Inaugural George Wahl Memorial Muskie Tournament

October 7, 2009
This past Saturday was one to remember as Kyle Wickenhauser and myself fished in the first ever George Wahl Memorial Tournament. The tournament had taken place in the metro area consisting of 12 different lakes. This tournament wasn't about the prizes, it was about helping out our local lakes and stocking them with more of or favorite fish: the elusive muskie. With 200 contestants fishing the event it wasn't going to be an easy one, but Wicky and I had confidence.

Before talking about how the day went I would like to mention that this event was a special one of its own. George Wahl is one of the biggest names around when it comes to the word muskie and bucktails. George started the famous Eagle Tail, which is one of the most famous muskie catching lures known to man. George was a real class act and will be greatly missed by many in the fishing world. 

Furthermore, the weather the past week has just been crazy to say the least with winds gusting up to 40mph for two days straight, rain for multiple days, and the temperature dramatically dropping. Wicky and I had thought for a minute that the muskie gods were shining down on us but instead we looked at it as a challenge for us. Wicky and I thought if God brings us to it, he will lead us through it. At 5:30 the alarm had went off and I was out of bed in a flash I was anticipating the day despite the nasty weather we were having. I met Wicky at the access at 6:45, just enough time to get our last minute gear ready and get on the water by 7. Wicky and I had complete confidence that we would turn over a fish on our first spot. You could say we were thinking it was going to be, almost as easy as taking candy from a baby. To our surprise spot one was a big fat goose egg!! One funny thing is that we fished our number one spot that day, 4 times, and we worked it really good with not even seeing a single fish! I guess you could say we had patience and persistence! After fishing multiple spots and not even seeing a fish, muskie depression finally started to settle in. It was around noon when we decided to take a break and eat some lunch and talk about what we needed to do to get on fish. The difficult part was we didn't really know; we had worked several spots really really good and not a single muskie had showed its face. We worked shallow, deep, and everywhere in between. We tried different sizes, colors, various presentations and nothing. We just decided that the fish didn't want to cooperate, after all it is muskie fishing. At this point we were both ready to start pulling our hair out!!

After lunch our game plan was to just keep working our top areas and see what would happen. It was around 2 pm at this point and I looked at Wicky, and said, we have one hour before we have to go in. Wicky looked disappointed, as was I about not boating a fish yet. I took Wicky to the “Honey Hole” where I have boated multiple fish this year and even lost a few. We had fished this spot earlier in the morning with no success but I had confidence there was fish there, but they weren't biting. After fishing the spot for awhile I was beginning to have my doubts. Wicky had decided to take a break and was going through his lures while trying to decide what he should try next. Within a spit second I had a fish hit about ½ way in and yelled I got one!! I saw it boil up to the surface and was even more excited when I noticed a muskie!! Wicky was so puzzled when I yelled I got one; he thought I was completely making it up, considering how the day was going until that point. The fish went immediately under the boat and as Wicky grabbed the net the fish was already out from under the boat. Wicky made a quick scoop up with the net and I think he was just as excited as I was. We got a quick measure on it and she surpassed 45 inches. 

 

That was the only fish that day we boated. I knew it wasn't going to place top 5, but we had a chance at top 10. Both of us were hoping for 2 fish that day, as thats what we thought was needed to really place high. After getting to Thorne Bros for the registration I had noticed a lot of the registration cards were from low 40's fish so I knew we had a chance. After all the announcements and feed was over; it came down to the very end and we walked away with 8th place. We were both extremely happy for taking 8th in the first ever George Wahl Memorial Tournament. This was our first tournament ever but Wicky and I can honestly say its not going to be our last!

For more information regarding the tournament and George Wahl please visit the following link http://www.twincitiesmuskiesinc.org/tourny/gw/

Posted by Kyle Stender. Posted In : Fishing 

 

A first time for everyone...

September 3, 2009
Within the last week the muskie bite has been just incredible. About a week ago I had caught my new personal best coming in at 52 1/2”!!! As you might remember from my last post that same night I had caught the big girl, was the same night my dad was supposed to come out with me, but unfortunately couldn't make it. 

Later on in the week I had taken my dad out trying to get him on his first muskie ever. The weather that night was spectacular and I knew it was going to be one of those awesome nights. We headed to one area that I knew was holding fish and within 15 minutes of working the area. Dad yells, "I got one!" I suddenly rushed over to grab the net and stood watching over the side of the boat, waiting for her to show her face. The muskie was jumping out of the water and I had yelled at dad to to keep the rod tip down! After a few minutes of my dad fighting the fish, he was able to get her boat side for me to net it. As I swooped down with the net and landed her I immediately started laughing with excitement. 15 minutes into the trip and we had already landed muskie number one!

 

I think I was just as excited about my dad catching it as he was. After the release we had kept working the area and then had decided to go to another area. The second area we had tried, we worked it really hard and right at the end dad had one follow right up to the boat, but couldn't get him to bite. We worked the area for another 15 minutes and I was almost about to give up on trying to get her to bite. Lone behold, dad yells out, "I got another one." I just smiled and grabbed the net in excitement for fish number two. It wasn't a big fish but a muskie nonetheless. 

 

The funny thing as we were releasing that muskie we had seen another one surface not from out from the boat. We tried to get that one but couldn't quite get her to commit. That night dad had caught 2 muskies lost another one and we had seen 4 other fish that night. It was just one of those nights where you had to of been on the lake to see it for yourself.


 
A few days later, a good friend of my dads had wanted to go out muskie fishing. This would be Todd's first outing for muskie and he had never caught one in his life. My goal that night was to get Todd his first muskie. The first area we hit up, we worked it consistently and gave it everything we had, but couldn't manage to raise any fish. We left the area and went to try a different spot. I have caught muskie on this spot before but didn't have total confidence being that it was newer to me. As we worked the adjacent edge I was almost about to pull up the trolling motor and Todd, said, "wait!" As I quick glanced over and looked, sure enough about 10ft out a muskie came up and smashed his bait. Wow was this thing mad! She was a really aggressive fish. We got her in the boat for a few pictures and a measure and Todd put her back in the water. There was no reviving needed by Todd, as she had taken off right away. Todd was extremely happy and I was too, congratulating him on his first muskie! 



Later on that evening I took him to an area where the bite was hot this year during the middle of summer. Within about 5 minutes, (not even kidding) the bite was on!! Todd had casted out and as he got his bait back to the boat a muskie had came from behind us, under the boat and smashed the bait in front of Todd's face!! The fight was on!! I saw her in the water and knew she was pushing the 50” mark. This fish did not want to get netted. It took several attempts as she kept diving under the boat and then would shoot back out. Finally I got her in the net and we ended up getting a measure on her. Wow, 49", what a beauty for a first time muskie fisherman. 
 

 
Congrats to both Todd and my dad for catching there first muskies ever!!

Posted by Kyle Stender. Posted In : Fishing 

 

GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!

August 27, 2009
I want to touch base, about a fish that I had caught just a few days ago August 25th.... 

A couple days ago I had the day off of work and was planning on hitting the water for the evening. I loaded up the boat and arrived to the lake early thinking I wanted to get a little fishing done before my dad would arrive. The plan was to take my dad out that evening to get him on his first muskie!! Well around 5 o'clock came around and the phone rang and it was my dad telling me how we wasn't going to be able to make it tonight because he had some work that he had to finish up at home. I thought to myself that there are always going to be plenty more opportunities to take him out before the season was over.

Later on, I had gotten a text message from Arron Eder, which is Nate's younger brother, he was looking for someone to go fishing with. I was already out and dad couldn't come so I said sure meet me at the access. After, picking up Arron and getting out to spot one, we had no such luck. We worked it pretty hard and slow thinking we should raise one, but never did. I told Arron we got plenty of time and a lot of spots to try yet. Arron and I packed up and headed to spot two, lone behold as we approached I had noticed, two other boats fairly close to where I wanted to fish. I didn't want to bother even trying with the other two guys there so I told Arron we will go back there before dark and try it. 

I then took Arron to spot three which wasn't to far from where we previously wanted to go. We worked around the outside edge and within about 15 minutes I said, Arron, I got one!! Arron, looked at me and I said, to grab the net and as he got the net both of us had seen it rise to the surface and both of our jaws suddenly dropped with amazement!! The fish was huge! I had gotten her closer to the boat and then she dove straight under the boat instantly peeling the 80lb line off of my saltwater reel. I had gotten her raised back up and then she took off from the boat. It seemed like a couple minutes where we had played cat and mouse. I had gotten her to come back in again and then suddenly she took off out again. I said, Arron, I'm going to get her right up by the boat and you net her. As I got her in position I told Arron, Take her! Take her! Arron with one swipe scooped her right up! Wow, as I looked in the net this thing was a true giant!! I knew it was at least a 50”. The back of the fish was just insanely thick and the belly was just bulging. This was a monster no doubt. When I reached down to get her out of the net it took a lot of energy just to get her into the boat for pictures. I got her up and Arron snapped a few shots of me and we got a quick measure on her and it measured in at 52 1/2”. 


 
This was by far one of the biggest fish that I have ever caught. I was amazed at how clean the fish was; not even a scratch on her. I put her back into the water and watched her swim away hoping the next time I would catch her, she would be 54”. 

After the release, my hands were shaking just in amazement and excitement. I have been talking and shooting the breeze with a few buddies the last two weeks, about how I need to get out of the mid 40's and did I ever!! It's the rush from a fish like that; that makes spending all the money and time pursuing muskies worth while. Wow, what a giant! I can officially say, I am now part of the 50” club, and then some. The fish of a lifetime, no doubt.

Posted by Kyle Stender. Posted In : Fishing 

 

2009 In Towne Marina Classic

August 19, 2009

What is the In Towne Marina Classic you might ask? Well I didn’t have a clue of what it was until I got my work schedule for the week and stapled to that was the rules for the Classic. Years ago the owners of In Towne Marina, Jim and Cindy Mase, would always put on a small fishing tournament for the employees of ITM. This year it made its return. With 4 employees, they decided to make it teams. 2 boats, and 2 guys per boat. To Kyle and I, the teams were obvious. It was going to be Kyle and I against Benny B from Trophy Encounters, and Travis Genz, the new kid working at the marina. This is going to be great Kyle and I thought! We knew that if we won, we could rub the victory in Trophy Encounters face! Haha! Originally the tourney was multi-species with size requirements and limited amount of fish per species. After talking it over between my teammate, we decided to void the whole “multi-species” deal and make it strictly a Muskie tournament. We ran the idea by Ben and Travis and had it changed over. We figured that we all claim to be such great muskie fishermen, lets really see if everyone is as big as they think they are. Our point system would be the same as the PMMT, and if we caught a bass, northern, or walleye fishing for ‘Skis, they would be considered bonus points.

As the days led up to the tournament, we were all getting anxious. Pre fishing was not panning out the greatest for any of us. We all saw fish, but getting them to eat was problematic for everyone. The weather forecast was not looking favorable for muskie fishing. Highs near 90 degrees with absolute zero wind and no clouds in sight. Well for once the weather man was actually right. Sitting at the counter before we hit the water I recall hearing Ben Brettingen saying “the only thing we’re going to catch today is a tan.”

Furthermore, it was almost 5 o'clock and it was time to hit the water. We looked up at the clock and it read 4:58. Time to put the boats in the water. It was off to the spot one!!! While we arrived at our spot we each put on the same style bait but with a different color variation. We were only out for 15 minutes and all we could say is Wow! It felt hot out there with a temp of 90 degrees and the sun shining down on you it felt more like the Sahara Desert than the lake. As we fished on and made one pass over spot one with no luck. It was time to check out spot two. As soon as we got to the spot I told Eric to put on a certain color and style of lure that has been good this year. I told him if you put that lure on with that certain color your going to catch a fish. Well long behold about 15 casts later Eric gets a few cranks with the handle and he had a muskie crush his bait. Eric, got it right up to the boat as I had the net in my hand reached down to swipe it up and she dove right under the boat. After Eric battled it for another minute or so he was able to get her back in position and without hesitation I had her in the net!!

Eric and I were so excited being that it was only 5:30 and a 1/2 hour into our tournament.  Quickly during our laughs it came to my mind that it had to be 40 inches for us to count it as points. Eric and I weren't sure we knew it was going to be a close one. Eric put her on the bump board and it measured an easy 41". Wow was that a close call I think we were even more happy knowing that it was over 40 than at first when Eric caught her. 



 


 
After releasing the fish I thought to myself whether or not we should keep working the area or hit up some new spots. Well I thought to myself why not. We still have time so we kept fishing the area. About a half hour later I was reeling in and I could see the lure coming towards the boat right at about 10 ft out I had a muskie come from right under the boat and smoke my lure boat side. While she was thrashing around by the boat I was yelling at Eric to grab the net! With a little bit of fighting and thrashing around Eric was able to successfully net her. What a rush! When I looked at the fish in the net I thought wow this is going to be another close one. I measured it out at 39". I was a little disappointed it didn't qualify but, I still was extremely happy that we boated another fish. I told Eric that if that fish would of qualified we could just as well go back in because we would of already won. 

We fished the rest of the night but weren't able to hook up with anymore fish. Both of us were happy to boat a few muskies that night considering the weather conditions. At the end of the night we received a check and the bragging rights for the year. We couldn't of been any happier!

 
 
 

Posted by Eric Wolf and Kyle Stender. Posted In : Fishing 

 
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