2nd Annual FishingMN.com Smallie Magnet Event

[BigMike]

We'll see you guys in the morning, bright and early! I'm bringing a small cooler, 4 hamburger patties, buns, and a limited amount of lettuce, & tomato, and a couple lawn chairs for the BBQ. I'll try to bring some extra plates too for anyone who forgets (just watch...i'll be the one to forget! LOL).

See ya in the morning!

[jet man]

Big Mike, as of right now I will be a no show. My son headed to the North Shore and I just got the voltage regulator and new wiring harness in Wed. With a guide trip yesterday I have not been able to even get the jet in for a test run. Hopefully I will get out some time tommorow and get the testing out of the way. I would like to stop up later in the day and meet some of you fellow smallmouth lovin river guys.

[HawgTide]

Bill, did you get a new boat? Sorry I never got to meet up with you on the river. Hope you can make it out at some point tomorrow.

[fonz58]

Bill....just show up!!! I'm sure We can tow you upstream to your favorite spot. Then just call from wherever you end up, and we'll come and fetch you!

I'm afraid to bring any food, as If I leave it in the car, it'll be fried. If I bring it in the boat, Big Mike will eat it, so Domino's might be the solution. C-U in the early morning!

[jet man]

Hawgtide, I still have the 45 jet jon boat. I have been fighting a strange electrical problem for awhile. Melted a control harness, burnt another wiring harness. Not sure the problems were related. Last one had a feedback to ground which I am 90% sure was a flakey voltage regulator. Between some guiding and Walleye tourney I have spent alot of time in my other boat. I usually chase Walleyes thru June than switch to the River July thru Feb.

Hope to catch you sometime tommorow.

Fonz, I appreciate your willingness to be a tow

service. Been there, done that. You guys have a great time tommorow; be safe and catch large fish.

[BigMike]

If anyone reads this before we meet in the morning... please bring a sharpee marker or two. I have data score sheets but only 1 perm/sharpee marker. I'll try to find a couple but just in case you read this, look around the house for one and bring with . See you all in the morning.

**EDIT** Ok, I hit up Walgreens so I have 5 sharpees total. If you have one bring one, if not you only get one per boat! I didn't have the $$ to buy the floating ones LOL!

Fonz - I'm bringing 4 burger patties... I'll share if I eat your food in the boat

[fonz58]

Good luck with your elec. problem Bill. It's no fun getting towed around. i'll have a few sharpies, and a 6pk of brats to share.

[BigMike]

See ya in a bit... Just packing the mini cooler and loadin' up. I wish monti weren't a hour away! Oh well, the things you do for smallies!

[fonz58]

The Smallie Magnet Event has concluded. I'll let Big Mike tell you all about the results and post the photo of his nice 20" fish. It was a great pleasure to meet all of you in person, and put the faces to the FM handles! We do have an "Official Traveling Smallie Magnet Trophy"!!! Winner gets to sign, and date the trophy and shall be responsible to get it to the next FM Smallie Magnet gathering. Big Mike and I had a great day. I'm feeling like I got way too much sun, but I'll sleep good tonite so I can get up early tomorrow and head up to Royalton in search of the Mighty River Muskies. We boated just over 20 fish each, for a great 40+ fish day! We were shut down for close to 2 hours starting around 10:30. Big Mike caught a log on a white spinner, and I caught most of mine on a jig, tipped with a plastic crawdad. (in fact I think ALL of mine were on that jig) My biggest was 18", but we quit measuring at 8:30 when Big Mike got his 20".

[MSRiverdog]

If someone want's to give me name labels for the pic's I'll add them if I get them quik enough to edit my post. Names are not my forte.

Pic 1

Pic 2

Pic 3

Pic 4

Hawg Tied and Mrs. Hawg Tied

Pic 6 Yep! That's Riverwader with the Trophy. 21 inches, Congratulations

Hawg Tied and Smallie Hawgin

If any of you guy's want the full file size's of any photo's let me know.

[Royce Aardahl]

Congrats riverwader!! and you too BM on your 20! dirtydog and I were there in spirit

[HawgTide]

It was a great day for the Smallie Magnet. Beautiful weather, Great fishing, and Fun times. Riverwader and I got into some big ones. Our best 5 averaged over 20 inches (21, 20 1/8, 20, 19 3/4, 19 3/4). Where's the big payout when you need it? Now Riverwader will have to change his handle, since he got a boat today. We'll have to make sure they don't let him change it to Smallie Magnet.

Here's the measuring, but I have to say that the photo was snapped when the tail was not in the best position because of it flopping around. It was slightly bent upwards in this photo. When it was pinched and straight, it touched the line, which is the point where 21 inches begin, according to the maker (Fonz).

Here's my 20+. Fonz, can you tell me the lenght of this because I wasn't real sure of the lines. It says on there that the measurement starts at the beginning of the line, but the line is pretty thick. This one is obviously over the line and almost to the first mark after the 20 line.

[fonz58]

The front edge of the dotted line is 20.5"!! That fish may be 20 5/8" The fish is slightly arched, so it's hard to tell...but the shortest part of your fish goes beyond the 20.5" mark. Nice fish!

[Kevin Turner]

Congrats RW!!!

Looks like a great time was had by all.

[BigMike]

I have to say that yesterday's event was a blast! Congrats to Riverwader in taking home the Smallie Magnet Trophy (thanks to Fonz for bringing a trophy). The weather was amazing, 80 degrees, sunny, slight breeze... a great day to be on the water, catch some smallies and meet everyone that came out. I'm definitely looking forward to next year's event.

As for our boat, Fonz and I had a great day on the water. I have to admit, I thought I had the trophy wrapped up right after 8am when I caught this 20''... Silly me !

Only to find out that HT & Riverwader had 3 fish at 20+. Again, congrats to RW a 21incher is near impossible to beat on the river! Thanks to Fonz for taking me out in his sweet River Pro - even letting me drive it - I had a great day on the water. I don't know what log he was talking about, he was the one who caught the 15foot logbass .

The BBQ was a big success too (as you can see in the photos). Although we could've used a bigger grill...AAHHMMM RIVERWADER! LOL! Just teasing! Good fishing, good laughs, good times!

Riverdog, HT or anyone else who snapped photos - if you wouldn't mind - I'd love to get a copy sent to me via the email below.

[HawgTide]

Quote:

---

The front edge of the dotted line is 21.5"!! That fish may be 21 5/8" The fish is slightly arched, so it's hard to tell...but the shortest part of your fish goes beyond the 21.5" mark. Nice fish!

---

Fonz, I want to make sure here. Those are two different fish in the above photo's. The first is Riverwaders, the second one is my 20+. From what you are saying, mine looks to be 20 1/4 because it's about half way between the thick line and the dotted line. Riverwaders just touched the thick line (21") with the tail pinched and mouth closed.

[fonz58]

All I can say about the measuring trough is that it is as accurate as the photographer, and the nose pincher, and tail pincher will allow it to be. To get an accurate judgement of the photograph the photo must be taken at a 90 degree angle to the fish/board. Next is that the fish must be straight and tail and nose pinched square. Both photo's as shown make this hard to judge. You also need to make sure that there is no hand covering where the mouth meets the nose of the board, to be sure it is all the way forward. Keep these tips in mind when the MONEY is on the line, and you are trying to prove that you really do have a 22" fish. The way the lines on the board are designed, the front edge of the lines are where the next measurement increment starts, (either by inch, or 1/2 inch) this holds true for the dotted lines as well. PS. the musky trip paid off with 5 sighted fish, 2 got hooked and released. Only one was measured at 38", the other spit the hook after a short 15 second battle in the current. Great outing for only 5 hrs on the river.

[HawgTide]

Fonz, sorry to make this into a measuring discussion. I'm not questioning the measuring trough accuracy or techniques. I had to put my hand on it's mouth to keep it closed and flat on the board. When I tried to take my hand off for a better picture, it jumped in the water. I think if you have your thumb in its mouth, well..then it's not closed.

When I look at the photo's, I see one that is just about 20 1/4 and one that is 21. When you said 21 5/8", then that just threw me for a loop and was trying to figure out how you got that.

[fonz58]

Hey Hawg: my BAD!!! apparently my ability to see clearly has something to be desired. I edited my previous post, after Eye Guy pointed out my error. My next invention will include a hammer and nails so the fish won't move.

Sorry for the confusion. No matter what we do, it won't be an easy task to get the fish to cooperate and be a good movie star.

[riverwader]

Just wanted to thank everyone for making it a great weekend, we couldnt have asked for better weather. It was really nice to meet so many people that have the same passion for fishing these smallies. I was lucky enough to catch my first 21" smallie on the river. Thanks HT for getting me into the spots for the first cast. I was able to take out my boat and now I have no idea how as a captain you can even fish at the same time in some of these currents. Thanks everyone!

[HawgTide]

It's all good! Great Meeting everyone. Perfect day for this. We'll definitely build on this and get better each and every year.

[BigMike]

I agree - last year we had 8 guys this year 12 guys came out to the BBQ. I think next year we could easily get another 4-5 guys. Definitely a good time!

[jet man]

Enjoyed meeting you guys. Look forward to next year. We are indeed spoiled when you consider the qaulity of the fish in this stretch of river.

Fonz and Hawgtide please drop me an email at [email protected] so I can connect electronically with you. I had yours Greg, but had to replace hard drive on my laptop and was not diligent enough with backups.

[threeball]

It was great to meet some of the other guys who fish the river, and a great day to be on the water. I hope we'll see each other on the water later this year. Thanks to those of you who arranged the event.

I forget to turn in the sheets at the BBQ. Is Big Mike keeping those for another year?

[BigMike]

Nope - only if it was blank. I hope by next year to have some prizes for next year's event. I usually just print up the sheets the week before so you can ditch'em if you still have them.