NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID ST CLOUD MN PERMIT #1316 Fishing. Landing. Two totally different things. PETE MAINA Pro anglers will tell you, "Hooking up to a monster fish is only half the battle. Now you’ve got to land that trophy!" That’s not the Pow’R Lok® time to wrestle with yoke system your landing net! Our automatic han- dle/yoke PATRICIA STRUTZ revolutionary Pow’R Lok® alignment yoke system found on our improved Power Catch® and Pro Formance® land- ing nets provide instant engagement of the handle and hoop assembly without DOUG JOHNSON searching for a spring button or having to align the handle. What’s more, our Power Catch nets are so well built that they come with a lifetime warranty on the hoop and yoke! No other net can say that. The pros rely on Frabill GREG MARINO-LINDA RICE nets, shouldn’t you? Innovating the outdoors www.frabill.com • 800.558.1005 P.O. Box 49 • Jackson, WI 53037 MUSKIE is published monthly and is the Official Publication of Muskies, Inc. International Office: Terrie DuBé, You CAN have your fish and release it, too! International Sec., 80 State Hwy. 200 NW, Longville, MN 56655. Ph: 888-710-8286, Fax 218-836-2087. Contents © Copyright 2006 by Muskies, Inc. All rights reserved. FITTANTE TAXIDERMY REPLICAS MUSKIE • VOL. 40, NO. 4 Serving discriminating sportsmen for over 32 years Fittante Taxidermy is proud to lead the way in unsurpassed fish reproductions. We make our molds in-house and offer dozens of different sizes and positions. References are available upon request and phone orders are welcome. Serving quality minded sportsmen across the nation is our specialty. Departments Features 7 Beginner’s Luck, 2 President’s Message, David Cates James W. Colgan 3 Magazine Notes, Staff 10 A New Muskie Attitude, Bob Chochola 4 International News, Staff 16 Muskie Memories, 6 Letters to the Editor Gary Bennyhoff 13 Lunge Log, Jim Bunch 22 Girl Scouts Merit Badge Spearheaded by M.I. Members, 19 Photo Contest, Juris Ozols Patricia Strutz 20 2005 Photo Contest Winners, 25 The Barbless Debate Continues, Juris Ozols Don Dubin 27 As I See It, Jim Smith 26 Reflections on Muskies, Inc., Dick Chapman 33 Chapter News and Views 28 My Most Exciting Muskie Hunt, Vince Trotta 40 Muskie Tales, Bob Jennings 30 Southern Spring Muskie Tactics: Part One, Colby Simms 42 Member Photos, Juris Ozols Join Muskies, Inc. ... Regular Membersip: ❑ 1 Year-$35.00 ❑ 2 Years-$65.00 ❑ 3 Years- $95.00 or give a membership Family Membership: ❑ 1 Year-$47.50 ❑ 2 Years-$90.00 ❑ 3 Years-$132.50 as a gift. Junior Membership (Under 18): ❑ $20.00 “The #1 reason I choose Joe Fittante is his artistry. He ❑ For Muskie Research $________ is the only taxidermist I have found who can accurately reproduce the true colors and markings of a living Name _______________________________ Phone ________________ Name of Spouse_____________________________________________ musky. His painting technique separates him Address____________________________________________________ Chapter Affiliation Choice Number _______________________________ (to find the number of the Chapter you wish to join, see the Chapter News & Views section) from the rest. That is why I use him exclusively, and City & State_____________________________ Zip_________________ Junior Member(s) Date of Birth (DOB) prefer his work above all others.” Chapter Affiliation Choice Number _______________________________ Name ___________________________________ DOB ___________ (to find the number of the Chapter you wish to join, see the Chapter News & Views section) – Joe Bucher, Old Address (for address change only) ___________________________ Name ___________________________________ DOB ___________ Hall of Fame Angler Capture the moment City & State ____________________________ Zip_________ Name ___________________________________ DOB ___________ www.fittantereplicas.com • email: [email protected] My Membership # ______________ Expiration Date _______ Chapter Affiliation Choice Number _______________________________ Check One: ❑ New Member ❑ Renewal ❑ Address Change ❑ Gift MAIL TO MUSKIES, INC. 80 State Hwy. 200 NW, Longville, MN, 56655 Email ________________________ 3 miles north of Antigo on Hwy. 45 • N4598 Hwy. 45, Antigo, WI 54409 ❑ VISA ❑ Discover 1-888-710-8286 ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ (715) 627-7662 • 1-800-261-2327 Payment: Check or Credit Card: AmEx MasterCard Card # __ __ __ __- __ __ __ __- __ __ __ __- __ __ __ __ Exp. Date ____ /____ Signature ____________________________________________ www.muskiesinc.org April 2006.....MUSKIE 1 I could not complete my initial “Presidents Message” without thanking those who help NOTES MAGAZINE lead this organization. Jim Beaty and his finance committee have done much to maintain MUSKIE Magazine Staff International our organization over the past year; Ron Mazur led our research and fisheries committees. Dick McPike worked hard to lower everyone’s insurance costs (and is still the last person to Rod Ramsell, Editor Emeritus Officers net a Muskie for me); Bob Timme has worked to expand our membership; Jim Bunch Keith Ogden, Editor Emeritus manages the members only fishing contest as a labor of love; Ron Groeschl works tirelessly MANAGING EDITOR President, David Cates Jim Smith Phone: 574-457-3222 to improve and expand our website; Ken Karbon has worked countless hours on fundraisers 15045 W. Double Tree Way Email: [email protected] and producing income for Muskies, Inc.; and Jim Smith continues to improve this publica- Surprise, AZ 85374-8568 tion. But the largest and most heartfelt Thank You goes to immediate past President, Greg Phone/Fax: (623) 388-3225 Vice President/Finances, Jim Beaty Wells. Greg led our organization through two difficult financial years, and through his lead- Cell: (623) 810-9103 Phone: 618-235-3646 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ership we moved into the black for calendar year 2005. He has taught me much about the value of diplomacy, at times when I would have preferred to manage with a sledge hammer. ASSISTANT EDITOR Vice President/Research, Ron Mazur Juris Ozols Phone: 708-458-0055 I have no doubt but that I will rely heavily upon his knowledge and wisdom. Phone: (952) 956-5793 Email: [email protected] onor. Pride. Apprehension. Each of these words describes, in part, my feelings in As we look to the future, it is my desire to focus on fish and the fishery. We must run Email: [email protected] accepting the gavel as International President. However, no one should expect me ◆ Vice President/Internal Affairs, Dick McPike our organization as a business. There are hard decisions ahead. However, we will focus on ADVERTISING MANAGER Phone: 816-436-4909 to “do it all”. We have approximately 7,500 members. Estimates are that 10% of Muskies, improving their habitat, improving the fishery, and expanding their range. If we all Kimberly D Miller H NOTES MAGAZINE Email: [email protected] the people do 90% of the work. If that is true, then we have approximately 750 members pull an oar, the sea of issues surrounding Muskies, Inc. won’t seem so large. ❖ Kimberly D Miller Associates who are pulling an oar. I have read recently that there are approximately 750,000 Muskie P.O. Box 543 • Syracuse, IN 46567 Vice President/Membership, Bob Timme Phone: (574) 529-0228 Phone: 715-462-3053 fishermen. If true, then one-tenth of 1% of the Muskie fishing community are the ones who Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] have worked to expand and improve Muskie fishing who have worked to disseminate DONATIONS PUBLICATIONS TECHNICAL MANAGER Vice President/Communications, information to make each of us better anglers who have worked to meet the goals of Sunray Printing Solutions, Inc. - Brenda Kirchner Phone: 574-457-3222 Muskies, Inc. Allow yourself to imagine every member of Muskies, Inc. pulling an oar. Allow FEBRUARY 25123 22nd Ave. S. • St. Cloud, MN 56301-9189 Email: [email protected] yourself to imagine the impact on the fishery. If you need help with that thought, think Phone: 888-253-8808, ext. 133 Treasurer, Pete Barber about how far we have come with the concept of catch and release. MAGAZINE DESIGN Phone: 847-726-7267 So where do we begin? Communication is the key. I have heard frequently during my Sunray Printing Solutions, Inc. - John Windschitl Email: [email protected] tenure on the International Board complaints about the lack of communication between ILLUSTRATORS/CARTOONISTS Richard Gross Members Only Fishing Contest, Jim Bunch International and Chapters. While the International must bear its share of the blame for Phone: 715-723-8343 • Fax: 715-723-8354 difficulties, communication in fact is a two-way street. Too often, Chapters do wonderful FIELD EDITORS Email: [email protected] things for the fishery and for the future of Muskie fishing. Too often, those wondrous On behalf of Muskies, Inc., thank you for adding a bit extra when you renewed Bob Chochola, Elizabeth Cratty, Adam your membership. Glickman, Robert Jennings, Mike Kanaval, Colby Web Master, Ron Groeschl achievements go unreported and unknown to those not a part of that Chapter. The maga- Simms, Patricia Strutz ◆ Phone: 262-271-1002 zine and the website are two vehicles available to the Chapters to disseminate information. – Pete Barber, Treasurer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Email: [email protected] NOTES MAGAZINE What works for your Chapter may or may not work for a neighboring Chapter, but if that James W. Colgan, Bob Chochola, Int. Administrative Secretary, Terrie DuBé neighboring Chapter never hears of your success, how can they know to even consider your Gary Bennyhoff, Patricia Strutz, Don Dubin, 80 State Hwy. 200 NW, Longville, MN 56655 model? Place a posting on the Internet. Write an article for the magazine. Include something Dick Chapman, Vince Trotta, Colby Simms Phone: 888-710-8286 • Fax: 218-836-2087 ABOUT THE COVER in Chapter News and Views. Let everyone know the good work you are doing! Email: [email protected] MUSKIE is published exclusively for the mem- But I will not limit communication to merely the Chapter level.