Anybody attend the Muskie Expo?

Anybody attend the Muskie Expo at the State Fair Grounds? If so, was it a better layout than in years past?

I went. The layout was about the same. I don’t go every year though so I can’t compare it to every year in the past.

The highlight was definitely seeing the new state record from Mille Lacs caught in November. LAX did the mount and it was near his booth.

gimruis wrote:

The highlight was definitely seeing the new state record from Mille Lacs caught in November. LAX did the mount and it was near his booth.

Would love to see that pig.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Would love to see that pig.

I should have taken a photo of it. Darn it

Made it this year, I thought it was good. I have not been since it was in Blaine. LAX did a great job on the State Record! My wife looked at it and said “that’s it, I thought it would be bigger”? Best laugh of the day for sure!

I went with my son. I don’t think there was as many vendors as years past. But there was plenty to justify the trip. Like years in the past, kids get to make some lures to take home. This year they let him make one of each (three total) and that covered the cost of admission. I saw the mounts by didn’t get time to enjoy them. By the time we pass them he was ready to go. The one thing I didn’t like about the layout was the long walk around before you could get into the area where the vendors were. It helps to check things out before buying. I bought 2 lures at one place to go a little farther down to see another place selling the same lure as buy 2 get one free. In the past I did some shopping around only to come back to the first place and notice there were sold out so…

I went…and quickly realized how gullible I am. Rubber baits for $70? Didn’t bat an eye.

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Attended for the first time in 3 years, I liked this venue better, felt like it had a lot more room to move around in the aisles. My kids had a blast with all the activities for them which meant less time for shopping for me (probably a good thing). The lure making area is great as it really gives the kids a great way to get involved. My 2 youngest got to make their own baits for the first time. The fish pic is with my oldest and the fish she caught on her bait made at the expo a few years back, so awesome for her to catch one on a bait that she painted!

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BrianF wrote:

Rubber baits

Hey Bryan what is that thing called? I’m suddenly interested lol

Tony Hanson wrote:

The fish pic is with my oldest and the fish she caught on her bait made at the expo a few years back, so awesome for her to catch one on a bait that she painted!

Bet she was dang proud of that!

BrianF wrote:

I went…and quickly realized how gullible I am. Rubber baits for $70? Didn’t bat an eye.

Who is that bait made by? Looks like a shadzilla but not.

gimruis wrote:

Hey Bryan what is that thing called? I’m suddenly interested lol

Musky Innovations – Swimmin’ Dawg? but that is only $29

Swimmin’ Dawgs

Musky guys: Oh, what, that lure is only $15, what a steal, maybe I should but 2.

Walleye guys: What kind of highway robbery is this, $8 for a crank bait.

Rodwork wrote:

Musky Innovations – Swimmin’ Dawg? but that is only $29

Pretty close but I don’t think that’s it.

My lord that is huge

yes, it’s the new Monster Swimmin Dawg by Musky Innovations

and here is the new MN state record.
– replica
– skin mount

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Michael C. Winther wrote:

and here is the new MN state record.
– replica
– skin mount

Nice. That’s what I should have done too. The Mille Lacs Monarch

Who is that bait made by? Looks like a shadzilla but not.
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Yes, monster swimmin’ dawg by Musky Innovations.

While out of my mind, I picked up a Ultra Bull Dawg too. I believe ‘Ultra’ is derived from a Latin word meaning ‘you need this as much as another hole in the head’.

I also picked up a bunch of lures this year but went the opposite direction with smaller and lighter. Something my son can toss with the 6’-6” rod I am making him. I don’t want all of those hooks flying by my head.

Harson, what rod did your daughter use for when she got her muskie?

Rodwork wrote:

I also picked up a bunch of lures this year but went the opposite direction with smaller and lighter. Something my son can toss with the 6’-6” rod I am making him. I don’t want all of those hooks flying by my head.

Harson, what rod did your daughter use for when she got her muskie?

My friend modified an older St. Croix to fit her by shortening the handle. I can’t remember the exact specs but it is roughly a 7′ rod, I would say about like a medium-heavy to heavy bass rod with more of a moderate action and a bass sized Shimano baitcaster. Spooled up w/ 50 lb. braid it worked very well for her to cast smaller muskie baits. I actually use it myself sometimes to throw larger swimbaits for walleyes and it performs well for that.

I’m thinking of building something like you’ve mentioned above for the younger kids so that they can use their baits too and think that the 6’6″ would be ideal for length, but will probably be a spinning rig as they aren’t quite ready for the baitcaster.

I am going to make this a spinning rod, 6’6,” with a longer handle. I found that the longer handle made a big difference with the amount of leverage they can apply pulling the fish in. He just doesn’t have the wrist strength. Here is the 1st fish he caught on that 5’ bass rod with the lure me made together. I want to say I put a 10″-12″ handle on it.

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gimruis wrote:

The Mille Lacs Monarch

Its a bummer that fish didnt survive but its great to see the record finally and officially be broken. We all know that fish eclipsing the record have been caught many times over, but they were released. Unfortunately for this big girl the battle was too much and this lucky fella has the record.

Rodwork wrote:

I am going to make this a spinning rod, 6’6,” with a longer handle. I found that the longer handle made a big difference with the amount of leverage they can apply pulling the fish in. He just doesn’t have the wrist strength. Here is the 1st fish he caught on that 5’ <em class=”ido-tag-em”>bass rod with the lure me made together. I want to say I put a 10″-12″ handle on it.

That’s a great fish and pic! I like the idea of a bit longer handle on the spinning rod to give the kids more leverage, will definitely look into that on the builds for my younger kids.

Just for reference, the WI replica record muskie.

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Rodwork wrote:

Just for reference, the WI replica record muskie.

At least we know the ML one was real.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Its a bummer that fish didnt survive but its great to see the record finally and officially be broken. We all know that fish eclipsing the record have been caught many times over, but they were released. Unfortunately for this big girl the battle was too much and this lucky fella has the record.

Totally. I don’t think any serious muskie angler goes into it with the mindset “I’m going to catch a large fish and keep it for a skin mount” anymore with the replicas that can be made. I know I don’t. Now, if you do catch one and the fish is deep hooked or simply doesn’t make it because its too warm out, that’s an unfortunate result. Getting a skin mount then makes sense, especially if its the state record.

I mentioned this after the fish was caught, but I think at some point a fish this big was caught out of Mille Lacs over the years. We will never know for sure, because all of the previous behemoths were released. Its seems to occur every fall out there during the cisco spawn.

gimruis wrote:

I mentioned this after the fish was caught, but I think at some point a fish this big was caught out of Mille Lacs over the years. We will never know for sure, because all of the previous behemoths were released. Its seems to occur every fall out there during the cisco spawn.

There was one dude that caught a monster 2 years in a row almost the same day during the full moon phase I believe it was in October. They were both massive. I think the one had a girth over 30″.