Northwest Fishing Reports

I would like to extend our congratulations to our Finalists this year who are in the National, Muskies, Inc., Hybrid, "Lunge Log".

Washington State was well represented in 2010 by Muskies, Inc. Members from both Chapters 57 and 60.

*10 of the top 25 "Longest Hybrid Releases" for 2010 Nationally came from Washington State! Great job to you all!

Mike F., From Chapter 57 took multiple positions within the standings in 2010. Mike, took the # 1 position with his 49 inch Tiger released from Lake Tapps in early May. Mike, also had a 47 inch release from Lake Tapps good for the # 5 position. One more time!...LOL... Mike, also took the #22 position with a 45 inch Merwin Res. release...

Congrats Mike... What a fantastic effort for the year! I do believe Mike also set a new "personal best" for the number of Tigers he caught over 30 inches this year... I lost count!...LOL I guess as the old saying goes..."if you want to catch fish you have to spend some time on the water"... great job Mike.

Ed. H, of Chapter 60, took the #3 position with another 49 inch Tiger!... *The positions here are determined by fish length and the date of which the fish was caught... Mike released his in May, and Ed released his in September on Lake Curlew.

The #8 position went to Mike H., of Chapter 57, with a 47 inch Merwin Res. beaut! I actually had the honor of being the "net man" for this fish. Great day of fishing indeed!

The #14 position went to Alisha G., of Chapter 60, with a 46 inch Lake Newman Tiger. Another beautiful "Eastside" fish.

John F., Chapter 57, Mike's son, released our position #15 Tiger in the "Lunge Log" for 2010 with a 46 inch fish from Merwin Res.

Jordan M., from Chapter 60, took our #17 position with a 46 inch Tiger from Silver Lake.

The #19 position was taken with a 45 inch Tiger release by Herb Z., also of Chapter 60. The fish was released back into Newman lake.

The #20 position was a fat 45 inch Tiger release on Merwin Res. by Chapter 57 Member Dan F.

What a year! Our congratulations go out to you all. I hope everyone reading this realizes just what a great "Tiger" Fishery we have here in Washington State. Our waters, and our Tigers, are very precious resources. Please help support the WDFW, and the Tiger Muskie Program, anyway that you can. This is truly is a tremendous fishery... I hope to see you all at the Sportsman's Show this year at the end of January. If you have any questions about Muskies, Inc., Tiger Muskies etc... Please stop by our booth to ask questions and check out our pictures. Let's go 2011!

bad esox wrote:*The positions here are determined by fish length and the date of which the fish was caught...

This is not the way it is being sorted bad esox. If it were, we (Chapter 57 & 60) would have 12 of the top 25 for 2010. Both of my 44" fish were caught between the two bottom listings, date wise..... I think they go first by length, then by ? I thought it was by Alphabetical, but that isn't the case either or Jeff wouldn't be on top. There really is no rime or reason other than length as far as placement on the list....... OR, they don't use the exact same search parameters each time they put the listing up? Not sure......

Either way, congratulations for sure on a lot of fine fish caught this season! Lets see Washington State DOMINATE the listing again in 2011!!!!

I could be wrong Doug, but I thought it all depended on who has been a member longer... if there is a tie the newer member is bumped down.

Doesn't seem to go that way either..... Look at the membership numbers.....Either way, Washington dominated the list, and that is great! It is a tribute to what Washington is doing with the tiger muskie fishery! We need to make WDFW aware of that. Hopefully that will help us gain support for future stocking. Help them to realize this could be a destination for those that want to harvest a nice tiger!

Hi Guys: The National Lunge Log is posted by Length first, then date. But the date you send it in counts, too. Doug, if you sent yours in between those last 2 postings, then I suggest you give Jim Bunch an email and ask him about it. Are you sure you made the deadline for each fish? They are very careful about that. 30 days from the when the fish is caught is the time frame. No exceptions. They have to do it that way; there are way too many fish posted each year to not have some guidelines that encourage anglers to get them in on time. We have the same time limit for Chapter #57 entries.
Jim does a wonderful job with so many entries, but even he could make a mistake. When you submit a fish, you receive a Fish I.D. number. Send him that and see what he says.

A little additional info for those of you who do not get the monthly magazine:
Longest Muskie, Men's Division: Ken M. Chapter # 15, on Lake Vermillion, MN. 58.5 INCHES!!!l
Women's: Michelle K. Chapter 47, Lake St. Clair, Ontario: 55 INCHES!!
Juniors: David J. Chapter 21, Mille Lacs, MN. 57 INCHES!!

These are purebred muskies, not tiger, btw.

KUP,

Both of my muskies were entered on the same day they were caught. Only one of which would bump the lower 44" muskie off the list. The first 44" was caught before my 2.

It doesn't really matter to me if they are on there or not, but it does make our chapters stand out a little better if they are up there. I really think next year, Chapter 57 and 60 will have more than half the hybrids listed! Most of Chapter 60 did not fish for tigers until mid summer, including myself. Those of us here in the great NW KNOW we have some fine fish to be caught in our muskie waters. Let's get out there and show the MI membership that we KNOW muskies out here! We may not have 22 muskies per acre like NM, but we have some very high quality tigers to be caught. I believe Curlew and Silver have the potential to both produce a 50"+ fish this year, if not more than one! Let see that they do by doing our part in getting out there and catching them! We can then see if we can enter them in multiple years entry into the Lunge Log by putting them back! They are out there Chapter 57 & 60. Lets catch them!

Along those same lines, I think our Chapters both need to figure out a way to nudge the state into a Catch and release method of verifying a new state record. There is no reason to have to kill such a magnificent fish! Not sure exactly how to reach this goal yet. Any suggestions?

dougw wrote: Along those same lines, I think our Chapters both need to figure out a way to nudge the state into a Catch and release method of verifying a new state record. There is no reason to have to kill such a magnificent fish! Not sure exactly how to reach this goal yet. Any suggestions?

Well first things first is making sure the State Record keeping isn't cut off completely. (I've just heard this through talking to people. I don't know for sure that there is talk of this.) And yes, I agree Doug. It would be nice to have a CPR Record system for the Tiger Muskie.

Hey Guys & Gals,

Yes, it is true that not all "Tigers" are entered on the National, Muskies, Inc. "Lunge Log"... and it is also true that it is up too the Angler to get all their information in on time etc... if they want their fish on this Lunge Log... The rules are pretty clear, and pretty strict, for good reason... there would be pure chaos without clear communication and clarification of the rules.

As for the Lunge Log next year etc... You guys better not forget Chapter 59! There are more Tiger Muskies, per acre, in New Mexico by far than there are here in Washington! I will have to contact the Chapter Pres. down there and see what they are up to...or maybe I shouldn't...LOL... Good Luck to all on their National, Muskies, Inc., Lunge Log personal endeavors for 2011.

Doug you are correct; "there is no reason to kill such a magnificent fish". Most people don't care enough to search for the facts of the issues they talk about with such great concern and thus we are stuck with what we have regarding rules and regulations.

My personal opinion is that the facts here would probably dictate that the rules concerning "State Records" etc... are antiquated. This particular fish serves a dual purpose for the Washington State Angler. It feeds primarily on rough-fish, such as Northern-Pikie Minnow...AKA: Squawfish, which hinder other more desirable spices such as Rainbow Trout and Kokanee from flourishing in our waterways. The Tiger Muskie, is a sterile fish so their population is controllable by the WDFW and they also provide a wonderful trophy fishery...50 plus inch fish!

Records are only moments held in time that we create for our own concern etc... Why? I guess so one can be a "Hero", and live in that moment until the next so called record comes along... and so on... Ahhh, but then my friend a Tiger Muskie "release" is something that can be remembered in your own mind forever... I personally vote for the later...CPR

Records are meant to be broken and Tigers are meant to be tamed.