From the President's Boat
Hats off to all the people, organizations and their hard work to get the new 54 inch muskellunge size limit passed in Minnesota effective March 1, 2015. There are so many people and names involved that all can’t be mentioned from John Underhill, Erik Jacobson, and so many more. Thank You! There are some defined exceptions to the Rule 66. See the summary of the rule and the additional help still needed to convince a few fisheries managers in the South of adhering to the new size limit.
Hopefully everyone had a great Fourth of July weekend and celebrated with family and friends. Fishing is starting to pick up and a few of members have landed some nice 50â€+ fish including 54.5†so far. Keep logging your fish in the Lunge Log and send in those photos for the newsletter, Banquet (Feb 28th, 2015) and the Muskie Expo.
Tuesday July 8th was the League Night Mini challenge versus the Twin Cities Chapter on Bald Eagle and White Bear Lakes. It was a close match but the North Metro won again thanks to Chris Dolan’s 47.5†fish and the TC Chapter had to pay for pizza afterwards.
The three PIT Readers have been put to use by our Chapter Members and they have already logged a few tagged fish on Bald Eagle and White Bear Lakes for the DNR Study.
It has rained, it has poured and the water levels were at historical high levels across the metro and the state with no wake zones affecting fishing. Unfortunately this caused us and the DNR to cancel our planned June St Croix River Muskie Capture to implant muskies with radio transmitters. This may be rescheduled for this fall.
Thanks to Jim Shannon and all those that helped put on the June Members Picnic & Lure Swap and all those that attended. I scored a sweet mint North Metro 1 of 24 limited edition Commemorative Lure!
The 24th Annual JuneJam is in the books and another financial success thanks to Steve Wernersbach and his volunteers who run this event. Without Steve’s hard work the JuneJam would not be a success or possible every year. JuneJam is our only other fund raiser for the Chapter.
Mike Riha needs to be commended for the outstanding job of single handedly organizing and running the NMMI High School Qualifier as well as participating as an official in the State High School Muskie Tournament with TC Chapter President Tom Keith. Without Mike there would not be any Teams representing the NMMI.
August 14 – 15 was the International Muskellunge Symposium in Ottawa Canada. New NMMI member Derek Crane, Ph.D. Research Associate, School of Biological Sciences at Lake Superior State University was a presenter as well as MI President Jay Zahn. Derek has also agreed to be a speaker at one of our upcoming meetings this year.
The Board has worked very hard to schedule in advance a wide variety of speakers and topics for the year so that our Members to have ample time to make arrangements to attend the monthly meetings that interest them. See the detailed speaker schedule in the newsletter and I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming meeting.
The curse of the President continues as I had another surgery at the end June which the combination of the two has prevented me from building my new garage and fishing most of the summer including the League Night Mini Challenge. No worries I got out the first week of August for a couple of days and saw a few fish. Dan Jr landed a nice fish on West Battle Lake. I may be spreading the curse to other Board members as Jim Shannon; North Metro Treasurer unfortunately also had his Gall Bladder removed. Good news is that Board Member Mike Riha has already had his out so is safe. Board Member Dick Hamann was in a car accident in early June and was a little banged up affecting his ability to fish, but is ok overall.
I plan on building my new garage once the concrete cures the beginning of October if my back and rest of health can hold out. I am looking for anyone with carpenter skills willing to help me frame it. If enough help out I will make a nice donation to the Chapter as well as take care of my help.
Enjoy the remaining few days of your summer and the best of luck fishing to all of you.
Dan Mruz
North Metro President
< º)))))))))))))><(
|
|
Print Your Member ID Cards
A new system has been implemented by Muskies Inc. that allows members to print their own Muskies Inc. ID cards at any time from the muskiesinc.org website. This new process will save dollars in monthly expenditures for the imprinting and managing of ID cards over the previous method.
To utilize this new process, log in to the Muskies Inc. website muskiesinc.org using the Member Login button on the left of the home page. Once you have logged in, click on the profile update button. In the upper right corner of the profile, there is a link that you can click and print your card. For family members, the family head can print the IDs for the entire family.
Members who do not have access to computers or are unable to print their own ID cards should contact the MI Secretary to have them produced and mailed to them.
|
|
Our Chapter’s purpose is:
To promote a high quality muskellunge sport fishery;
To support selected conservation practices based on scientific merit and carried out by authorized federal and state agencies;
To promote muskellunge research;
To introduce the species into suitable waters;
To support the abatement of water pollution;
To disseminate muskellunge information;
To promote good fellowship and sportsmanship among men, women and children;
To encourage and support youth involvement in muskellunge fishing for our future.
Join the North Metro Board or as an Event Chairperson or as a Volunteer. The Board meets for only two hours once a month on the first Tuesday, September through June. You can help influence the direction of the Chapter and help the Metro Muskie Fishery.
We are trying to make our Chapter an overwhelming success but need your help with a variety of small tasks and projects. Contact me or any of the North Metro Board Members to assist us!
|
|
|
NORTH METRO OFFICERS
President................................... Dan Mruz
Vice President.......... Steve Wernesbach
Regional VP............................. Mike Riha
Secretary.................. Tony VanDanacker
Treasurer........................... Jim Shannon
BOARD MEMBERS
Dick Hamann................. 763-428-7789
Robb Meyers.................. 612-791-6331
Dan Mruz......................... 763-535-4206
Brad Patterson...............763-464-5548
Nick Poppler....................651-592-5875
Mike Riha......................... 763-607-2800
Jim Shannon.................. 763-434-9729
Steve Sorgenfrei..............651-789-4360
Tony VanDanacker........ 763-370-5424
Jason Wegwerth.............763-478-1748
Steve Wernersbach........763-242-2625
Membership Chairman
Robb Meyers ................ 612-791-6331
Members Only Fishing Contest
Brad Patterson...............763-464-5548
League Night Chariman
Steve Sorgenfrei.............651-789-4360
Newsletter Editor
Robb Meyers.................. 612-791-6331
Web Administrator
Dennis Boehme
|
|
|
|
Working to Preserve, Promote and Advance Muskie and Pike Education and Research in Minnesota
|
|
|
|
|
By Steve Wernersbach
We had 75 participants. 25 fish were caught by 17 anglers. 20 were caught on Saturday, 4 on Sunday and on one the day is not designated. Big fish was a 44".
Break down by lake:
Cedar - 3, Apple River - 5, Bone - 9, Deer - 3 and Wapogasset - 5
By time: Sat. 5 Am to 9 AM 9 fish (6 of these before 7 AM), 9 AM to noon 1 fish, noon to 5 PM 2 fish, 5 PM to 9 PM 8 fish.
Sun. 5 AM to 9 AM 3 fish (2 of these between 8 and 8:30), 9 AM to noon 1 fish.
Winners and fish
Open Division
1st place - Matt Buck 37", 40" and 43.5"
All caught in Cedar Lake
2nd place - Nathan Wheeler 41.5", 43"
Both from Deer Lake
3rd Place - Rod Moe 36", 43.5"
Both from the Apple River
4th Place - Ben Hayes 41.5", 37"
Both from Wapogasset
5th Place - Mickey Allen 40", 37.5â€
1 from Deer, 1 from Bone
Junior Winner - Kate Jasinski - 44" from Bone
Big Fish - Kate Jasinski 44"
Thank you to everyone for entering. And special thanks to Wilkins for allowing us the use of their facility, Paul Amberg of Venture Custom Rod for the donation of the rod in the raffle, Shawn Cochrane of Muskie Mafia for his lure donations and to Josh Stevenson and Blue Ribbon Bait and Tackle for their sponsorship.
|
|
|
|
1st place - Matt Buck
|
|
|
|
2nd place - Nathan Wheeler
|
|
|
|
3rd Place - Rod Moe
|
|
|
|
4th Place - Ben Hayes
|
|
|
|
5th Place - Mickey Allen
|
|
|
|
Junior Winner - Kate Jasinski
|
|
|
|
Big Fish - Kate Jasinski 44"
|
|
|
5th Annual Minnesota State High School Muskie Tournament
On June 27th eleven high schools teams representing six regions statewide met at Mantrap Lake in Park Rapids at 5:15 a.m. for the 5th Annual Minnesota State High School Muskie Tournament for a day of competition.
Throughout the day teams were catching northerns and getting on the board. But were trying for muskies, which beat any sized northern. The judge boats: Jim Kath – Brainerd Lakes Chapter, Mike Riha – North Metro Chapter, and Tom and Kathy Keith – Twin Cities Chapter were stationed throughout the lake, helping students whenever needed.
All teams were off the water by 1:30 and were treated to lunch. During the Awards Program, students talked about where and how they contacted muskies that day. The winning fish was 39" caught by Brandon Dehring from Detroit Lakes HS. A team from our section, North Branch, which consisted of Jeremy Wolfe and Jake Willing, took 2nd place with Jeremy’s 32†muskie.
The Detroit Lakes team was given a plaque and new muskie rods. All competitors were given a commemorative tee shirt and a package of lures. Our own Jesse Westerberg won the drawing for a new large Plano tackle box ($80 at Thorne Brothers). For a number of students, this was the second year they have fished the event.
|
|
|
Red Wing Lodge 2014 Muskies Inc.
in the Books
By Jon VanIngen
During the annual Outing August 9-16, 25 fishermen from the North Metro and Twin Cities chapters once again enjoyed Bartlett family hospitality. Mike and Anne Bartlett, along with daughters Molly and Kate, and son Matt, went all out again preparing for and hosting Muskie Inc. fishermen, again exhibiting the fun and solid service with which the family has built and maintained its strong reputation in the business.
54 muskies were caught and released by our Muskie Inc. group. Matt Hotchkiss took big fish honors with a 49†released muskie. Matt will have his name engraved on the Big Fish plaque.
Red Wing Lodge fishermen had a very good week August 9-16! In addition to our 54 muskies, the other guests in camp added 62 additional releases, ringing in 116 total muskies caught and released by Red Wing Lodge guests during that week. 116 releases is a testament to the resource as well as to the determination and expertise of Red Wing guests. As usual, stories, jokes and good-natured ribbing were enjoyed by all, but the stats on these were not officially recorded, and that includes the stories shared on the Lodge deck during the annual Sunday night bull session.
Keep an eye out for our detailed fall invitation that will officially begin the sign-up period for the 2015 Red Wing Lodge outing. The dates for next year’s outing will be August 8-15. Don’t just wish, make it happen.
|
|
|
|
Matt Hotchkiss big fish honors a 49â€
|
|
North Metro Muskie League 2014
Standings before August 26th Finale
Andy M 50 points
John G 40.5 points
Pat M 39
Steve S 39
Joe T. 30
Nick P. 27
Jason W. 27
Chris C. 23
League Night Prizes:
1st place “Engraved Magnum Phantom†Lure
2nd- 3rd “Engraved Regular Phantom†Lure
4-10th “North Metro Muskie League†t-shirts
The Awards will be held during the December 16th, 2014 Holiday Lure Exchange meeting versus the annual banquet in order to save time.
Prizes:
Grand Prize “St Croix Tournament Legend 8½ ft. rodâ€
2nd - 10th “Various Luresâ€
Reporting:
Reporting will by an e-mail to a league e-mail and updates will be done on the North Metro Forum as well as the Muskiefirst’s organizations forum.
Email your comments and questions to northmetroleague@gmail.com or call my cell phone 651-792-5502.
|
|
|
|
|
