The smell of dedicated angling and a thirst for knowledge were in the air (or perhaps the water) last weekend at the Wisconsin State Fair grounds! The convention center was packed for three days with professional fish hunters and avid muskie men to weekend warriors and first time tacklers. One thing was for sure; nobody was leaving without being one step closer to setting their hook in a real-deal muskie!
For the 19th consecutive year, passionate fishermen flocked from around the Midwest to pay homage to this muskie Mecca. I spoke to sportsmen from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and even Ohio. They all had the same thing in mind; finding the next big secret weapon in the conquest for freshwater shark dominance. Lucky for them, this show was a regular academy of fishing pros!
While even the smallest muskie can put up a fight, this show was geared towards the big guns; 30-50lbs of bones, muscle and teeth. Big motors, big lures and big results were the name of the game. From custom made Slammers, Bucktails & Cowgirls to state of the art multi-fiber line and top-tier reels & rods, this expo had everything a muskie-maniac could desire! Now we all dream to achieve such aquatic-sporting greatness, but one man sealed the deal on a 69 pounder and he was happy to display his trophy.
Attendees were treated to live demonstrations in The Muskie Tank and multiple seminars from guides & tournament champions about how to perfect your craft. The Muskie Tank was particularly cool because you had a front row seat to the underwater action that is generated by today's masterfully crafted muskie lures. These engineers are always thinking of new ways to create the perfect tool for a near guaranteed victory every time you hit the water. When you watch the video at the bottom of this post, you'll get a chance to see The Muskie Tank in action.
One of my stand-out experiences from the 2011 Muskie Expo was meeting Greg Nimmer. As the owner of Nimmer's Swimmers, Greg has single-handedly created an arsenal of hand carved weapons of mass-Muskellunge destruction! Nimmer walked me through his multi-hour process of hand selecting the woods, meticulous shaving, fine detailed sanding and masterpiece caliber painting. He was even nice enough to introduce me to his trusty machete of over 30 years.
As I said before, this expo showcased the best of the best. Acquiring premier gear and expert tutelage is critical for a successful fishing excursion, but what brings it all together? The perfect boat and motor! The Evinrude team was out in full force, spreading the good word of the world's cleanest engine series. With impressive power and torque, low fuel consumption, minimal noise and an outstanding record of almost non-existent maintenance needs, Evinrude is the clear choice for the serious sportsman.
Want more? Take a quick video tour of the 2011 Muskie Expo with me and see what the experts were dishing up. Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BRPEvinrude today to hear about all of the exciting things we're up to, share your best fishing & boating pics and you may even find yourself the winner of some awesome Evinrude prizes. Visit our Bass Masters and motor experts at http://www.evinrude.com and let us know how we can help you spend more time on the water.
