entered the tournament, with 10 legal fish being caught. First place went to Jim Cole with his 2 fish of 37.5 inches and a 37 inches. Second place went to Ray Elkins with his 44 inch fish. Ray also took the big fish pool. Third place went to Paul Anderson with his 41.5 inch fish. Congratulations to all of the winners!

On September 12th and 13th, we had our Chautauqua Lake Tournament. We had 22 anglers that made the trip up there to fish. There were 10 fish caught. First place went to Guy Bechter with his 2 fish; a 34.5 inch fish and a 33.5 inch fish. Second place went to Chris Shuck with his 41 inch fish. Third place went to Paul Frustereo with his 40.5 inch fish. Chris Shuck also took the big fish pool with his nice fish. Congratulations to all of the winners!

Our last tournament of the season will be on Oct. 10th and 11th at Piedmont Lake. I will have the results of this tournament in our next newsletter.

With the temperatures starting to fall, we are excited for some nice fall fishing before the lakes start to freeze up. Hopefully we will not have an early winter!

On November 21st, our club is having our Christmas Party. Everyone attending is asked to bring in presents for kids that will be donated to Pathways. We are also having the drawing of our fall raffle of a 50 inch TV. I will give the highlights of our Christmas Party in our next newsletter.

- Kevin Proffitt

Chapter 35 held the 7th Annual Veteran’s Fishing Outing on Pewaukee Lake, on the 29th of August. Ten boats took out a total of 15 Veterans. Four of the Vets caught

muskies during this outing; three of them catching their first ever (One vet is shown to the right holding his very first muskie). The muskies that were caught measured 40 inch, 38 inch, 36.5 inch, and 36 inch. Many other follows and gamefish, including Pike and Bass, were seen and caught during the outing as well. Though I wasn’t personally able to attend, it was pleasant to hear that many of those involved were blessed with great fishing. A special thanks goes out to all those volunteers who helped to put on this incredible event. I’m sure that everybody had a great experience.

Our September general meeting, held on the 17th, featured DNR Fisheries Biologists Ben Heussner (Waukesha County) and Luke Roffler (Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth Counties). The presentation focused on Southeastern Wisconsin bodies of water containing muskies--among the many that were discussed included Lake Geneva, Lac LaBelle, and the Fox River. Ben and Luke kept the presentation open to discussion and inquiry, in the goal of keeping club members informed on the status of our local fisheries. One of the more interesting topics that came up, was in regards to the classification of Pewaukee Lake. Accordingly, muskie lakes are given a ranking of either “A”, “B”, or “C” (Ranked from “A” being a premier fishing water, to “C” merely having a fishable population). Beyond this, premier waters are actually split into two groupings; “A1” being trophy waters, with “A2” being consistent angling action and giving the best percentages for crossing paths with a fish. Though the slide on the presentation stated that Pewaukee was an “A1”, Heussner called the lake itself an “anomaly”, and said that it could really be considered either. However, he also stated that the amount of muskies stocked by the DNR, has gone down quite a bit from what it has been in past years.

MCMI is proud to be partnering up with the Muskellunge Club of Wisconsin in a joint stocking effort, putting muskies in both Lac LaBelle and Pewaukee Lake. Through joint collaboration, both clubs equally funded the stockings, and on September 18th, approximately 400 muskies were stocked in LaBelle (the photos below are from this stocking). Pewaukee Lake also received roughly 200 muskies from the clubs, and an additional 100 muskies were also stocked by Smokey’s Muskie shop via their “Three Charlies Tournament” proceeds. The muskies were about 12” at the time of release. An enormous thanks goes out to all who

Akron-Canton2211 North Park Dr. • Wadsworth, OH 44281

(330) 221-7617 Robert W. [email protected]

Meets 3rd Tuesday at 7:00 PM, North Canton FOE, 6979 Sunset Strip NW, Canton, OH.

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MilwaukeePO Box 28842 • Greenfield, WI 53228

Craig Ader – 262-250-6444www.milwaukeemuskiesinc.com

Meets 3rd Thursday January – May, & September – November, 6:00PM Board Mtg.; 7:30PM General Meeting, American legion Post #449. 3245 N. 124th Street, Brookfield, WI 53005

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were involved in the entire process: Scott Wilkie-President of MCW, for working with our chapter on the joint stocking effort, Ben Heussner, DNR Waukesha Fisheries Biologist, for assisting with the LaBelle stocking, Team Rhino Outdoors and their generous donation to our local stocking efforts, and especially to all of those other members of both clubs who graciously contributed their time to carrying out this task. It’s really neat to see that the collaboration between these two clubs has led to such a beneficial outcome for the future of Southeastern Wisconsin muskie fishing.

I’d like to take a moment to wish everybody a good finish to the end of their muskie fishing seasons. Hopefully, it has been a prosperous year for everybody; but in the case that it hasn’t been, just remember to enjoy the time that you spent out on the water, and continue to always learn from mistakes (I definitely have). Sometimes the greatest things about this sport are not tangible.Upcoming events include:

January 2016 - Meeting Speaker - Steve Herbeck - Topic: TBDFebruary 2016 - Meeting Speaker - TBDApril 2016 - Meeting Speaker - Jeff Hanson - Topic: Madison Chain Muskies

*Food and Drink are available at the American Legion Post during meetings.

- Ben Sieren

Fall has been very productive and the Lunge Log is getting a workout. Central Minnesota really shines as the big fish come out of the woodwork and we even start hearing some good deer stories this time of year. There is still time to get out and chase that fish of a lifetime. To some, these are the perfect conditions and what they’ve been waiting patiently for.

Mitch Hoihjelle of Team Muskn’ was our August speaker and he left quite an impression on us as he gave his GoPro presentation. Mitch has a passion for great footage of his outings and also makes sure that his equipment is up to par for the highest quality and most efficient final product. He taught on how to get started with GoPro products and also on more advanced editing techniques and product info. Thanks Mitch, we look forward to seeing more cool videos!

September’s presentation was more than just the sharing of knowledge, but a truly eye opening and heartwarming experience. Kevin Bushnick, who is the Muskies, Inc. International Youth Activities Director and the Founder and Chairman of the Youth Conservation Alliance, spoke about the relation to kids, fishing, MI and how important it is to keep our youth involved with the outdoors. Kevin also organizes youth involved stocking, hatching and spawning

programs to teach youngsters how the entire process works and just how delicate our environment really is. He had photos, videos, testimonies and other elements in his presentation to help fully convey what it is that he is doing. One quote that really stuck with me that evening was, “If a child hasn’t fished or hunted by the time they are 10 years of age, their propensity to do so is less than 5 percent.” Wow, we are so grateful and realize the need for this calling. Learn more at www.theYCA.org.

Statewide, a couple significant things worth mentioning are the DNR’s focus and future proposal to restore and ensure MN’s quality pike fishery. Possible regulation changes are underway to focus on the needs of each area of the state. The DNR has also announced that six lakes will be posted as candidates for possible muskie stocking. Both endeavors are in the beginning stages of what we definitely view as progress.

Find a partner to face the cold water with and be safe out there. Look us up on Facebook, at our website or at our next meeting. Good vibes and tight lines!

- Eric Poissant

Fishing season winding down for many of you? Well, we want you to know that FRV is there for you. Are you looking for support? Need a muskie fishing fix? We will have five months worth of meetings with great speakers. Throw in a couple trade shows, an awards banquet/fundraiser in March, and you’ve almost made it back to open water fishing season! Find time to get out to the Schaumburg Golf Club/Chandlers Chop House on Wednesday, November 11th, and Chapter 39 will present Ken Jackson for your viewing and listening pleasure. Ken has done it all in the outdoor industry. He’s been a muskie guide, author/writer, resort owner and public speaker. It’s been a while since he’s been to one of our club meetings and his presentations are so entertaining and informative that we decided to bring him back. Dinner is at 6 pm, club business starts around 7 pm, and the speaker usually comes on around 7:30 pm. We hope to see all of you there.

In December, we’re going to give everyone a chance to understand the science behind the sport we love so well. Rob Hilsabek, IL DNR Fisheries Biologist, will be speaking at our monthly meeting on Wednesday, December 16th. We piggy-back a lure swap and a canned food drive for the Elgin battered women’s shelter at this meeting. There’s a lot going on there, so we hope that will draw you out of your house on a cold December evening. Interested in selling some of your own gear in the offseason? Check out our website for more details about reserving a table for the swap.


Fox River Valley1253 Cobblers Crossing, Elgin, Il 601230

847-741-9771 – Rich Gallagherwww.frvmuskie.com

Meetings are the 1st Thursday of the month (July 2 and August 6), from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Thirsty Turtle on Channel lake in Antioch.

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St. Cloud109 Greenstone ln. Waite Park, MN 56387

Bruce Kitowski - (320) 656-1160www.stcloudmuskies.com

Meets: 3rd Tues. 7:30 PM, American legion Post 428, 17 2nd Ave. N, Waite Park, MN.

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good days this year, with numbers of large fish caught and has generally been an improvement over last year, which gives Central Ohio anglers hope that it will return to its former glory and once again be one of the top muskie lakes in our state. A recent fish caught measured 50.5 inches and another close to 50 inches was found dead in July, which shows Alum definitely has the potential for a 50 inch muskie. However, high rainfall amounts this summer and water releases at the dam, continue to be a source of fish escapement and concern among the club members with no real solutions on the horizon.

There have also been reports of tagged fish caught from the ongoing ODNR study at Alum Creek. One in particular showed that some infection might be occurring in the tag area of some of the fish. Problems with fish not registering on the detector at the dam’s spillway are also plaguing the study. Hopefully, the ODNR can iron out these glitches and can gain some useful data that will help the state continue to improve the stocking program.

The Fall Shootout tournament at Alum Creek Reservoir is coming up next on the schedule and is typically a well-attended event. As always, the Boy Scouts will be on hand to provide the shore lunch for the participants. Prizes will be awarded to the top three anglers. The prizes for this tournament will be a Water Wolf under water trolling camera, a Beckman Net, and a Tackle box.

As we say goodbye to the 2015 summer season and head into fall, let’s all remember to be safe out there as things cool down and also to have a great time wherever we fish.

- Dan Collins

Greetings from Washington State! Special welcome to new member, Robert Sheperd, who joined on September 2nd, 2015. August 29th: John Floyd, of Team Floyd, caught (and released) his personal best tiger muskie at the chapter 57 tournament on 4,000 acre Merwin Reservoir. Big congrats on the 47.5 incher, John! We also took a few moments to scatter flowers in Speelyai Bay that morning in

Memory of Pete Bergman and several boats took off in different directions to scatter remembrances and prayers too.

A big shout- out to chapter 57 member Mike Crisanti Jr. from Arizona, who was back in the PNW in August and September to hunt for his favorite esox. He spent many weeks on Merwin and Curlew with a GoPro full of tigers to show for his efforts. Sadly, he and Pete Bergman did not get time in the boat, as planned, on this sojourn.


As we roll into 2016, we’ll follow a schedule similar to year’s past. We’ll bring in a marquee speaker for our monthly FRV chapter meeting, Thursday, January 7th, just one day prior to the start of the second Muskie Expo Chicago show. It was a fantastic first show last year, with some big crowds showing up at the new venue, so we expect more great things this year. Like last year, it will be held at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates and starts Friday, January 8th and runs through Sunday, January 10th.

Please check out our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at www.frvmuskie.com for all meeting/speaker/event information.

Regards,- Mark Lamont

Summer’s end is in sight and with it comes the high water temperatures we get at Alum Creek, during the dog days of August. Some members opt not to fish for muskies and switch to other species during this time. They are willing to wait for the fall and cooler water so as not to

risk killing a fish. Still there were some muskies caught and no serious reports of dead fish.

A number of members continued landing fish most every outing through August and into September. Some were at other lakes around Ohio, one of which is a husky honey

hole! These five photos are some beauties that our members have caught. That spot, I was told, is a well-guarded secret among a select few muskie hunters in the club, so regretfully I cannot reveal its location.

Alum has given up some

Central Ohio1094 Eastmoor Blvd. Columbus, OH 43209

www.centralohiomuskies.wix.comMeets second Tuesday of every month at:

PJ’s Pizza, 571 West Cherry St., Sunbury, OH 4307441

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(Continued on page 32)

NW TIGER PAC31900 104th Ave. SE #F205.

Auburn, WA 98092253-833-1725 or [email protected] - Brett Olson, President

www.nwtigermuskies.com For Facebook, type in the following in the search bar:

Muskies Inc. Chapter 57 “NW TIGER PAC”

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www.muskiesinc.org

He did get to meet chapter 60 Vice President Ed Hoyle on Curlew and we hope to see him back again next year, but without all the smoke on the water. Literally.

September: Four days from today, chapter 57 will once again travel to the Eastside of the state; a seven hour journey, to try to win the Golden Bucket back from chapter 60, Spokane. We have a ringer on our team this year: Tammy Ramsell Baldwin has reported that her Dad, legendary angler Larry Ramsell from Hayward, Wisconsin will be in their boat. He is bringing cheese curds from the Mother Land to entice both angler (Russ) and fish. Team Fuller and the North End Boys are heading to Curlew; too, so watch out Ch. 60, the boys are back in town!

As this goes to press, 09/20/2015, our President, Brett Olson, has just arrived in Kodiak, Alaska, to join his wife Lori and son, Zachary. Brett was a Founding Member of this chapter and we would like to thank him for all his unfailing and continued support, volunteer time and many donated custom-made lures for the last 8 years. I can personally tell you, he is a big reason why this chapter has survived and thrived. Brett spends so much time on the water, we tease him that he has gills for lungs. We will miss his famous stories around the dark campfires, too. We hope he is back to chase tigers someday, but we wish him and his extended family great success and happiness in Alaska. He has the world famous Karluk River steelhead and Kodiak bears, the world’s biggest, to keep him on his toes. The Alaska State Flower is the Forget Me Not ….. and, we won’t.

On October 10th, we have one last tourney of the year scheduled on Merwin Reservoir. Mike and Dan Fuller, Tournament Directors, have reported that it may need to be moved to Mayfield Lake due to drought conditions at the launch at Speelyai Bay on Merwin. Congratulations to both of them for all their hard work and staying on top of these needed, last minute changes this year. The terrible fires and low water levels have been tough on both the fish, the anglers, the resorts and the most of all, our brave and much loved firefighters.

- Secretary, Jani (Filling in for Brett. Already missing you Bro)

It is that time of year when the season is winding down that I look back and reflect on my experiences on the water. This year I had an opportunity to introduce four new anglers to the sport of muskie fishing. It is very rewarding to see the look on someone’s face when they catch their first muskie, especially when they are a brand new angler and have never caught anything larger than a smallmouth bass before. As you all know, there are no guarantees in this sport, but I was extremely fortunate to have caught at least one each time I took someone new out. This is one of the reasons we all joined Muskies Inc., to share our passion for muskies with

lake St. Clair Muskies, Inc.34047 Williamsburg Ct

Sterling Heights, MI 48312586-873-9154 - Charles legarski, President

www.lscmi.com OR www.facebook.com/lscmi5858CHAPTER


others. I encourage you to take out a friend who has never been muskie fishing before and share your passion with them. You never know, you may just end up with a new fishing buddy.

In the spirit of introducing new anglers to muskie fishing, Chapter 58 will have a booth at the Ultimate Fishing Show in Novi January 7th through the 10th. This is an excellent opportunity for us to promote Chapter 58 and reach out to potential new members. We are always looking for volunteers to help man the booth. This entails sitting at the booth for a few hours on one of the days and just talking about fishing to whoever stops by. If you would be willing to help out, or would like more information, please email Adam at [email protected].

- Adam Penzenstadler, Chapter Secretary

Muskies Incorporated (MI) Charter 59 (C59) once again operated an education booth at the annual New Mexico Outdoors Exposition. Catch and release tools and proper muskie fishing gear were exhibited. C59 members took turns manning the booth for the full two day event (shown on the left), answering hundreds of questions about fishing for muskies from the general public.

These C59 fisherman enjoyed success at Bluewater Lake, NM. All these tigers pictured below, were successfully released.

Muskie Smiles to all.- Chapter Secretary, John Williamson

New Mexico Muskies, Inc.P.O. Box 65575

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87193(505) 264-2999 • Matt Pelletier [email protected]

www.newmexicomuskiesinc.org59CHAPTER

Our August 8 tournament on Curlew Lake, was a small but successful affair with four boats and seven anglers. The fun was evenly distributed with each boat landing a nice tiger. First place and big fish went to the team of “one”, Ed Hoyle with his 44 inch beauty. Second place went to Doug and Alicia Wood right on Ed’s tail with Doug’s 43 incher. Third place went to Chuck and Chris Gades with Chris’ 41 inch tiger. In the fourth boat, Bob Voltz, from the North Idaho Pike Association, landed a respectful 38.5 inch tiger. Thanks, Bob, to you and your partner making the long trip over and being a part of our event.

A few days after this epistle is written, begins the annual 24 hour Essoxaganza fish-off between chapters 57 and 60 for bragging rights over the capture of the traveling ‘Golden Bucket” award. Chapter 60 has tenaciously held onto it for a couple of years, but chapter 57 is hinting at beefing up their team this year including help all the way from Wisconsin. So, we will have to await the next edition for the results. Also, our thanks to Tiffany’s Resort for their great accommodations and allowing us to host both tournaments there this summer.

After a slow start to our tiger season, chapter 60 has finally begun to post up some tiger numbers. To date, we have 21 logged in. Ed Hoyle is the grand pooh-bah so far, by catching the tigers on a bite, with 11 fish landed in one week in August.

You probably have put away your boat as you read this and are digging in for a long winter’s nap. But don’t despair, there is always an active essox cousin lurking somewhere under the lake ice, looking for something that has a good ‘smelt’ to it. Fish on.

- Chuck Gades

One of the worst years for catching muskies has made a big turnaround into one of the greatest. Lots of big fish caught in August. The weather is changing from a hot summer, into a muskie angler’s favorite time of the year, besides spring-bring it on-the fall feeding frenzy. Temperatures are getting lower and the fish are becoming more active; I’m

glad the dog days of summer are just about gone. To kick off the fall feeding frenzy, we are back into tournament mode and we are honoring one of WV’s pioneers for making muskie lures- The Jack Cobb Memorial Tournament. Thanks, and I’d like to wish everybody good luck the rest of the year!

- Robert Thaxton

On September 11th, several of our members worked with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to stock fingerling muskies in our home lake of Glendale. Because of some issues at the hatchery, the fish had to be stocked a month earlier than usual, which accounts for smaller fish. However, through the efforts of our members spreading the little ones around different areas of Glendale, I’m sure some will reach maturity.

As I pen this, we are preparing for our final tournament of the year on Curwensville Lake. At this event, we will also hold the first planning meeting for next year’s Beast of the East fly fishing tournament. That event was held in the spring of this year, and was our largest fundraiser that also brought in quite a few new members. For any Presidents looking to grow their Chapter, focus on fly anglers. They’re an untapped part of the muskie brotherhood.

To my Chapter members, I’d like to point out that we have made it through the first year and our Chapter continues to show signs of growth and prosperity. Remember that while many cannot make it to our regular meetings, you are part of this organization. We want to hear your thoughts, comments, complaints or whatever you have. A chapter is only as strong as its membership and we rely on all of you to tell us what ideas you have. If there is a project that you want spearheaded in your area, please reach out and let us know!

– Patrick Krumenacker


Mountain Muskies6610 N. Hartley Spokane, WA 99208

509-263-7235 • [email protected]

South Central West Virginia Chapter

HC61 Box 39BFrame Town, WV 26623

304-364-8878 - Jake Flint63CHAPTER

64CHAPTER Nittany Valley Musky Alliance Chapter

175 Industrial Park Rd. Edensburg, PA 15931

DATES EVENTNAME&WEBSITE LOCATION CITY STATE PHONEChicagoMuskieExpowww.muskieexpo.comOhioMuskyShow

www.ohiomuskyshow.comMilwaukeeMuskieExpowww.muskieexpo.com

RockfordIllinoisFishingShowwww.landroproductions.comWisconsinFishingExpowww.madfishexpo.comWisconsinMuskyExpowww.wimuskyexpo.com

WesternPennsylvaniaMuskieMaxwww.muskiemax.comMinnesotaMuskieExpo

www.minnesotamuskieexpo.com

(606)776‐6567(606)776‐6729

Feb.19‐21

Feb.27‐March1

March4‐6

April8‐10

March5‐6

(715)891‐8856WIWausauPatriotCenter

ConcordiaUniversity (763)786‐6031MNSt.Paul

DoubleTreebyHilton Mars PA (724)494‐0774

(815)997‐1744ILLovesParkIndoorSportsCenter

(262)644‐7940WIMadisonExhibitionHallattheAlliantCenter

(608)445‐4645WIWestBendWashingtonCountyFairPark&ConferenceCenter

SPORT SHOW LOCATORCalendar of upcoming events in 2016

SearsCentreArena HoffmanEstates IL (608)445‐4645Jan.8‐10

Feb.12‐14

Jan.22‐24 MakoyEventCenter Hilliard OH

North MetroPO Box 480098

Minneapolis, MN 55448612-916-7426 • www.nmmuskies.com

Meets 3rd Tuesday of the month at Coon Rapid VFW 1919, Coon Rapids Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 from 7-9pm

MuskIEs, INc.1509 stahl Roadsheboygan, WI 53081MEMbERS: Please notify [email protected] of address change.

ADDREss sERVIcE REQuEsTED

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LAKE VERMILION, MN - Minnesota’s Muskies, Inc. chapters in conjunction with the Hugh Becker Foundation, sponsored the 6th Annual High School Muskie Tournament on Friday, June 26th, 2015. Twenty-two kids, grades 9-12 from around the state had qualified via sectional tournaments to participate. They tried their luck in catching, measuring, photographing, and releasing muskies in an attempt to become the state champion. Going out in teams of two per boat, they tried their skills and stamina for a day of muskie fishing hoping to catch the biggest fish.

Lake Vermilion is huge and so are the muskies in the lake. The weather was hot, with very little wind—not what a muskie fisherman is looking for in hopes of catching a fish. Boaters left the docks at Vermilion Dam Lodge at 6:30 a.m. after final instructions given by Mike Riha, the tournament director.

In some of the previous year’s state competitions, champions were determined by the largest northern caught as no muskies were caught, but that was not the case in 2015. The team of Jack Fietek and Joe Pugsley representing Staples/Motley High School, netted the only muskie of the day and it was trophy caliber. A 53 inch, beautiful, state champion fish for Jack and Joe. As state champions, they each received State Champion plaques and each got a 9 foot St. Croix Big Nasty muskie rod.

Second place went to the Fergus Falls team of Kyler Peterson and Joe Mattson with a 39 inch northern pike. Alex Jenko and Riley Jenko from Duluth Denfeld, claimed third with 29 and 25 inch northerns, with 4th place going to Brayden Snow and Christian Donovan, representing Watertown-Mayer HS.

All participants received a commemorative T-shirt, a great meal put on by the Ed Tausk and the staff of Vermilion Dam Lodge, which was the tournament headquarters, and muskie baits donated from the Twin Cities and North Metro Chapters of Muskies, Inc., Dennis Lappen of Musky Innovations, and Big Mama Lures who sold us 20 baits at cost.

Thanks go to all judge boat participants, Mike Riha, Steve Wernersbach, Terry Schar, Mark Weiss, Nick Poppler, Steve Sorgenfrei, and Brian Klobe. With their participation, we covered approximately 20 miles of water in an attempt to keep things safe for kids if there was a problem.

- Director Minnesota State HS Muskie Tournament, Mike Riha

musky ad.8x10.5 layout 1 1/14/15 3:13 pm page 1on the last day. also a good job by the new jersey...

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