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What we’re reeling in this week:

• The fish of 10,000 casts 🎣 

• Spongy moths 🦋 

• Storm drain trophy 🐟

The Fish of 10,000 Casts

Most anyone who’s held a rod in Wisconsin has, at some point, caught a fish.

Perhaps it was a tasty little pan fish, like a bluegill. Get out the frying pan, Sheryl!

Or maybe they went trolling and caught a walleye. The king of Friday fish fry!

Or even caught a bottle bass, like Uncle Joe! Wait, why is he suddenly buzzed…

…But a muskie? The fish of 10,000 casts? That’s as rare as finding an untapped keg at a tailgate!

But alas, Wisconsin is known around the world for muskie fishing, drawing in tens of thousands of anglers each year in hopes of hookin’ into one of these sea monsters.

Muskies

• The largest member of the Pike family

• Official state fish of Wisconsin

• Interest peaks every fall and Wisconsin totally dominates the nationwide stats

So what’s considered a ‘trophy’ Muskellunge?

Though the average musky is anywhere from 30 to 40 ish inches and weighs 20 to 30 lbs, the real dandies can exceed 60+ inches and 65 lbs!

Indeed, the state record here in Wisconsin is 63.5 inches and 69 lbs.

But for the typical angler, anything over 50 inches is considered a trophy.

Musky are ambush predators, taking place of apex predator in any body of water they swim.

Though fish is their normal fare, they won’t pass up the chance to gobble down the occasional, muskrat, frog, or even duck.

What’s the difference between a Northern Pike and a Muskellunge? Muskies are generally larger, and have dark spots or stripes on light bodies, while pike have light stripes on dark bodies.

The one that got away…

Called muskies or muskellunge—but to many, it’s the fish that got away.

The first documented muskie catch dates way back to 1838, when fur traders hooked one on Lake Winnebago.

In 1908, the DNR started stocking muskies around the state’s lakes and rivers. By 1920, anglers from all over the place started making the pilgrimage to Wisconsin, the muskie mecca.

Arguably the most sought after trophy fish in Wisconsin, it was named the official state fish in 1955, and has brought in millions of dollars in tourism to the state.

Why are ‘Wi’ famous for Muskies?

First, muskies need cold-water climates, with water temps between 55 and 75 degrees. Like Goldilocks’ porridge, our lakes and rivers are just right.

Secondly, Wisconsin waters have ample weed beds and rocky points, which make great hunting grounds for the muskie.

And finally, we’re all crazy about muskies. An entire industry has been built around musky fishing, which has helped fund some of the best musky management programs in the world (as well as plenty of resources for anglers).

Where to go? Bay of Green Bay, Lake Winnebago, Lake Red Cliff, Lake Wisconsin, Chippewa Flowage are the famous spots, but you never know where you’ll catch a musky.

Though you can eat musky, they’re typically ‘catch and release,’ which is done either by casting giant musky baits or trolling.

Be sure to check the regulations, as well as these epic musky events!

• National Championship Musky Open | AUGUST 17 - AUGUST 20 | Eagle River, Wisconsin | The largest musky fishing tournament in the world

• Hodag Musky Challenge | September 22-24 | Rhinelander, WI | The oldest musky fishing tournaments in the country

• Boulder Junction’s Musky Jamboree | August 11th-13th | Boulder Junction, WI

Now get out ‘der!

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Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

Well folks, turns out only 32% of the readers have hiked a portion of the North Country Trail. Be sure to check it out!

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

🐛 Spongebob Mothpants: The Spongy Moth, an invasive caterpillar that chews up leaves faster than a beaver eatin’ corn on the cob, is appearing in Wisconsin’s forests in record numbers this year. Researchers worry as the insect can strip entire trees of their leaves, and large areas of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest have already been invaded. Learn more here.

🔥 Get Out Me Swamps: First in the trees and now in the seas, invasive species are thriving in Wisconsin. If you’d like to help clean up unwelcome critters from our lakes, you can join the DNR on August 19th to weed out Aquatic Invasive Species at your most convenient site between 234 locations across the state. Sign up here.

🐟 Big Fish in a Small Pond: If you haven’t caught a big fish yet this season, you might just be looking in the wrong places. A Wisconsin fisherman caught an absolute whopper of a Chinook Salmon in a storm drain this month. So next time there is rain in the forecast, whip out the ol’ Ugly Stik and find your nearest neighborhood creek and you might just get lucky. Watch the vid! 

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Meme of the Week 😂

A review from the trail… Oh just you wait for our Top Cheese Curds edition