Muskies 2020

[Wanderer]

Opener 2020 tomorrow - anyone here going out?  Heck with the full moon tonight this weekend should be really good.  If I get to spend some time out it’ll be in central MN.  The river maybe, or Alexander.  Shamineau is on my list this year as I’ve never fished it at all.  Plenty of lakes to try.  
 

I’d like to see what you guys are pulling in this year!  Hear some stories or good advice!  I hope to have some to share.

[huntnfish]

I went out Saturday for a couple hours and only caught hammerhandle northerns. I am hoping to get out again this weekend and give it another try. 

[Wanderer]

Good luck!  It’s looking like my Ontario trip won’t happen and other things have been popping up around home to keep me on shore so far.

[Wanderer]

Slipped out for a few hours this evening to Shamineau.  My first time on the lake.  It’s almost stunning how people’s cabins and homes are slowly flooding with the continuous rising water.  Felt pretty bad for them.

 

Didn’t see any skis.  Stopped a few times to play with bass and panfish so I wasn’t skunked!  I’m an unashamed opportunist when it comes to catching something. 

[gim]

I caught a new PB tiger muskellunge on Saturday.  It was just about the best conditions a guy could ask for: overcast and calm winds.  I was by myself (other than the dog) but there was another angler in his own boat nearby that watched the whole ordeal and immediately came over to take photos.  I'm considering getting a replica made.

[Wanderer]

You’re on the board!  Nice fish. 

[gim]

On 6/24/2020 at 11:45 AM, Wanderer said:

You’re on the board!  Nice fish. 

 

I've decided to get a replica of it made.  At first I was hesitant because the cost just about gave me a stroke, but enough people have talked me into it now.  I'll probably catch a pure strain bigger than this someday, but not a tiger.  They simply don't grow nearly as big.

Edited June 26, 2020 by gimruis

[gim]

Circling back on this, as I picked up my replica of this fish from LAX Reproductions in Conover, WI, and put it up on the wall.  I also caught another tiger muskie on Saturday in the rain, a 37 incher.

[Wanderer]

Geez they did a nice job.

 

Good looking fish - congrats!

 

I didn’t even remember starting this thread!  No muskies for me in 2020 and so far not in 2021 either.  But then I gotta go fishing for them sometime!

 

I had an invitation for this morning but I wasn’t in a position to go.  Maybe I can connect for a trip before I get too far into my fall work schedule.

 

Good luck out there for some more!

Edited August 9, 2021 by Wanderer

[leech~~]

31 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Circling back on this, as I picked up my replica of this fish from LAX Reproductions in Conover, WI, and put it up on the wall.  I also caught another tiger muskie on Saturday in the rain, a 37 incher.

 

 

 

 

What's their ballpark $$   I have a 37" released Laker I should have done someday.  Or was that 40" Wanderer?  

[Wanderer]

If you had 16 inch arms I’d call it a 43. 

 

I remember upper 30’s.  Longer than any one I’ve ever caught.  Maybe not heavier though?  Sometimes I wished we’d carried a scale as often as a tape measure.

 

I still want to get a replica of my 7.5lb smallie but I’m never 100% satisfied with the paint and anatomy on the smallie replicas.  I wish they’d paint them and shape them like the pics and measurements.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Wanderer

[gim]

LAX Reproductions cost $16.95 per inch (single sided replica).  I had mine on driftwood so that costed extra.  If you have it shipped, you have to pay for that too.  I picked mine up at a muskie expo in Wausau, WI so I saved the shipping cost.  Plus, I was able to walk out of that place holding it and everyone watched me and looked at it.

 

He specializes in replicas of pure strain muskies, but can do almost any freshwater fish.  A 50+ inch pure strain muskie replica would cost you close to 1000 bucks or more, but let's be honest how often are you going to catch a fish like that?  Maybe once or twice in a lifetime?  It took him about 8 months to do mine, which is about twice as long as normal because he was so backed up.  Here's his website: https://www.laxreproductions.com/

 

I feel like there's a decent chance I could catch a 50+ inch pure strain someday, but catching a bigger tiger muskie is very unlikely.  I have caught 18 tiger muskies over the course of the last 5 years and my previous biggest was a 38.5 incher, so this is a rare fish and I look forward to enjoying it for many years.

[gim]

Apparently someone caught a new state record muskie on Mille Lacs a couple days ago and its awaiting state certification.  They attempted to release the fish but it died so getting it weighed on a calibrated scale was a no brainer.  I'm fully convinced that the state record has been caught out of Mille Lacs many times over the years but all of those fish were released so they could not receive state record certification.  Here is the story and photo.  I'm sure there will be more to come once its certified (or not certified).  If it stands, it will break the record from Winnibigoshish that has stood since 1957.

 

The rumors are true! On November 22nd I set out on the last trip of my season with Kevin Kray and Zack Skoglund to chase the queen. At about 9pm I felt that tap on my Thorne Bros 9’6” XXH I’ve been searching for all fall. After a quick battle and a few ridiculous head shakes we had it in the bag. I didn’t realize how giant this fish was until I pulled it out of the net and immediately called Kevin over to assist with the buddy pictures. It measured an incredible 57.75” in length with a 29” girth. The next hour or so was spent trying to get her to release. Eventually we realized this was not going to happen and made the decision to bring it to a certified scale and crush the Minnesota State Record. She weighed 55 lbs and 14.8 oz. Huge shout out to Austin Tausk and Kyle Dorr for helping me find a place to get her weighed and helping with that process. Also Randy at the UPS Store was the man for being so cool about weighing it for us. I’m so incredibly blessed to be apart of this journey with my best friends.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by gimruis

[Wanderer]

That girl is FAT on forage!  Wow!

[smurfy]

I can assure you if I caught that it would be on my wall.

 

But first I guess I need to fish for them 

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Apparently someone caught a new state record muskie on Mille Lacs a couple days ago and its awaiting state certification.  They attempted to release the fish but it died so getting it weighed on a calibrated scale was a no brainer.  I'm fully convinced that the state record has been caught out of Mille Lacs many times over the years but all of those fish were released so they could not receive state record certification.  Here is the story and photo.  I'm sure there will be more to come once its certified (or not certified).  If it stands, it will break the record from Winnibigoshish that has stood since 1957.

 

The rumors are true! On November 22nd I set out on the last trip of my season with Kevin Kray and Zack Skoglund to chase the queen. At about 9pm I felt that tap on my Thorne Bros 9’6” XXH I’ve been searching for all fall. After a quick battle and a few ridiculous head shakes we had it in the bag. I didn’t realize how giant this fish was until I pulled it out of the net and immediately called Kevin over to assist with the buddy pictures. It measured an incredible 57.75” in length with a 29” girth. The next hour or so was spent trying to get her to release. Eventually we realized this was not going to happen and made the decision to bring it to a certified scale and crush the Minnesota State Record. She weighed 55 lbs and 14.8 oz. Huge shout out to Austin Tausk and Kyle Dorr for helping me find a place to get her weighed and helping with that process. Also Randy at the UPS Store was the man for being so cool about weighing it for us. I’m so incredibly blessed to be apart of this journey with my best friends.

 

 

 

Dang, and he only gave out one product blast, Thorne Bros 9’6” XXH!     

He needs to add his lure, line, reel, boat, motor and outdoor clothes!  

[smurfy]

1 hour ago, leech~~ said:

 

Dang, and he only gave out one product blast, Thorne Bros 9’6” XXH!     

He needs to add his lure, line, reel, boat, motor and outdoor clothes!  

Yea don't forget GPS  cords too!!

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, leech~~ said:

 

Dang, and he only gave out one product blast, Thorne Bros 9’6” XXH!     

He needs to add his lure, line, reel, boat, motor and outdoor clothes!  

That’ll come out after the contracts are signed. 

[leech~~]

8 minutes ago, smurfy said:

Yea don't forget GPS  cords too!!

 

That doesn't gain sponsors and money!  Only give up your spot!  

[gim]

On 11/24/2021 at 12:21 PM, leech~~ said:

He needs to add his lure, line, reel, boat, motor and outdoor clothes!

 

There was a more in-depth article about this fish in the Star Tribune on Thanksgiving.  They broke through 100 yards of skim ice at the access to get to open water.  The air temperature was 18 degrees.   They were primarily ripping large soft plastics like bulldawgs and medussas, which imitate ciscoes/tulibees.