From the President's Boat
Sadly long time North Metro and Muskies Inc. member Jim Shannon Jim who had been battling cancer for more than a year, passed away after a massive heart attack on Wednesday November 25. Jim was the MI VP of Finance and member since 1978. He was a North Metro Board member since 1992 and Treasurer for year’s right up to the end. Jim’s funeral service on Saturday December 5th was well attended by many of his Muskie friends from as far away as Green Bay. Jim will be missed for many reasons and leaves behind a long legacy of important positive influences on Muskies Inc., Minnesota Muskie and Pike Alliance, the North Metro Chapter, the Minnesota and Twin Cities Muskie Fisheries. It was Jim that pushed MI not to publish photographs of Muskies held hanging straight down unsupported knowing that impacted post release survival and to discourage that behavior. Jim will be remembered and not be forgotten.
Jim and I spoke about his concerns for the future of Muskies Inc. and the North Metro Chapter that he had dedicated more than half his life too. Of course if you knew Jim and his passion there were a few explicatives thrown in. He believed that MI is at a crucial point that without more direct participation from Chapters and other changes the future of MI is very uncertain after 50 years. Jim also wanted to see the North Metro Chapter grow, have greater member participation and have more influence on the Metro Muskie fishery. We are slowly moving in that direction but have a long way to go to ensure our Chapters future and legacy. Every member can help in their own way from assisting with the annual fund raising banquet from prize acquisition to working the event, to assisting with our other events (JuneJam, Members Challunge, League Night, Assisting the Metro DNR, Youth and new member involvement).
Please join me Tuesday December 15th for our Holiday Lure Exchange, Board Elections, League Participation Drawing (for the St Croix Tournament Legend Rod) and Awards meeting our speaker Noah Binsfeld from Get the Net Guide Service. We welcome all guests to our meetings which are always free and open to the general public so please bring a guest.
If participating in the Lure Exchange please bring a wrapped new or like new lure to exchange with another member.
Don’t forget to register your fish in the Lunge Log for the MOC by December 16th when we will be pull the final list to determine the various award winners.
Please contact any Board Member if you can help with the Chapter, the Banquet and the 50th Anniversary celebration.
Thank You Jim Shannon for all you have done and the people you have touched. Rest in peace our friend!
Dan Mruz
North Metro President
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Gift Swap-December Meeting
Remember, our December Meeting is our annual Gift Swap. Wrap a new or very gently used lure, bring it to the meeting, we will swap gifts with someone else that brought one! Just an early and fun start to the holiday season! There have been some great lures swapped. So grab a good lure, wrap it up and have some fun! See you at the December meeting! Happy Holidays!
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Muskies Inc Celebrates 50 Years
Muskies Inc. will be 50 years old in 2016. A 50 year Anniversary Banquet is planned for March 12, 2016 as part of the celebration. Muskies Inc. members from throughout the country are expected to attend.
The 50th Anniversary Banquet will be held in conjunction with the 2016 annual meeting as well as a 3-day scientific symposium on muskellunge.
An event the size of the banquet will take many volunteers to make it happen. Currently there is an oversight committee in place with members from each of the chapters taking part. As plans are developed, they will be asking for help with the planning and for volunteers the day of the event.
Volunteers are needed to help with planning the dinner, sponsorship and donations, games/silent auction/raffles, merchandise sales, media/advertising.
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In memory of Jim Shannon
Jim Shannon, long time member of Muskies, Inc. passed away Wednesday evening November 25, 2015 one day before his 65th birthday. On November 23 he had a massive heart attack and had been in a coma until his passing on Wednesday. Jim had battled cancer for over a year.
Jim was a member of Twin Cities Chapter from 1978 – 1992 until it split into two Chapters in 1992. He was a founding member of our North Metro Chapter. His member number is 7645. Board Member and Treasurer of our Chapter, a representative of the Minnesota Muskie and Pike Alliance and a long-term Board Member of the Muskies, Inc. National organization. He served in many capacities locally and nationally, most recently as Vice President of Finance. Jim worked tirelessly for Muskies, Inc. at every level. He worked on the 2016 Calendar up until he passed away. It is safe to say that he had a tremendously positive impact on our organization. His contributions are too numerous to mention. His passion knew no bounds. His wit and wisdom will be sorely missed.
You will be missed. Your pain on earth is over and we will miss you. We know you are going to be catching the biggest muskies, the largest walleyes, and hitting many holes in one. You will be telling stories about your many hunting and fishing adventures. Thank you for being our friend. Thank you too for loving Mavis Shannon. You are her true love. We love you and miss you.
Jim was a long time member of the International Chapter of MI, and got involved with the International after seeing many times that the International Chapter was not always doing the best thing for the individual Chapters.
The North Metro Board pushed for many efforts to help all the individual chapters out, and Jim was a major voice in those efforts, both during and before his time on the International Board. Jim helped the North Metro Board with many efforts, such as: Eliminating the vertical hold of Muskie pictures from the magazine, Giving a portion of member dues money back to the individual chapters, cost savings at the International Level by changing the Muskie Magazine from 12 issues to 6 issues a year, the inception of the Minnesota Muskie and Pike Alliance.
According to Brian Klobe, Jim was on the only North Metro Team to win the Gil Hamm Tournament. Jim loved to “bitch†about things that were not quite right in the Muskie world, but his “bitch†was usually a legitimate one and he was willing to challenge what was not quite right. He had a flare about him that sometimes made some of us open our eyes wide at times, but you knew it was just the way Jim was. He had a colorful vocabulary that he was not afraid to share with you, and it usually made us smile and laugh. Jim had a passion for his Ranger Boat, and let you know it if you had a tin boat like mine, but again, all the time with a sly smile on his face. He loved a cold beer and not one of the popular wimpy beers, it had to have flavor and character. Jim, I feel, was a positive influence on all of us, on Muskies Inc. on the people around him. Jim did what was right for Muskies Inc., not what was right for him. He cared, and he was not afraid to let people know he cared.
We knew Jim wasn't doing well, but it hits hard now that he is gone. He will be truly missed. It will be so hard to go to a meeting and not have Jim be there. We will miss him. The Muskie world will definitely miss him! The next Muskie you catch, say a prayer for Jim, and smile, who knows, he might be there with you!
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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!
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Next Meeting December 15
Get The Net Guide Service is owned and operated by Noah Binsfeld and Chris Litzinger. Specializing in Mississippi River muskie guide trips in Minnesota.
Noah grew up on Little Rock Lake which is connected to the Mississippi River. He's a third generation river fisherman. He spent my childhood fishing on the banks of the river with his grandpa and his dad. Both of his grandpas, Benno and Robert, along with his dad, Mark, were huge influences on me growing up. They turned him into an outdoors man and eventually led him to this point in his life. He loves to fish all kinds of fish, but his true passion lies in catching the elusive muskies wherever they swim.
He loves taking people out to catch their first muskie or their biggest muskie. Hope to see you on the water!
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Please join us at our general meetings the 3rd Tuesday of each month, Sept. through May. Each month we have a speaker come in and the topics vary from local metro area tactics to the basics of reel cleaning. We also have a rod and reel raffle and lure raffle. You DO NOT need to be a member to attend our general meetings.
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3rd Tuesday of the month 7pm–9pm |
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Coon Rapids VFW - 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd NW |
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Elections will
be held at December Meeting
Nominations for members of the chapter’s Board of Directors will be taken at the December meeting. Members of the Board of Directors will be elected by chapter members present at the December meeting and will each serve a two-year term starting in January.
Consider taking part in making decisions that affect you as a member of this chapter. The Board needs people who are interested and willing to participate in the chapter and its future. The chapter Board meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Coon Rapids VFW - 1919 Coon Rapids Blvd NW.
Contact Dan Mruz 763-535-4206 or frostd_2002@yahoo.com or any current board member if you’re interested in joining the Board of Directors.
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Red Wing Lodge Outing
August 6-13, 2016
Sabaskong Bay
Lake of the Woods
Deliver Opportunity in a Red Wing Lodge Gift Package
Okay, we all understand the fun of picking up a new “secret weapon†or two, and what is really fun is when one of these special selections pays off in boating excitement. But let’s consider this question: Do you or your loved one need more opportunity or more baits, more opportunity or more tools for catching that big muskie? Big fish opportunity is awaiting you at Red Wing Lodge on Lake of the Woods, Canada. How about this Christmas Season tip? Deliver Opportunity in a Red Wing Lodge Gift package.
This opportunity of which I speak has been provided for years by the cooperative support of Mike and Anne Bartlett of Red Wing Lodge and our two local Muskie Inc. chapters.
The annual Muskie Inc. Trip to Red Wing Lodge on Sabaskong Bay, Lake of the Woods, is a great choice for either that first Canadian trip or for the veteran’s extra trip. The convenience of a drive-in camp with the privacy you would expect on an island.
Dates for coming season: August 6-13, 2016. Save your surprises for muskie action, you don’t need them at base camp. Red Wing Lodge offers a resort base that has been family owned and operated for 50 years, is clean and comfortable, where everything works. The Bartlett family has hosted Muskie Inc. outings for years with personal and friendly service, so they understand what muskie people need and like. Red Wing Lodge is a nine-time Chapter Challenge headquarters, in ’83, ’86, ’93, ’97, ’03, ’04, ’11, ’12 and again in 2014. Check out the muskie information, including the Red Wing Lodge Hall of Fame, as well as the first live cam in Morson, at www.redwinglodge.net
Cost per person in housekeeping cabins remains at $350 (US Funds) for 2016, just $50.00 per day for big-time Canadian muskie fishing.
Included in the full value of the 2016 Muskie Inc. trip:
* Free Dockage ($72 value), Free Launch (both ways, $25 value)
* Free Dinner one night, courtesy of the Bartlett’s
* One Free Trip, given away in drawing, courtesy of the Bartlett’s
* Free Wireless Internet Service throughout the Resort
* Free Daily Bag of Ice; door prizes
Reservations require a $50 non-refundable deposit, made out to Red Wing Lodge. Deposits officially confirm reservation holds. First come, first served.
Early deposits are appreciated by the Bartletts, these funds are used to purchase materials for cabin improvements, most of which can only be made over the winter.
To make reservations, or any questions or suggestions for improving the trip, contact:
John van Ingen
(651) 699-5172
maxjo@mac.com
2108 Palace Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
John Genosky
(651) 329-4898
John@Protacinc.com
904 81st St.
Lino Lakes, MN 55014
For answers to detailed questions regarding the Lodge, e.g., about the cabins, you are invited to call Mike and Anne Bartlett toll free at 1-888-488-5601.
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NORTH METRO OFFICERS
President................................... Dan Mruz
Vice President.......... Steve Wernesbach
Regional VP............................. Mike Riha
Secretary.................. Tony VanDanacker
Treasurer.......................................... Open
BOARD MEMBERS
Dick Hamann................. 763-428-7789
John "Geno" Genosky.. 651-329-4898
Robb Meyers.................. 612-791-6331
Dan Mruz......................... 763-535-4206
Nick Poppler....................651-592-5875
Mike Riha......................... 763-607-2800
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
Steve Sorgenfrei.............651-789-4360
League Night Chariman
Steve Sorgenfrei.............651-789-4360
Newsletter Editor
Robb Meyers.................. 612-791-6331
Webmaster
Dennis Boehme
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Working to Preserve, Promote and Advance Muskie and Pike Education and Research in Minnesota
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Thanks to our special friends that helped make our 2015 10th Annual North Metro Muskies, Inc. Banquet a success.
A.J. Wiesner Living Legends Guide Service
Amanda Bever Stylist
Angel Outpost Resort
Baby Beavers
Big Game Lures
Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle
Bob Turgeon
Clam Outdoors
Custom X Lures
Don Coffey Company, Inc.
Ghostails
Headlock Lures
Hilton Garden Inn Maple Grove
Jason Hamernick Musky Breath Guide Service
Jay Young Muskie Streamers
Jim Hansel Artist
Joe's Sporting goods
John Hoyer ‘Skie Patrol Musky Guide Service
Josh Borovsky Guide Service
Josh Stevenson Mighty Muskie Fishing Guide Service
Just Encase
Knipex Tools
Lake X Lures
Larry Dahlberg
Lax Reproductions
Matt Seifert Musky Mercenary Guide Service
Maynard’s Restaurant
Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club
Monster Lures
Mouldy's Tackle
Musky Busters Lures
Musky Frenzy Lures
Musky Hunter Magazine
Musky Innovations
Musky Mayhem Tackle
Musky Tackle Online
Nelson Marine
Outdoor News
Phantom Lures
Ray Connoy Custom Muskie Rod
Rubber Hairy Tackle
Ryan McMahon Musky Guide Service
Salon Jolee
Shimano
Shumway Lures
Slammer tackle
Smitty Baits
Sportsman’s Guide Outlet
St. Croix Rods
Stealth Tackle
Supernatural Big Baits
Thorne Brothers
TrueGlide Small Batch Baits
Tuned Up Custom Rods
Tyrant Tackle
United States Distillery Products
Vexilar
Waterbeast
Wood’n Wildlife Mike Purcell
Yeti Coolers
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