Arrowhead Chapter #48
Lake Vermilion Minnesota
There's no better way to educate yourself when it comes to muskie fishing than fishing with an expeirenced muskie angler, that's why we encourage all anglers to join the Arrowhead Chapter #48 of Muskies inc. We have a few members who have a vast knowledge about this great sport and they're very easy to approach and willing to share their expriences.
For most folks who are just getting into muskie fishing the first questions you will have is about equipment;
What rod and reel should I use; we would suggest a medium heavy or heavy action rod in a 6'6" to 8' length. There are many rod manufactures out there and a price range to fit everybodies budget. The length of the rod you choose will
depend on a few different elements, how tall you are and the
boat you fish out of. Once you become more experienced you'll
want different rods for different lures but that's something
you'll pick up on later in your muskie fishing career.
If you're in the market for a new reel you can't go wrong with the
Abu Garcia Ambassaduer C-3 6500 it's an all around reel that
will work with most lures out there. As time goes by you find
yourself with a number of different reels for different applications
but for starters the C-3 6500 is a good choice.
Fishing line is another important part of your equipment, I don't
know how many times I've found expensive lures lying on the bottom of the lake tied to a cheap plastic coated leader and 8lb test monofilament line. Please spool your reels with the proper line, these big fish can't survive when they break your line and have their mouths pinned shut by the hooks. Most experienced Muskie anglers that I know
use at least 80 lb test Braided line, there are many reasons why.
Power pro is a good line but there are many different
manufactors out there that produce similar line, it's all
personal preference.
The leader you choose is also a major component that you need
to consider. There are many different leaders on the market
today, they can cost just a few dollars to over ten dollars a piece.
The single wire leader made by Windels is a good place to start,
it comes with heavy duty ball bearing swivel and a heavy duty snap, the wire itself is 150 lbs test and very rock resistant which is a good thing on Lake Vermilion. These big fish will find your week link so use Quality components and don't loose the fish of a life time to a cheap plastic coated pike leader.
For most Muskie anglers selecting lures is a problem. The problem is, we all have way to many lures and we're always buying more. So have fun selecting your favorite lures.
Most Muskie anglers have large nets, they're used as a holding pen for the fish while your unhooking them. Please make sure you have a large coated , knotless Muskie net like a Beckman Fin Saver or Frabil aboard, it's for your safety and the fish. Remember never bring a muskie into your boat and lay it on the floor. It's probably the worse thing you could do to a fish.
It's very important to treat these big fish with care especially in warm water conditions, try and keep the "out of water time" to a minumum.
Release tools are a very important part of your muskie fishing equipment, every year I find myself lending my pliers to an angler who isn't properly equipped to release a big fish, but yet they have this monster boat side, in a net that's to small and the fish has a bad attitude and a face full of hooks.
That is a senario that is played out numerous times throughout the summer, because some folks don't take the time to properly equip themselves.
You should have a good pair of
needle knose pliers, Large fish
mouth spreaders and quality mini
bolt cutters so you can cut hooks
when neccessary. Please don't buy
the cheap version, you'll only have
problems when you need them the
most. A Baker hook remover or
similar item is a good tool to have
on board too. You can never have
enough tools so plan on buying
multiples of each, you'll be glad
you did.
Handling and Photographing a Fish
• Keep fish in the water as much as possible to minimize air exposure.
• Never place your fingers through gills or in the eyes.
• Don’t hold heavy fish by the jaw (verticle hold) as this may damage the jaw and vertebrae.
• Hold large fish horizontally and support its body to avoid damage to the internal organs.
• Use wet hands or wet cloth gloves to handle the fish.
• Have camera ready prior to landing fish to minimize out of water exposure.
• If possible, photograph the fish while in water.
Warm Water & Muskies
During midsummer, July through mid August water temps on Lake Vermilion and other Minnesota muskie lakes can reach into the high 70's to low 80's. With temps this high muskies are subject to high rates of delayed mortality due to angler stress. When the water is this warm reduce stress factors by reducing fight time, not fishing during the warmest part of the day when the water is at it's highest temp, pratice water release and handling only, and photograph the fish in the water if a picture is needed.
A good way to think of this is to picture yourself as a
marathon runner. When it's really hot out you become
exhausted quicker and can not hold your breath very long.
It's no different for a muskie under warm water conditions.
They become exhausted during the fight and if they are
brought out of the water where they cannot breath it doesn't
take long for them to experience problems.
Help us conserve this great resource for the future.
Taxidermy
If you catch a trophy sized fish, instead of keeping it to get mounted, consider releasing it and getting a fiberglass reproduction instead. Several taxidermists do these and their quality is absolutely stunning. All you need is a
lengh and girth measurement and some photos
of the fish. You will get a special feeling of
releasing a trophy that can be caught again by
you or other anglers and your fiberglass
reproduction will last indefinitely for you to
enjoy over and over again. Muskies are too
valuable to be caught just once.
April News Letter
Walleye News March 28th, 2008
Lake Vermilion’s walleye population remains at near-record levels, according to a just-released gill net report from the Department of Natural Resources. The latest figures should spell good news for anglers when they hit the water for the walleye opener, just six weeks from today.
“The fish are there and that should indicate good potential for fishing this spring,” said DNR Large Lake Specialist Duane Williams, based in Tower. “Weather could still be a factor, but there’s a pretty good abundance of 14-18 inch walleyes out there,” he said.
In fact, walleye numbers are looking strong in most area lakes, according to Tower Area Fisheries Manager Doug Thompson. “We’ve had a number of recent years with good reproduction,” Thompson said. Recent warmer than average springtime and summer temperatures have boosted the survival of walleye fry and allowed young fish to grow quickly during their first several months, helping them obtain the reserves of fat needed to survive the winter months.
Those milder years have left most area lakes with strong 2002 and 2003 year classes, putting large numbers of walleye in the perfect size range this year.
All together, the Lake Vermilion gill net survey averaged 19.1 walleye per net. That’s slightly below the 2002 record of 20.0 fish per net, but Williams said the difference is statistically insignificant. “It’s safe to say, the population is about as high as it’s ever been,” he said.
Hello Arrowhead chapter members,
Our last business meeting on March 19 was focused on our upcoming
banquet/fundraiser. All the plans have been made. The time and location
are set. It's now up to all of us to do the best job possible to make
it a big success.
The board members have been very busy seeking donations for prizes and
all members are encouraged to pitch in and do their part. If you know
anyone that has something to donate, I encourage you to contact them.
The banquet is scheduled for Wednesday May 7th at Fortune bay resort and
casino.
The social hour begins at 5:00pm, dinner will start at 6:00pm and our
speakers will start at 6:30. The drawings for door prizes and raffle
tickets will begin after the guide panel questions are finished.
Speakers are two local guys with a national reputation. Our
Walleye speaker is Bill Rosner. Bill won the City Auto glass Walleye
classic last year on Vermilion. Our Muskie speaker is MuskyTom Wehler.
Tom has appeared on Ron Schara's TV show "Legends of Rod and Reel" He
has a truly unique outlook on Muskie fishing.
We need all the help we can get at the banquet selling raffle tickets
and setting up the prize tables. If you can help out please contact me
at 218-753-2612 or e-mail me at aceguide@webtv.net
We can use all the donations we can get so anything that you can help
with in that department, will be very much appreciated. Tickets can be
purchased at the door or you can reserve your tickets ahead of time by
calling 218-753-2612. Tickets are $20.00 and there will be some great
door prizes to be given away to some lucky ticket holders.
I hope you can all make it to this event. The money raised will help to
fund our chapter for the upcoming year.
If you have any questions about the banquet please call me.
Hope to see you all there!
Terry "Ace" Sjoberg Vice President Arrowhead Chapter
CURRENT MOON
