Minnesota Muskie

Renter Resources For Emergency Services That Might Help With Rent

In today’s economic environment, tenants are feeling the pain of a recession as well-or even more-than the rest of the population. This might mean their job loss or lesser wages. It is hard to pay the rent without an income. Therefore, as a landlord, your consider learning about and sharing resources with your tenants that provide emergency services in the Twin Cities. I have put together a few ideas on services/programs that might be able to help with food, utilities and even the rent. Besides the greater possibility and likelihood of getting your rent, you are being a friend and showing that you care. What goes around comes around.

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2012 is going to be a year of change in the residential market

My phone has been ringing off the hook with buyers and sellers getting ready to “get ready”. I hope it continues! Let me tell you that the sentiment may have turned. If I can help you, and you’ve been on the fence, the time is now. One of my resources that I follow is Alex Charfen from the CDPE Institute. Watch what he has to say about some MAJOR money entering into the residential marketplace:

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Kung Hei Fat Choy

Happy Chinese New Year-Officially on January 23rd. Some of my family members are from China. We often will celebrate Chinese New Year with a tremendous meal and good company. This is the year of the Dragon. 2012 is going to be an exciting year-count on it! I hope it is your best.

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In the middle of the Winter we all need some “Summer Madness”

I could listen to this song over and over. It has nothing to do with real estate or mortgage-but what the heck-it’s a great tune. Sit back and enjoy!

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Something to think about starting the New Year

This video was sent to me today. I wanted to share it because I believe it is powerful. The meaning is up for your interpretation, as is(are) the message(s). Best wishes for a wonderful 2012.

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Certificates Of Rent Paid – 2011

Don’t forget to give your tenants their CRP’s by the end of January 2012. If you are a tenant, don’t forget to ask. These are useful to a tenant that qualifies for a tax deduction.

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Happy Holidays from Minnesota-See the Flash Mob at Carlson School

This is simply awesome-watch and enjoy! May 2012 be your best year yet. I know it will be exciting!

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2012-will it be just another year or is it YOUR year of transition?

I recently gave a Toastmasters speech on this topic. Key to answering the question is whether or not you have written goals in mind regarding what you want or intend to accomplish. Unless there are specific goals that require you to plan and live with a purpose and focus, life will just happen. Either way is fine as long as you know what to expect. Many people are frustrated when they expect something different. Mastering time and focusing on goals may more create a more fulfilling life. Soon, I will begin my annual project of goal setting. I intend to plan my year with measurable goals. I find I’m much happier when I’m focused on where I’m going. As such, I just came across this PDF called The Tower. I thought it was interesting and wanted to share it here. It is a short e-book about a man who is achieving his goals and living the dream. He’s living life on his terms and creating a legacy. He became more focused after he analyzed a video game he was playing. It is a pretty interesting book. Maybe one of your goals involves real estate-buying a new home or investment property. If this is a goal of yours, I can help. Give me a call and let me help you figure out how we can make real estate goals become your reality in 2012.

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Short Sales Vs Foreclosures Vs Traditional sales

We need to understand that while the current economy is really a “Tale Of Two Cities” in that some people have no idea we are in a recession whereas others are in deep pain, the real estate market as a whole is being impacted by distressed properties. Based on the current backlog of homes, it may be this way for some time. That being said, why are short sales being embraced by everyone as the most economical way to move markets forward? When you look at a comparison of the loss incurred by the lender, you will see that losses are generally worse with a foreclosure. Larger losses via lower sales prices ultimately impacts everyone who is buying, selling or refinancing. I have a report and flyer I’d like to share. Both provide you with opinions and resources so you can draw your own conclusions. Solving the housing problem starts with understanding the problem as well as exploring viable solutions.

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Thanks To Veterans-We’re All Free

11-11-11 Veteran’s Day-We owe you guys/gals a lot. Thanks for your service & dedication!

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HUD Home Tips

Recently, a representative from Best Assets came to speak in Minnesota about how they are handling the disposition of HUD homes in conjunction with the asset managers, agents, and the website http://www.HUDHomeStore.com . The process of buying and selling a HUD home is very similar to that of “traditional transactions”, but there are some small differences and nuances. I have attached a sheet that covers some of items that you should be aware of.

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Minnesota HUD Homes

Most properties that become lender owned are generally available through our online MLS. HUD homes are listed in our online MLS as well. That being said, HUD maintains a site at http://www.HUDhomeStore.com that lists all their properties for all states and provides you a lot more information about specific homes. I would encourage you to go there and see what is available. As an agent, I am able to show and help you purchase a HUD home. Just let me know what you’d like to view. I can set up a specific search for you within our Online MLS and see that listings that meet your parameters are emailed to you daily. Attached you will see that process that occurs once you’ve purchased a HUD home. It will provide you with a flow chart so you know what happens. Did you know that HUD allows you to put $100 down on a full price purchase offer of a HUD home utilizing FHA financing? These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time. Keep up to date at http://www.HUDhomestore.com

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Expanded HARP Mortgage Refinance Option-Available Soon!

Today, the government expanded the HARP program and qualifications. Attached is the news release. Qualifying for a new loan to lower your rate may now be a possibility even if you are upside down-ie underwater on your loan. Terms/conditions always apply-see the release and call me if you think you fit the parameters. We can take it from there.

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VA-Veteran Loans Funding Fee & FHA Maximum Mortgage Changes

Starting October 1st, 2011, the maximum FHA loan limit for single family loans is being lowered from $365K in the Twin Cities to $318,550. See the attached form. This is not a good thing, but reflects the reality of declining value of much of the real estate. Unfortunately, underwriting of all loans continues to tighten. On a positive note, the VA funding fee is being lowered. This would be due to less losses and a lesser need to collect as much insurance premium to protect against defaults. So, the question I have pondered is: Why are VA loans-typically financed at 100% loan to value-not experiencing the same loss ratios as other mortgage programs. VA 100% financing has been around forever. It works-and well. The problem of our mortgage crisis is not the loan to value or a required minimum down payment or tighter underwriting as some would have you believe. Imagine all the new homeowners if we actually took what we’ve learned from decades of underwriting VA loans and applied it to a new “stimulus mortgage program”. Instead, we are becoming a nation of renters. Somebody in congress needs to talk to the people who have their boots on the street for real solutions to our mortgage and real estate problems.

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Using A Reverse Mortgage To Purchase

With some of the major lenders leaving the reverse mortgage business-possibly just on a temporary basis-you might find it more difficult to find a lender offering the program. At the same time, it is worth your time to look. If you are 62 years old and have approximately 50% equity in a home, you can obtain a reverse mortgage. You can use this loan for a purchase as well. So, if you put down 50% of the value of the home, you can obtain a reverse mortgage. Remember, the reverse mortgage doesn’t have a monthly payment associated with it. While you are still responsible for the taxes and insurance, you pay off your loan when you sell the home. The attached PDF will give you some examples of how much is required to buy a home using a reverse mortgage at various age groups. This is a unique opportunity for seniors to consider, especially if they are on a fixed income.

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An Economic Blog/Resource For You

I just found this blog at http://www.CalculatedRiskBlog.com It is a cool economic blog. Go there and read articles to see what is happening in the world. Then, go to the graphs gallery. Simply amazing. It is worth your time if you want a macro view of the world and environment in which we live today.

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What’s happening in the Twin Cities Real Estate market?

Are you wondering what’s happening out there? Well I have my “boots on the street”. Here is where I see it and where I see it going in the short term. Overall, sales are slow, but not dead. We are now in the fall market. In as early as 30 days, we could have snow on the ground. Then, you have Thanksgiving and all of the other holidays. Combine all these events and this tends to be the slowest time of the year. This means it will likely get slower over the next 90 days for traditional home sales. I’ll keep you posted about the Spring market when we get there. That being said, I am keeping very busy-thankfully!. Many of my transactions today are involving investors. The deals are just too good to pass up. I would be happy to show you what I mean and give you actual examples involving investor transactions I’ve been involved with. If you believe that values will increase in the future, now represents the best buying opportunity I have seen in my 26 years. Is it all uphill from here? Absolutely not! In fact, depending on the community and property type, it might get worse before it gets better. Yet, if you are a long term investor, purchasing for the long term, this is a golden opportunity. Interest rates are at 50 year lows, the banks will soon have to do something with their inventory of properties. Banks are actually accelerating their foreclosure procedures. This means more homes will be available for sale or even possibly for rent. The government is thinking about solutions-so we’ll have to stay tuned. Will they become landlords? Will they raise the LTV loan limits for underwater mortgage refinance opportunities and expand eligibility beyond Fannie and Freddie loans? Will there be write downs of principal and equity sharing going forward for existing underwater homeowners? These are all ideas being talked about. Stay tuned for more!!

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Amazing Video-Wouldn’t Believe It If I hadn’t Viewed The Video

Amazing message-mortal enemies can get along! What an example for the rest of us!

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Great Cartoon from 1948

Human beings are human beings. Only the names change. When we refuse to understand history, psychology, and human nature we end up repeating mistakes that could be avoided. Re-learning lessons is getting mighty expensive. Definitely worth watching.

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VA financing their foreclosed properties for Investors

This is pretty exciting.  It is a way that investors can buy VA foreclosed homes with VA loans.  I personally have not participated in this yet, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew that it was an option and might be available.  See the flyer for more info

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Foreclosed Homes Might Be Turned Into Rental Homes

Soon, the government will be announcing their plans for upwards of 250K homes that are owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD. It is possible that they are going to be turning them into a pool of rentals and sell them later as the market improves. How this will be managed or created is anyone’s guess. Watch the FHFA- Federal Housing Finance Agency for more information. On the one hand, it will allow for revenue to be generated from an asset that is vacant. It also allows for inventory control which might mitigate price declines. We’ll have to wait and see.

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Temple Bay Lodge-Canada

I just got back from a family trip to Temple Bay http://www.TempleBay.com . It was a wonderful trip and highly recommended to any and all fisherman. You WON’T be disappointed. I have to share two crazy Muskie stories. First, my son caught two muskies. Sure they were little-see the picture-but he was excited. He is telling everyone that he caught Two Muskies. Boy is he proud. Now for my stories. Jigging for Walleye, I got a strike at about 30ft over a sunken island. My line wasn’t moving. The fish was on the bottom and in control. After about 5 minutes of being pulled every which way, the pressure in my line was off and I was able to reel in the fish. Turns out it was a mangled Northern. See the pic below. A big huge Muskie nailed the Northern and finally spit him out-dead. Can you imagine the size? Then ten minutes later my wife was reeling in a 14-20″ Walleye when another Muskie-which looked like it was all of 30 lbs came out of nowhere and hit the Walleye, took the fish and broke her line. Five minutes after that my son had one hit his as well. I threw a Bulldog, Big Jake, huge Daredevil and Bucktail, but couldn’t get one to hit. A day later, we went back and trolled the sunken island at 8:30 at night. Well, after ten minutes, we got a strike on Big Jake, but he hit it from the top. You can see the dents from the strike. His mouth perfectly missed the hooks. He came to the surface, out of the water and shook his head. That was it. We stayed another 10 minutes, then had to leave because it was almost dark and I had a 20 minute boat ride back to the lodge. We’ll definitely go back and try it again. Next time we’ll get them.

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Real Estate Investment Opportunities within the Twin Cities

To better serve the needs of real estate investors in Minneapolis & St Paul as well as surrounding areas within the Twin Cities, I have recently earned the Certified Investor Agent Specialist™ (CIAS) Designation. With the CIAS, I have the training, tools and calculations to effectively serve the five investor types: First-Time Investor, Move-Up Investor, Portfolio Investor, Performance Investor, and Rehab and Resell Investor.

Real estate represents a consistent and stable way to build wealth, brings liquidity to our housing market, and stimulates our local economy. In fact, in the past year, investment and second-home properties represented approximately 27% of all residential sales. It’s also worth noting that nationwide, 43% of real estate investors earned less than $75,000 per year.

Today, real estate is quite literally on sale! There is an unprecedented opportunity to build wealth through real estate, and I specialize in helping all investors achieve their goals.

Contact me today at 952-929-2577 to learn more about investing in real estate.

In my 26 years of real estate sales, I can tell you the values are extreme. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Now is the time to purchase real estate.

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Twin Cities Fence Requirements

Recently a client purchased a home and was contemplating installing a fence. They found this link. While it is an advertisement for a fence company, they have PDF’s of each cities respective fence codes http://www.tcfence.com/city-codes

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Minnesota Foreclosure Activity-monthly report from Realty Trac

The report provided shows statistics and information both nationally and locally here in Minnesota. I have access to additional information and reports that will help add clarity to the news stories you are hearing. Things are tough, but not the same everywhere. Call me for my detailed opinion on where we might be headed.

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Short Sales, Foreclosures, Bankruptcies, Judgements All in one Transaction

I just had a short sale blow up because of undisclosed tax liens and judgements. The title couldn’t be cleared and we ended up with a mess. Everyone involved has to dismantle and start over again. I couldn’t help but be disappointed. But, in today’s real estate world this is common. It is all about attitude. When life throws you lemons, learn to make lemonade. Yes, it is more complicated than that. Take a look at this video and share it with someone who may have had a set back. It is really powerful and inspirational

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First Time Buyer Down Payment Assistance-Now In Minnetonka

See the guidelines about this new program for Minnetonka. These programs exist in other communities as well. I will help you find programs-just like this-in other communities within the Twin Cities. NOW is the time to take advantage of these programs. If lack of a down payment has held you back, now is the time to take a look at these special programs. WelcometoMtkaguidelines.doc

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How To Find Money To Buy A Home

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So You Think You Want To Fix & Flip Homes

Follow some of the tips in this video so you don’t get financially destroyed. It is harder than you think!

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Why Use A Realtor?

Today, more than ever, you don’t want to buy or sell a home on your own. You need an expert. Let my 25 years of experience help you make the right decision.

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Twin Cities Real Estate-Investment Property In Minneapolis St Paul

This is a recent power point I’ve just put together. It gives you some ideas and information before you begin investing in real estate.

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Learn More About 203K Loans For Home Fix Up Upon A Purchase As Well As Home Improvement

These guys do a pretty good job of explaining the process. Check it out. WE do have outlets for the 203K loans at this time-both streamline and FULL 203K loans. Call us today-952-285-4319 NMLS #373115 Venture Development http://www.VentureLoanApp.com

203k Home Improvement Loans Part 2 of 2

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Funny Video That Explains The Banking System & Our Economy Of Today

You will find it funny, you will find it sad, but you will find it very similar to where we are today. It is called the American Dream. It explains a lot. Watch it once, then watch it again. History repeats itself because we are such poor students of history.

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Insured Conventional Loan Vs FHA-Which Is Better

There are many factors that go into a loan decision-credit scores, down payment, debt ratios, etc. One big question is whether you should consider buying a home with an insured conventional loan using 5% down or applying for an FHA loan with 3.5% down. The information below might make that decision easier. In fact, if FHA continues to raise the cost of their monthly mortgage insurance-known as MIP-the decision may start to favor conventional loans with PMI-private mortgage insurance. Remember, everyone’s situation is different. This information just gives you one more way to look at financing your purchase.

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How Does RE/MAX Compare? Let’s look at 2011

The numbers are now out! RE/MAX is a top producing company. In many markets, RE/MAX is the leader-often head and shoulders above the competition. I have been with RE/MAX for 16 years. Prior to that, I was with another large company for 10 years. Before you select an agent, interview a RE/MAX agent. I think you will agree that there is a difference. If you’re in the Twin Cities Metro-consider my services.

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Twin Cities Market Report 2010

Have you ever wished you had all the metrics of the marketplace in once nice concise report? Well now you do. Our board of Realtors compiles an annual report showing comparative data. While each home is different, pricing trends are trends. The data since the end of 2010 going into 2011 has gotten worse. If you’d like me help you interpret the information as it might pertain to your home sale or potential home purchase, just let me know. Enjoy the report.

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Underwater Homeowner Refinance Programs Extended For 1 More Year

FHFA Extends Refinance Program By One Year

Washington, DC — Federal Housing Finance Agency Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco has announced an extension of the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), a refinancing program administered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to June 30, 2012. The program was set to expire on June 30 of this year. In addition, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will make the following adjustments to their programs: Freddie Mac will exempt HARP loans from their recently announced price adjustments and Fannie Mae will conform their eligibility date to May 2009.

The program expands access to refinancing for qualified individuals and families whose homes have lost value. HARP has grown over the past year. In 2010, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or guaranteed more than 6.8 million refinanced mortgages. Of this total, 621,803 were HARP refinances with LTVs between 80 percent and 125 percent. This is up from 190,180 in 2009, when HARP began.

For more information on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac refinance activity, see FHFA’s Fourth Quarter 2010 Foreclosure Prevention & Refinance Report. Additionally, homeowners can visit www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov for more information on the program.

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks. These government-sponsored enterprises provide more than $5.9 trillion in funding for the U.S. mortgage markets and financial institutions.

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WHY Pick RE/MAX?

There are lots of reasons why you might choose to select one agent or company vs another. Unless you have a best friend or relative who you “have” to use, I would like to show you how I am different. I believe I have an excellent value proposition as to why you would select me as your agent and RE/MAX as your company. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how I can help you meet your housing goals-whether it be buying or selling. Interview a couple of agents, you will see there is a difference. You may wonder how does RE/MAX stack up within the Twin Cities. The attached PDF’s will give you some market share information as well as agent productivity-based on a 2010 compilation of the numbers. While these are just some of the metrics on which to base your decision, success does leave clues. How can I help you?

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Down Payment Assistance Synopsis

Where there is a will, there is a way. There are many many programs today that are city specific. So, the attached synopsis is a multi county foreclosure down payment assistance pool. Basically, there is money available for purchasers of distressed homes. If you want to buy a home and are flexible in which area you make your purchase, we can try to find you some programs.

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Gifts and Grants can be considered towards borrowers funds on certain 3% down conventional loans

Yes, you read that right. I just got an email today from a leading mortgage insurance company that is willing to underwrite this loan. You will need at 740 or better score. But, what an opportunity. In many ways, this is like FHA, but with a little higher credit threshold. The KEY difference, besides credit score, is the lack of an upfront MI (mortgage insurance) premium and as well as a smaller required monthly premium. This product could be a game changer for the MI company and conventional loans.

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Purchase 80/10/10 and 80/5/15 STILL exists

As of this post, the 80/10/10 and 80/5/15 can still be done. While underwriting has allowed it, it has been very difficult to find a second mortgage product that would write a 5 or 10% second mortgage. Well, after many phone calls, we have sourced two lenders who at this time are willing to offer the second mortgage. One is a bank and the other is a credit union. As with EVERY program, the rules can and do change at any given moment. The key to both product is extremely high credit scores and a file that utilizes conservative ratios. If you don’t have at least a 700 score, this might not be something you can utilize at this time. For the 80/10/10, you will need a 740 or better score.

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What Is Your Home Worth Today?

I found a cool resource at http://www.FHFA.gov. If you go there, in the middle of the page you will find something called the Home Price Calculator. You input your home purchase information in terms of State, quarter in which you purchased and the quarter in which you’d like to get the valuation. Next, you hit calculate, and it will show you a chart. While it isn’t specific to YOUR exact home, it does give trends for your area. If you want specific information-specific to your home-within the Twin Cities metro-give me a call and we can discuss your situation. I can then give you guidance on what the value might be.

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Did you know-Current & Future Housing Data

Watch this video-then call me to help you buy or sell a new home or investment property.

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Look at this Monster Muskie

Pretty cool, eh. We snapped the photo at the Sportsman’s show in a cut out they had made. This year we are going to get the real thing!

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4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford

By knowing how much mortgage you can handle, you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget.

Here are six surefire ways you can get your finances in order before you buy a home.

Homeownership should make you feel safe and secure, and that includes financially. Be sure you can afford your home by calculating how much of a mortgage you can safely fit into your budget.

Instead of just taking out the biggest mortgage a lender qualifies you to borrow, consider how much you want to pay each month for housing based on your financial and personal goals.

Think ahead to major life events and consider how those might influence your budget. Do you want to return to school for an advanced degree? Will a new child add day care to your monthly expenses? Does a relative plan to eventually live with you and contribute to the mortgage?

Still not sure how much you can afford? You can use the same formulas that most lenders use, or try another of these traditional methods for estimating the amount of mortgage you can afford.

1. The general rule of mortgage affordability
As a rule of thumb, you can typically afford a home priced two to three times your gross income. If you earn $100,000, you can typically afford a home between $200,000 and $300,000.

To understand how that rule applies to your particular financial situation, prepare a family budget and list all the costs of homeownership, like property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, and community association fees, if applicable, as well as costs specific to your family, such as day care costs.

2. Factor in your downpayment
How much money do you have for a downpayment? The higher your downpayment, the lower your monthly payments will be. If you put down at least 20% of the home’s cost, you may not have to get private mortgage insurance, which costs hundreds each month. That leaves more money for your mortgage payment.
The lower your downpayment, the higher the loan amount you’ll need to qualify for and the higher your monthly mortgage payment.

3. Consider your overall debt
Lenders generally follow the 28/41 rule. Your monthly mortgage payments covering your home loan principal, interest, taxes, and insurance shouldn’t total more than 28% of your gross annual income. Your overall monthly payments for your mortgage plus all your other bills, like car loans, utilities, and credit cards, shouldn’t exceed 41% of your gross annual income.

Here’s how that works. If your gross annual income is $100,000, multiply by 28% and then divide by 12 months to arrive at a monthly mortgage payment of $2,333 or less. Next, check the total of all your monthly bills including your potential mortgage and make sure they don’t top 41%, or $3,416 in our example.

4. Use your rent as a mortgage guide
The tax benefits of homeownership generally allow you to afford a mortgage payment—including taxes and insurance—of about one-third more than your current rent payment without changing your lifestyle. So you can multiply your current rent by 1.33 to arrive at a rough estimate of a mortgage payment.

Here’s an example. If you currently pay $1,500 per month in rent, you should be able to comfortably afford a $2,000 monthly mortgage payment after factoring in the tax benefits of homeownership.

However, if you’re struggling to keep up with your rent, consider what amount would be comfortable and use that for the calcuation instead.

Also consider whether or not you’ll itemize your deductions. If you take the standard deduction, you can’t also deduct mortgage interest payments. Talking to a tax adviser, or using a tax software program to do a “what if” tax return, can help you see your tax situation more clearly.

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who’s owned her own home for more than 20 years. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

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Two Special Twin Cities Home Buying Programs

One program is called FPP-Foreclosure Partnership Program, and the other is NSP2 Homebuyer Assistance Program.  Both programs offer incentive money for a purchase.  I can use these financing programs with one of our mortgage investors.  Consider checking them out to see if they’d work for you.

HennipenCounty-Non-forclosedHomes-overview

HennipenCounty-Nsp2-overview

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Take a kid Fishing-Support Veterans

The next fishing event is going to be at Medicine lake in just a couple of weeks. It will be broadcast to the Veterans in Afghanistan. It is called Holes for Heroes- Taking place February 5th from 12-3
To learn more, go to:
http://www.fishingforlife.org/

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Rebuilding Credit To Get A Mortgage

Often, especially in this market due to the recession, we find potential home buyers who have had a life event or “bump in the road” that affects their ability to obtain a new loan.  If you want to buy a home, you will have to have a certain number of reporting trade lines and for certain length of time.  MOST mortgage programs require 3-5 trade lines and a minimum of two years of reporting.  The other criteria is the actual credit score-which generally has to be 620, 640 or even 660 as it is all lender dependent.  A manual underwriting where they use alternative credit such as rent payments, cell phone bill, utility bills, and the cable bill might be able to be used-but only with a few certain programs and lenders.  So, the best bet is to re-establish credit as quickly as possible.  HOW ABOUT NOW!!  Don’t wait-it will only extend the time until you are going to be eligible.  I have put together a list of resources that might be helpful.  This list is only a starting place for your research.  If you find another good resource please post it in the comments below so that the list can be expanded upon.
<strong><a href=”http://www.homesminneapolis.net/TOP_IDEAS_FOR_CREDIT_RE.doc”>TOP IDEAS FOR CREDIT RE.doc</a></strong>

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OLD MUSKIE THE ROGUE

Here’s an old muskie story I found at ProjectGutenberg.org It is from a book called Junior Classics, volume 8. It seems people have been intrigued by muskie fishing for a long long time.

BY LEVI T. PENNINGTON

“You must go; that’s all. There will be some way, you’ll see.”

Carl Mills and Lee Henly were separating for the night. They were close friends; and although Carl’s father was the most prosperous man in the community, and Lee was the son of a poor widow, they had always been together, and had been leaders of the class that had been graduated from the local high school the month before.

To-night they had been discussing for the hundredth time their plans for the coming year. Carl (was going to college in the autumn,—that was a settled thing),—and Lee longed to go as he had never longed for anything before in his life. There was nothing to prevent his going but the lack of funds. His mother was to spend the winter with a married daughter, ten years his senior. He had a scholarship in the college and a chance to pay his way in part by working in the college library. But that would take all his spare time, and he was sure that he would still lack about one hundred dollars of having enough to carry him through the first year.

Both boys dearly loved Lake Wanna-Wasso, on the shore of which they lived. It was, indeed, one of the most beautiful of all the sheets of water which a half-century ago knew the dip of the Indian’s paddle and the ripple of his birch-bark canoe. There may be other waters as clear and sweet as those of northern Michigan, but the native and the enthusiastic summer visitor find it hard to believe.

Both Lee and Carl spent much of their time in the employ of the people at Forest Lodge during the summer, when the Chicago fishermen, headed by the wealthy Camerons, were there for three months.

Lee was in Mr. Cameron’s special employ, and from him had learned the art of bait-casting. At the close of the previous season, Mr. Cameron had given him his longest and strongest maskinonge casting-rod; it was too heavy now for Mr. Cameron, who found his casting arm seriously crippled by rheumatism.

It was but a few days after Lee’s last talk with Carl Mills that he heard Mr. Cameron and Mr. Gardner discussing the fine collection of mounted fish belonging to Mr. Cameron in Chicago. Mr. Gardner was speaking of it in glowing terms, and was especially praising a maskinonge in the collection.

“Yes,” said Mr. Cameron, “that certainly was a fine fish when Smithson took him out of this lake five years ago; but I had set my heart on a bigger one. I wanted one that would weigh over fifty pounds when he came out of the water, and that one weighed only forty-three. I’d gladly give one hundred dollars for a specimen caught with hook and line that would tip the scales at fifty pounds or better.”

“Do you think you’ll ever find one?” asked Mr. Gardner.

“I hardly know,” said Mr. Cameron. “Two years ago one was netted in the river near Detroit which was over that weight, but I did not learn of it until too late; and, anyway, I want one that is caught with hook and line, and the story of whose capture I can know.”

Two weeks later, one morning when Mr. Cameron had decided that he would not go out upon the lake, Lee Henly paddled a light canoe out across Forest Lodge Cove and practised with his casting-rod. In this cove there seemed to be no fish at all, although elsewhere in the lake fish were plentiful. At one point here three great elm-trees with spreading tops had fallen into the lake years before.

There they still lay, water-logged, their hundreds of branches forming a miniature jungle under water, just off the bold shore. Merely for practise, Lee dropped his casting-bait near these treetops, and started to reel in.

Then he almost fell from the boat, for there was a great swirl in the water where his minnow was spinning along, a broad tail came out and hit the water with a tremendous splash, and he struck but did not hook the fish, which, however, he saw to be enormous.

That night he said to Carl Mills, “Carl, I believe I see a chance for college.”

“What is it?” asked his friend.

Then Lee told of the conversation he had heard, and of the great fish that had given him a strike. “And I believe that he weighs over fifty pounds, and that I can catch him if you will help me,” he said.

There was but one day in the week, however, that they could try for the big fish, for both were employed that year every week-day except Tuesday, when Mr. Cameron went to the town fifteen miles away; and on Tuesday they dared to fish only in the very early morning, for fear that some of the fishermen at Forest Lodge would learn that there was a great fish there, and catch him. They did not want to be unsportsmanlike, but Lee was confident that none of the rich fishermen needed the fish as he did.

The first Tuesday morning brought them not even encouragement. Although Carl paddled the boat all about the cove, and Lee did the best casting of which he was capable, no strike rewarded them; and when they saw the first stir about Forest Lodge, they hastened to another part of the lake, and left Old Muskie, as they had already named the big fish.

When the next Tuesday morning came again they were out. The boat was kept at as great a distance from shore as Lee could cover with his longest casts, and just as the casting-minnow fell straight out from the middle treetop, there was a great swirl in the water. Lee struck, and the reel began to sing as the great fish started a tremendous run; but in an instant the line came back slack. The saber-like teeth of the maskinonge had cut it off like a knife.

“And what can we do about that?” said Carl, as Lee sadly reeled in the useless line.

“I don’t know yet, but I have an idea,” said Lee.
The next Tuesday morning Lee was not ready to try for the big fish again, although it was almost torture to stay away from the old treetops. He promised to be ready the next week, and he was. What he had done had surprised his mother, who knew that he had been saving every cent in the hope of going to college. He had sent away to a fishing-tackle house for their largest first-class silk line, and received one hundred yards of line that was tested to fifty pounds. He had sent to an electrical supply house for their smallest unwound copper wire, and had received a spool of it, almost hairlike in its fineness. Both purchases had been expensive for him.

From “Old Injun Jake” Lee had learned the art of doing fine splicing and of braiding many strands. He unbraided the silk line for a considerable length, and weaving in one by one the copper wire lengths that he had cut from the spool, he joined the wire to the silk with a joint that would readily pass through a line-guide, and continued to braid till he had a six-foot, flexible copper leader that would sustain his own weight, united to his one hundred yards of line with a joint as strong as the line itself. Thus did he provide against the teeth of Old Muskie.

Tuesday morning the boys were again fishing in Forest Lodge Cove at daybreak. Again Old Muskie struck, and unable to cut the line, rushed into the interlacing boughs of the submerged treetops.

For a while the strain on the rod indicated that he was surging back and forth among the treetops, but soon the dead pull showed that the old warrior was no longer making a fight.

Rowing in, the boys found the casting-bait fast on one of the limbs. When they got it loose and pulled it in, they found that one of the treble hooks was gone. Old Muskie in his rush had caught one of the hooks upon a branch and it had held, while the one that was in his mouth had pulled from the minnow, and the big savage of the lake was again at liberty.

Lee made a change in his minnow before the next Tuesday morning. Instead of using the treble hooks that were fastened with screws into the sides of the minnow, he bored a hole in the body of the wooden bait, and using again his copper wire, passed it back and forth through the body of the minnow and through the eye of the treble hook on each side. He knew that no fish would break all these strands of copper wire, although he felt that Old Muskie might break the hooks.

The next Tuesday morning Lee again hooked Old Muskie. Again the big fish got to the treetops, and again Lee felt the dead pull that meant that he had no longer a fighting fish to deal with. Reeling up as Carl paddled the boat toward shore, Lee found that Old Muskie had entangled the line among the branches, and getting a chance to use his great strength, had broken the heavy silk line. Lee was delighted to see that it had been broken above the point where he had spliced it to the copper leader.

“What can you do about that?” asked Carl.

“I’m not sure,” said Lee, “but every time thus far the old fellow has run straight away from the direction in which I was reeling my minnow. I believe that if we come at him from near the shore he will take a run toward the open lake, and we’ll have a chance at him.”

During the week that followed, Lee again spliced a copper leader to his line. Again he “made over” a big casting-minnow, and when Tuesday morning brought its opportunity, Carl put the canoe along the shore, but as far out as the end of the submerged treetops. Three casts were made, each farther and farther forward, without results. The fourth, however, a perfect cast of over one hundred feet, which fell just beyond the farthest treetop, was rewarded; the water broke in a great eddy as Old Muskie took the bait. Lee struck with all his might, and pulled with all the force he dared to use, although he was pulling almost straight back toward the treetops.

As he had hoped, Old Muskie pulled the other way, and with a tremendous rush, left the treetops, and started toward the channel into the open lake. Half-way across he gave an astonishing leap into the air, showing the boys for the first time just what a monster they had succeeded in hooking.

Hope more lively than any they had felt before filled the hearts of the young fishermen, as the monster maskinonge rushed across the cove. But instead of hitting the narrow open channel into the main lake, he rushed across the wide bar, through a veritable forest of bulrushes.

Then the fight was quickly over. The fish had been hooked only on the treble hook in the rear of the casting-minnow; the hooks on the side dragged through the rushes, and caught upon so many of them that the hook was torn from the mouth of Old Muskie, and again Lee reeled in his line without the big fish at the end of it.

Both boys sat in the canoe for several minutes as blue as boys could be. It certainly was discouraging. But presently Lee raised his head, and with a flash of the eyes said, “I’ll catch that fellow yet!”

And Carl Mills, with admiration and determination both on his face, said, “Right! And I’ll help you do it!”

A big maskinonge lives a life much like that of a rogue elephant in its isolation. He selects some spot,—a cove filled with lily-pads, a bend of a river, or a sunken treetop like the home of Old Muskie, —and there he will stay, month after month, if not year after year. So there was little danger of Old Muskie’s leaving Forest Lodge Cove that summer unless he was caught or killed or died the mysterious death that comes to the great fish of the streams and lakes.

Lee Henly and Carl Mills knew this, and they had been learning more and more of the habits of this particular maskinonge. In every new thing that they learned, they felt that they had one more aid toward the final capture of Old Muskie and the realization of Lee’s ambition for college that year.

Lee had learned that hooking the big fish was the easiest part of the work of capturing him. He decided that he must provide by every possible means against the entanglement of his casting-bait.

With this in view, he made a wooden casting-minnow himself. He took a spinner and the glass eyes from an old one he had used, and from a bit of red cedar he whittled out the shape for the body. He had bought a very heavy, although not a very large, hand-forged treble hook. He took a heavy, spring-steel wire, and had the old blacksmith at Kessler’s Corners weld an eye in it through the eye of the treble hook. He put on the back spinner, and passed the wire through the wooden minnow. He used no front spinner, as it might catch in the rushes.

The front eye he made in the wire himself by bending and twisting till he was sure beyond all question that it was safe. Then he fastened his copper leader into this eye, put the glass eyes into the head of the minnow, and with careful painting his bait was complete.

The season was now growing late. College was to begin September 23d. On Tuesday, September 9th, Carl and Lee set out at daybreak on their quest. They fished long and carefully, but got no strike. They left the cove for half an hour, then tried again. This time the great fish struck, but was not hooked. Soon Forest Lodge was astir, and fishing for Old Muskie ended for that day.

Then came the last day. Carl was to leave for college the following Monday. “We just must get him this morning!” he said, as they pushed out from the landing with the first glow of daylight. They knew a little later in the day would be better, but they felt that they must lose no time.

Carl worked the canoe down the shore, the little craft slipping through the water as quietly as a floating swan. Lee outdid himself in length of cast, for he did not wish Old Muskie to take fright because they were too near.

At the fifth cast the big fish hit the bait. He rushed savagely at it, and closed his jaws down squarely upon it. Lee struck as if for his life, and drove the hooks deep into the fish’s jaw, and with click and drag both on the reel and his thumb adding to the pressure, he pulled all he thought his tackle would bear—pulled straight back toward the treetops, which he was most anxious to avoid.
Stubbornly the big fish pulled in the opposite direction, and with a rush started across the cove. So fast did the line run out that Lee’s thumb was almost blistered, but he held it hard against the spinning reel, and the fish rushed on across the cove.

Straight through the forest of rushes he dashed, and Lee and Carl held their breath, as the line cut through the water. Lee held the rod high, Carl sent the canoe along the track taken by the fish; and in a few dizzy seconds Old Muskie was through the rushes and out into the open lake. And now Lee made no effort to check him, but let him run as far as possible from the shore, although he continued his mad rush till less than thirty feet of line remained on his reel.

Forest Lodge was quickly awake and astir. Mr. Gardner was just at the landing for a trip across the lake, when out in front of him came the canoe as if being towed by the great fish, which leaped high into the air.

He rushed into Forest Lodge and roused Mr. Cameron and all the rest by beating upon his door and crying, “Get up! Get up! Your fifty-pound maskinonge is hooked, and by a boy!” No further call was needed, and the beach was soon lined with a score of fishermen and their wives, hastily and some of them grotesquely dressed.

Meanwhile, Lee and Carl had begun working together to regain the line that had been run out. The victory could never have come to the young fisherman but for the masterly way in which Carl handled the canoe. He made it almost a part of Lee. It moved with his motion, always responsive, always steady.

When the fish went out toward the open lake, the boat went with him, that he might go as far as he would. When he made a wild rush for the shore, the paddle sent the boat off at an angle to his course, that the steel rod might exert a pull sidewise, and thus turn him from his course, and back toward the open lake.

And all this time, Lee was putting on his tackle all the strain that he dared, holding the line so taut that his arm ached before the fight had been on ten minutes—and it lasted fifty-five.

When Old Muskie would leap frantically into the air, fiercely shaking himself, down would go the tip of the rod, clear below the surface of the water; and when he would “sound,” the tip of the rod pulled upward relentlessly. Whatever the direction of the rushes of the big fish, always the skilled hand and wiry arm of Lee Henly were ready to baffle and turn aside, to hold back and to weary.

“Pretty fight!” said Herbert Gerrish to Mr. Cameron, who was watching in silence, but with keen admiration.

“Fine!” said Mr. Cameron. “Never saw a better.”

“Think he’ll land the fish?” asked John Newby.

“If he does not now, he is bound to do it some day,” replied Mr.

Cameron. “That fish might just as well give it up now as any time.

I know Lee Henly.”

Indeed, it began to look as if victory was near. Slowly the rushes of the maskinonge were becoming less fierce. Carl had the gaff at hand for Lee when he was ready for it. Lee, fearful of a rush under the boat, dared not work the fish round for Carl to gaff, but kept him at the end of the boat where he himself might use the big hook.

But what he had feared came to pass. The big maskinonge did make a run under the boat. He was straight in front, when with a lightning-like dash he made a half-circle and went under the boat from the side.

With a quick motion of arm and wrist, Lee threw the end of the rod over the prow of the canoe. It was all there was to do, but the rod would surely have struck the end of the boat, and something would probably have broken and the fish escaped, had not Carl, with a mighty stroke of the paddle, backed the canoe so quickly that Lee was almost thrown overboard. But the fish was saved.

The fight was nearly over. Gradually they forced the maskinonge toward the sandy beach. Mr. Cameron had got a big, long-handled gaff-hook, and now, forgetful of his rheumatism, waded out waist-deep into the water. There was a brief but decisive struggle that went hopelessly against the fish, and Mr. Cameron gaffed Old Muskie and dragged him ashore.

Lee and Carl stepped out on the beach, both of them on the verge of collapse.

There was a great fish supper at Forest Lodge that night. The skin, head, tail and fins of Old Muskie were carefully preserved and sent to the best taxidermist in Chicago; but there was enough left of his fifty-three-pound body for the company gathered about the big “Oak Hall” dining-table. On the right of Mr. Cameron sat Lee Henly, and on the left, Carl Mills. Mr. Cameron and the Forest Lodge people were jubilant. Carl found a fifty-dollar bill under his plate, and Lee found a check for one hundred dollars. And as the meal progressed, the story of the capture of Old Muskie was told substantially as I have told it to you.

There is little more to tell. I might tell you about how Lee Henly worked his way through college, after the catching of Old Muskie had given him his start. I could tell you of his work as general manager of the business house of Cameron, Page & Co. of Chicago. But that would be the story of Lee Henly, and I started out to tell you nothing but the story of Old Muskie, whose mounted body is now in the private office of Mr. Cameron himself, where Lee Henly sees it every day.

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Buying Rental Property In The Twin Cities

Have you ever wanted to own rental property, but were unsure where to start? I teach a class on the topic. I’ve decided to make the outline into a PPT. I cover the information in my class in much more depth and breadth, but this will give you a lot of useful information. If you are interested in discussing purchasing a rental property as an investment, just give me a call and we can set up a time to meet and review how I can help you become a “real estate mogul”.

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Mortgage Insurance May Still Be Deductible For Some Buyers

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Is There An Opportunity Right In Front Of YOU

I just watched an amazing video which I’ve posted below called the Money Tree. There are so many different interpretations. One that struck me was that people are oblivious to opportunity that is right in front of them. How many of us are looking for something that we already have or is within our reach? How many people are NOT buying real estate today when they could be looking at this as an incredible wealth building opportunity for what it is over the long term-assuming properties rise again in value? I was showing homes this past weekend. It was incredible to see townhomes in great communities selling for 40-60% less than they had sold for just as little as 5 years before. Luckily for my client, we are going to make an offer and ACT. Watch this video and don’t let the opportunities in your life pass you by. Don’t let life pass you by. Happy New Year and may 2011 be your best yet!

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Is There An Opportunity Right In Front Of YOU

I just watched an amazing video which I’ve posted below called the Money Tree. There are so many different interpretations. One that struck me was that people are oblivious to opportunity that is right in front of them. How many of us are looking for something that we already have or is within our reach? How many people are NOT buying real estate today when they could be looking at this as an incredible wealth building opportunity for what it is over the long term-assuming properties rise again in value? I was showing homes this past weekend. It was incredible to see townhomes in great communities selling for 40-60% less than they had sold for just as little as 5 years before. Luckily for my client, we are going to make an offer and ACT. Watch this video and don’t let the opportunities in your life pass you by. Don’t let life pass you by. Happy New Year and may 2011 be your best yet!

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December Is The Time To Reflect

Are each of us doing all we can to make the world a better place? Many of us have our favorite charity and organizations we support. RE/MAX is a very large sponsor of Children’s Miracle Network. Many people don’t realize how much has been given. Each time I sell a home, I automatically donate a portion of my commission to this organization. Other RE/MAX agents like myself contribute from their commission checks as well. Together, with RE/MAX we have collectively given over 100M. I would encourage everyone to consider finding an organization they believe in and make giving a part of their life. Just imagine what the world could look like?

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Getting Ready to Sell Your House

While most experts see little good news in 2011’s housing market, economic downturn is no reason to neglect maintenance on a home or lose sight of future plans to relocate.

The critical issue is planning intelligently for what spending you do now to make sure it’s worth your money later. And even if your plan to sell your property is more than a year away, it’s not a bad idea to get your finances in order as well. In the coming months, you’ll be addressing tax issues, so it’s a good time to look at your overall financial picture with a qualified financial planner as well as a trained tax expert.

The October MacroMarkets Home Price Expectations Survey doesn’t see a meaningful increase in home prices until 2012, though appreciation is expected to go up on average more than 14 percent through 2014.

As you wait for your opportunity, here are some ideas to incorporate in your planning:

Check your credit report and score: If you plan to finance a new property once you sell, it makes ample sense to lower your debt and clean up any discrepancies in your credit data well in advance of any move into the market. Remember, you are entitled to one free copy of each of the major credit reports in any given year, and you can obtain them from one resource – www.annualcreditreport.com. Avoid all the services with expensive TV commercials calling themselves “free” – if they ask for a credit card number, you are not getting a free report. Also, so you can spot discrepancies and keep a watchful eye on the possibility of ID theft throughout the year, stagger your receipt of your reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion (the major credit ratings agencies) at different points during the year.

Get a home inspection: Go through local channels – lenders, friends, real estate professionals you trust – to find a licensed home inspector who can look over your property and help you develop a list of potential repairs and upgrades that you can do economically given that you’ll have months before you put the property up for sale. Checking your home’s structure – roof, foundation, windows, etc., as well as its mechanical parts – heating/AC, installed appliances, plumbing – can give you an early warning system for expensive repairs that a prospective buyer’s inspector would find anyway. Try now to make sure there are no problems that will kill a deal later.

Ask a trusted broker for advice: Structural experts can determine whether your home is working properly – real estate brokers may or may not be equally expert at spotting these flaws. But generally, they can be trusted on matters of appearance – whether the grounds around the home are well maintained as well as whether the home’s interior is inviting to the eye of potential buyers.

Don’t overinvest in improvements: In the 1990s, spending $40,000 on a kitchen in many neighborhoods could recover that amount of money and more in the final sales price. In today’s market, those payoffs are a distant memory. Experienced brokers generally do a good job steering you away from overpaying for improvements, but there are other resources to doublecheck the spending you’re planning to do. Remodeling Magazine’s latest Cost vs. Value report provides estimates on specific projects by region, including projections on cost recoupment.

Appeal your property taxes: If you’ve never appealed your property taxes before or have not done so in many years, do so when your appeals period is open. Lowering your taxes as much as possible may help make your property more salable.

Declutter and don’t re-clutter: Start making a list of items you might donate – furniture, clothing, household items, etc. Make sure they’re in good condition and if you’re having trouble setting a value, check on eBay or other auction sites to see if you’re being fair to yourself while not drawing the attention of the taxman.

December 2010 — This column is produced by the Financial Planning Association, the membership organization for the financial planning community, and is provided by John Mazzara 952-929-2577  john@johnmazzara.com , a local member of FPA.

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HUD Has A YouTube Channel-Here Is There Vid On Buying A Home

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Google lets you create cool templated websites

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Can Home Ownership Contribute To Your Wealth?

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Minnesota Foreclosure And Distressed Home Fact Sheets PLUS Twin Cities First Time Buyer Special Programs

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Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Tips

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Top Seven Tips For Home Buyers

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George Wahl Muskie Tournament-A lot of fun!

I entered the tournament this year with the wife and my son.  We fished hard-chasing down fish at Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, and Lake Minnetonka.  We actually saw two Muskies-one was in about 2 feet of water up against the concrete wall at Calhoun. Looked to be about 10 pounds.  We were above the fish on the pathway around the lake-we couldn’t get the fish to hit our lures, and he eventually swam away.  Next fish we saw was on Lake Minnetonka.  My son thought there was a log in the water-turns out it was a monster-it could have been a Northern though, as we didn’t get a definitive identification.  Either way, it got us pumped up and we continued to through lures around where it surfaced.  After we fished for about 7 hours without a strike or follow, we had to admit that today wasn’t going to be the day.  Instead, we packed it in and headed to Thorne Brothers for the after party, food, and festivities.  Muskies Inc – Twin Cities Chapter http://www.twincitiesmuskiesinc.org/ was the sponsor/organizer.  They did an AWESOME job.  Food was great, many prizes were won, and we felt really welcome and at home with others that enjoy Muskie fishing.  It was also my first trip to Thorne Brothers.  We bought a ton of stuff from them at the Muskie Show this year, but had never been to their location.  It is an outstanding store, with every bait conceivable for Muskie.  I was very impressed.  This is only the second time I’ve been in a Muskie fishing tournament-the first being a Muskie tournament in June.   We can’t wait to do it again-maybe next year I’ll have picture of the big one to share.  We also do the Leukemia Crappie Tournament in April at Lake Minnetonka.  That is a blast as well.

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Data.gov – A Cool Site With Lots Of Great Info

http://www.Data.gov I just found this site and wanted to share it.  It has a ton of info and reports.  If you have a project or just an “inquiring mind”, this is sure to be a hit.  Check it out and get the data you need.

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Fishing With Live Bait For Muskies in Wisconsin

By Ben Kueng

I’ve used this technique for musky as well as pike, bass and walleye in the spring.

Everyone knows that sucker fishing for musky can be explosive in the fall, but how many of you are fishing with live bait in the spring?

Let’s face it, no matter which way you slice it, the musky remains a difficult species to capture, as anyone who’s spent any amount of time pursuing this elusive fish can attest to. Don’t get me wrong, musky fishing can be one of the most exciting aspects of angling you will ever experience or it can be like watching paint dry. One of the most consistent patterns I’ve found over the years that’s helped make my musky experience a more enjoyable one is the use of live bait in the spring. When most musky anglers think of fishing with live bait, the crisp fall air and visual spectacle of changing leaves usually comes to mind, but if you’re only running suckers in October and November you may be missing your opportunity at one of the biggest fish in the lake.

Spring

In Southern Wisconsin where I guide, opening day is the first Saturday in May and anglers can usually expect to be greeted with water temps in the low-high 50s. Contrary to popular belief, the muskies are extremely active at this time and readily accessible in shallow water. Early in the season I prefer to target shallow, stained water lakes that have a tendency to warm up faster, which in turn will accelerate weed growth as well as the muskies metabolism. Not to say that the deep clear lakes won’t produce early on, its just that I’ve had much better luck fishing with live bait on stained lakes in the spring.

In the spring I prefer to use suckers in the 8-10″ range rigged on custom Quick Strike rigs. A quick strike rig allows you to set the hook as soon as the musky grabs the sucker and is swimming away from you (unlike the old days when you’d wait 45 minutes for the musky to swallow the sucker, gut hooking the fish, that if released would later die). Almost all musky anglers these days are using some sort of quick strike rig so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one to suit your needs.

Many of the rigs you find will utilize either a medium-large snout hook with 1 or 2 treble hooks, or will be a rubber band style rig. The latter rig requires you to thread a small rubber band through the sucker’s nostril with a bait needle. The RB is then attached to the leader clasp as well as 1-2 rigs, which will vary in length. The snout hook style rigs never appealed to me because I’ve always found the front hook to be too large, so last spring I decided to start tying my own snout hook rigs. The problem I’ve had in the past with the rubber band rigs is that the space in between the suckers mouth and nostril acts like a lip on a crankbait, promoting the sucker to dive and roll at higher speeds (.75-1.0 mph) mph). Since the snout hook rig is attached directly through the lip it allows you to pull the sucker through the water at a much higher rate of speed and presents the bait more naturally at any speed.

To tie up your own rig, start with a 16-24″ piece of 94 LB seven strand leader material. First, crimp a #1-3 treble hook on one end. Next, slide on a sleeve and than a #7 octopus. Determine how far you want the snout hook from the treble hook and then crimp it in place so the snout hook won’t move upon hookset. For a 10-12″ sucker I will generally leave 6-8″ in between the snout hook and treble hook. Next I slide on another sleeve and than ½-2ozs of bullet weights. Crimp the weights about 6-8″ from the snout hook. Now you can either crimp on a 100 LB+ ball bearing swivel and be done, or add some sort of spinner to the rig and then the barrel swivel. The barrel swivel is what you tie your line to, so make sure the ones you buy have the metal loops on either end.This past fall I experimented with the same type of rig except I used 120lb flourocarbon. Instead of crimping the flouro I tied it with a “UNI knot” 3 wraps will due the trick. Since the flouro is a lot thicker than 7-strand the octopus hooks are too small. I substitute the octupus hook with a small 1/0 treble hook and snip off 2 of the shanks. The treble hook has a larger hole to accommodate the flouro. I use the same type of sleeves to crimp the snout hook in place, but if you squeeze it to tight it will comprise the flouro… The eyelet on the snipped treble is larger than the sleeve so I usually put a bead in between the crimp and hook to prevent any failures upon hookset. You can also squeeze the eyelet on the small treble so it won’t slip through the sleeve if you don’t have any beads available.

The most important and probably least understood aspect of sucker fishing with QS rigs is when and how to set the hook. As a general rule of thumb, I don’t wait any longer than 1 minute after the musky grabs the sucker to set the hook- Longer than a minute and your running the risk of gut hooking the fish. Now, after a musky grabs your sucker, immediately reel in any other lines and get ready to chase the fish down if it makes a long run. Ideally, you want to be within 10 feet of the musky before you set the hook. Applying a small amount of pressure to the line followed by immediate slack will usually get the fish swimming in the opposite direction. Once the musky is swimming away from you, load up the rod tip and snap (not pull) the rod as hard as you can in an upward motion. Even the slightest amount of slack in the line will give a musky the chance to throw the hooks, so keep your rod tip low and don’t stop reeling until the fish is in the net. It takes time to

In the spring I generally run 2 suckers back on large slip bobbers and 1 sucker right next to the boat. The boatside sucker is set 1-3 feet under the surface and plays a vital role in picking up fish that swim directly under the boat. It will also help to convert any skittish musky that follow-up and don’t hit your lure on the figure 8. The 2 bobber suckers are set just above the shallowest weed tops and placed 15 and 30 feet behind the boat. As a general rule of thumb, I don’t set the suckers any closer than 2 feet from the bobber.

Shallow weed/sand flats that gradually drop off into deep water, weedy bays and even expansive areas of pencil reeds will hold a majority of the fish early on. Locating above average water temps, a dark or silt bottom, newly emerging weeds and concentrations of baitfish within these spots will usually mean the difference between success and failure. Early in the season I like to start fishing in 3-5 FOW (feet of water) and gradually move deeper as the shallower weeds develop and become unfishable. Moving your boat in wide “S” patterns with the trolling motor over the top of newly emerging weeds, rather than along the edge will greatly improve your odds of hooking up. If you’re fishing bigger lakes in the spring and would like to narrow down your perimeter slightly, wind blown shorelines with newly emerging weeds are a great place to start and where you will often find the warmer temps in the lake, not to mention feeding muskies.

Of course, not every musky in the lake will be utilizing shallow water at this time. On sunny days when there’s little to no wind, some of the fish will actually suspend shallow over deep water, 1-2 cast lengths off the first drop-off to soak up the warmth of the sun. Deep water adjacent to any shallow bays/flats that are holding concentrations of baitfish are excellent places to start looking for suspended fish. Even if there aren’t any baitfish present over deep water, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be fish there. I wouldn’t exactly say that this pattern is underutilized, but most often anglers are fishing their suckers/lures to deep when in fact most of the fish will be suspended less than 5 feet down. In this scenario I’ll set one bobber-sucker 5 feet down and the other no deeper than 10 feet down, 20 and 40 feet behind the boat. Since most of your artificial presentations will be shallow, the boatside sucker remains 1-5 feet down. Again, moving the boat in wide “S” patterns will help you to cover more water and contact a greater number of fish.

By early-mid June the weeds are almost fully developed on the stained lakes in my area and most of the fish will be hanging on the edge in 10-12 FOW. This is when the traditional approach to weedline fishing will usually be your best option, and also when most anglers hang up there sucker rods. Although I generally catch more fish on artificial lures at this time, I still continue to also fish with suckers until water temps reach a consistent 70 degrees, or they start going belly up. By the beginning of July a majority of the musky will have moved out over open water to feed on suspended baitfish, which, for me, signifies the start of summer.

Early May can be one of the most frustrating times to pursue musky, but I guarantee that if you implement the use of live bait into your routine this spring you will catch more and bigger fish no matter where you fish!

Ben Kueng’s Guide Service
http://www.benkueng.com
benkueng@yahoo.com
414-477-2972
Guiding Central and Southern Wisconsin

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Kueng
http://EzineArticles.com/?Fishing-With-Live-Bait-For-Muskies-in-Wisconsin&id=3429957

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Catching Muskies – All About Muskellunges

By Alyssa Bentley

Quick Facts:

• Muskies can live to be 30 years old
• Maximum length of a Muskie: 6 feet
• Maximum Weight of a Muskie: around 70 lbs
• Trophy Length: over 4 feet
• Trophy Weight: over 40 lbs
• Mature females tend to be bigger than males, but mature and grow at a slower rate.

Muskies are a non-schooling predatory fish, who are generally tend to stay out of eyesight of each other.

They usually lurk near drop-offs from rock or sand bars in the middle of lakes, along weed beds or other vegetation, and in shady waters close to shores that are fringed with overhanging trees. They prefer larger lakes with deep and shallow basins and large beds of aquatic plants.

They have a typical ambush predator design, elongated body, flat head, and caudal fins placed far back on the body.

The stealthy muskie hunts by waiting motionless. When a fish swims by (any fish, including other muskies) they strike, impaling the prey on their large canine teeth, rotating it, and swallowing it headfirst. Strangely, the size of the fish a muskie eats appears to be related to the ultimate size it can attain. As the fish grows larger, the size of its prey naturally varies more. Even if plenty of small fish are available, a muskie may not be able to grow large without large fish to eat. Muskrats, ducks, shrews, mice, and frogs also appear in the stomachs of muskies from time to time.

A Varied Diet:

Muskellunges are known to have a varied diet. They will eat other muskies and any fish they see, as well as ducklings, smaller muskrats, shrews, mice, and frogs, and the largest Muskies are known to eat whole adult ducks. There is one report of a Wisconsin man in 1999 who was dangling his feet in the water (not fishing), when a medium sized muskie lunged and attempted to swallow his toe! He ended up pulling the muskie out of the water and extracting it from his foot. The foot required 66 stitches and he was eventually allowed to keep the fish, despite the non-legal size and non-legal method of fishing.

It is not recommended to use your toes as bait.

Other Facts about Muskellunges

Muskies and Pikes (or “Northerns) look very similar. The foolproof way to tell a muskie from a northern is to count the pores on the underside of the jaw: A muskie has six or more. A northern has five or fewer.

The tiger muskellunge (E. masquinongy x lucius or E. lucius x masquinongy) is a hybrid of the muskie and northern pike. Male hybrids are almost invariably sterile although females are sometimes fertile. Some hybrids are artificially produced and planted for anglers to catch. Tiger muskies tend to be smaller than non-hybrid muskies but grow faster. The body is often quite silvery and largely or entirely without spots but with indistinct longitudinal bands.

Though interbreeding with other pike species can complicate the classification of some individuals, zoologists usually recognize from zero to three subspecies of muskellunge.

• The Great Lakes (spotted) muskellunge (Esox masquinongy masquinongy) is the most common variety in the Great Lakes basin and surrounding area. The spots on the body form oblique rows.
• The Chautauqua muskellunge (E. m. ohioensis) is known from the Ohio River system, Chautauqua Lake, Lake Ontario, and the St Lawrence River.
• The clear or barred muskellunge (E. m. immaculatus) is most common in the inland lakes of Wisconsin, Minnesota, northwestern Ontario and southeastern Manitoba.

Catching the Muskie:

If you want to catch a muskie, you’ll need a heavy bait-casting rod, substantial level-wind reel, 20-35 pound test line, a variety of artificial lures or live bait, and a lot of patience. Allow at least 20 minutes in each location before moving on-the large fish usually aren’t very active.

It takes the average angler 20-80 hours to catch a legal musky!

Muskies are generally not food fish. As predator fish, if the food fish in their region have small amounts of toxic substances in their systems, they will gather in much greater quantities in the muskellunges who feed on them. Before eating a muskellunge, pay attention to the fishing advisories of the lake or the state that you are fishing in.

Threats to the Muskie:

The health and success of the muskellunge relies heavily on the health and availability of aquatic plants in their environment. Minnesota anglers are beginning to notice that some of their favorite “weed beds” seem to be disappearing, thus reducing the spawning sites and hunting grounds of the muskies they like to catch. Measures are being proposed, including greatly reducing the number of docks allowed on a lake shore, thus reducing the human footprint on the lakes.

The Muskie and the Northern Pike are both considered sport and trophy fish in Minnesota, and are thusly valuable to the sport fishing community and the tourism economy, but over-fishing does hurt the population of this solitary fish.

So fish carefully, and practice catch-and-release fishing with this fish in order to preserve its continued abundance in all the great lakes.

Alyssa Bentley works for a Website Advertising company. This article is written for Fishermans Pool.com – a great resource for finding a Chartered Fishing Boat [http://www.fishermanspool.com] where you want to fish.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alyssa_Bentley
http://EzineArticles.com/?Catching-Muskies—All-About-Muskellunges&id=1056167

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Check Out Energy Rebates

EnergyStar.gov –  Check Out Energy Rebates

This is a government site that offers lots of energy saving tips as well as explains what energy saving grants or credits might be available.

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Twin Cities Foreclosure Trends-From our MLS & Realty Trac

Besides the board of realtor sites:  http://theThing.mplsrealtor.com and market data posted elsewhere at http://www.MplsRealtor.com I have a subscription to Realty Trac.  My subscription gives me additional data about foreclosures and trends within certain zip codes.  This is in addition to my daily subscription to Finance & Commerce (a business newspaper that prints all the foreclosure information as well as very timely articles regarding the business community).  If you are looking for someone who has experience and access to information about distressed sales, we need to be working together.  Whether buyer or seller-I can help you understand the market we are in and the options and opportunities available to you.  Give me call today.

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Real Estate Information

These are a couple of my newsletters that have a ton of valuable information. Go check them out.

Foreclosure Market Trends Newsletter
http://www.realtytrac.com/MarketTrends/NewsLetter.aspx?guid=131bd355-1b69-4bd1-99cd-2f0c9a936810

Real Estate Cyber Space Tips
http://www.REcyber.com/cybertips/r11627

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Tiger Muskie At Lake Nokomis

Caught on a medium sucker and bobber at 8pm

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Outstanding Video-An Inspiration To All-Be The Best You Can Be!

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