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| Bobzilla with a 47.5-inch Dryberry muskie. |
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Muskie Hunter “Must Have” Holiday Gift Ideas
By Bob Chochola
MUSKIE Magazine (December 2006)
Attention MI members… Want a great holiday gift this year? Leave this issue of MUSKIE open to this page on your coffee table, then let me do the talkin’…
Stop! Don’t buy Dad that awful silk tie with snowmen painted all over it. Don’t force Mom to “appear” thrilled about a brand new smoothie machine. Don’t wrap those gift certificates to the local fast food hang for Sis, because you think she’s hungry after ducking carbs and eating celery sticks the past six months. By all means, spare your Brother the pain of new tube socks. If that special someone is a Muskie Hunter, they have one thing on their mind even if the snow outside is already piled six-feet deep - MUSKIE!
Gifts that will be used (and cherished) by a Muskie Hunter are easy to find and affordable if you know where to go. And don’t worry if he/she may already have it. Being a Muskie Maniac myself, I know two things:
1.) If I don’t have one… I want one.
2.) If I already have one… I want one (or ten) more.
Rods, reels, lures, line, and the list goes on. We Muskie Hunters have a bad case of what I call G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). All I can tell you is that too many people labor over my gift each year, when all they have to do in order to stop the insanity would be to pick me up a baby loon Top Raider. Yeah! G.A.S. makes it that simple. I’m sure your Muskie Hunter has G.A.S. too and how much green you are willing to part with will determine how much G.A.S. relief that person is gonna get. You can fill that stocking and all available space under the tree with gifts that are forgotten by New Year’s Eve, or you can make one trip to the tackle shop?
So, listen up! I’m gonna put you on the trail of a bunch of gear NO Muskie Hunter can (or should) do without and always has room for just one more. Plus, I’ll give you some great web sites that I use to find my gear. I think online Christmas shopping is the greatest invention ever. Trust me, you’ll love it too and you’ll love the fact there is no sales tax when you shop online and most vendors offer an online discount too. Don’t worry if you are not high-tech enough to go the e-Shopping route – these places should carry most of what I’ll tell you about in stock at a good price or by phone from their catalogue.
The Rig…
A quality rod and reel combo is essential to the hunt. There are many to choose from, but not all have stood the test of time and torture. Very early on I learned that you’d better not be too frugal where the rig is concerned, or you’ll be crying in your beer over the monster lost because your reel gears stripped and that bargain bin rod snapped like a twig. Muskie Hunting can be very tough on your rig and you want components that have proven themselves over-and-over again. My rig is a basic muskie setup and one commonly used: Abu Garcia 6500 C3 Series bait cast reel on an 8’ St. Croix Premiere muskie rod (available in MH-H action/6’ 9”-8’ length). This is the industry standard.
Both rod and reel have been used for many years with incredible dependability and durability. I have ten such combos and they all suit me just fine in any situation (see what I mean about always wanting one more?). I prefer the 8’ rod particularly for bucktail tossin’ because casting is a snap with the extra length and I don’t have to bend my bulging disks to make a nice figure eight. Consider my rig a medium priced combo that won’t empty your pocket book, but won’t let your Muskie Hunter down either. Of course, there are higher-end models to choose from, like St. Croix’s AVID Series rods and Shimano’s very well known and sought after Calcutta bait cast reel. This combo is a step up in quality, but it is also much higher priced. If you have the extra scratch to burn and want to see your special someone light up like the twinkle lights on your tree, the AVID/Calcutta combo is a good way to go.
Dress for Success…
It’s said that clothes make the man. This is true for your Muskie Hunter, as well. However, looking good isn’t as important as feeling comfortable when you’re out on the water. It is important to remember that form always follows function in the elements. Head to toe, there is a purpose for everything a Muskie Hunter puts on. None as important as rain gear. Forget the rain poncho folded to the size of a wallet in an “easy to store” plastic pouch. Weather is gonna happen out there – extreme weather – and your gift getter is gonna be out there in it. I have one word for cheap rain gear: pneumonia.
There are a variety of brands out there that do the job right. Places like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s will carry them all. Make sure they are 100% waterproof and are made from a nice breathable material. I have two sets that I use and both are in the middle of the cost pack. The first is for cooler temperatures and is the Bass Pro Shops’ Red Head brand. Let me say that I have never had rain gear so comfortable (cozy even). It’s soft, warm, breathable, hooded, and adjusts to every curve and bump that I have developed from a steady diet of beer and chilidogs over the years. It has a lining that deflects sweat away from my body and a rain fly on the hood that will keep a steady downpour out of my eyes all day long. I am partial to the fall camouflage color, because I like to blend with my surroundings by looking like a tree.
I have a second set made by Columbia Sportswear that is cut from a much lighter material - almost like a windbreaker - that I use in warm weather. I have owned Columbia’s products in the past with great results. The first was a winter coat (Skier Cross™ Parka) issued to me by CBS Sports when I worked the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994 and I loved it – the warmest coat EVER! The harsh Chicago winter couldn’t even penetrate it. My Columbia rain gear (ROL Jacket) works with the same marvelous efficiency as my Red Head outfit, but it’s lighter, cooler, easier to stow, and if a sudden wind kicks up and I get chilly, all I need is my Columbia fleece sweater underneath and I’m good to go. Warm as toast, this waterproof, windproof, and seam-sealed jacket is affordable and provides solid protection from nature’s fury.
Good shoes or preferably boots are another must have for the Muskie Hunter. I have 2 pairs of Irish Setter Ultra Light Trackers that do the job better than any other boot I’ve ever worn. They are 100% waterproof, snake proof, light enough to wear all day, and take a beating to come back for more every time. Function is key here too. Again these are not the most expensive boots on the market, but they are certainly the right tools for the job at a reasonable price. All of Irish Setter’s products come in Bigfoot sizes – perfect fit for my size 14EEEE’s.
Other clothing items that will come in handy… Canvas pants with legs that zip away and turn into shorts. Big deep pockets and loose fitting material that keeps the sun and mosquitoes away from sensitive skin are worth their weight in gold. Your Muskie Hunter gets too hot? Zip-off the legs and they turn into shorts. Columbia sport shirts work great and look great. Loose fitting and light, these long sleeve beauties keep your Muskie Hunter cool and protected from the sun’s dangerous UV rays. They also do a good job keeping those pesky mosquitoes away. Stocking Stuffers… Looking for a little something to stuff a stocking? Terminal tackle and tools of the trade make great stocking stuffers for every Muskie Hunter. Here are some of the things I won’t do without:
Rollie & Helen’s wire leaders (7 strand/60 & 90 lb. test/12” min.)
Power Pro line (65 lb. test min.)
Courtland Musky Master braided Dacron line (50lb. min.)
Bucher heavy duty split rings
Mustad assorted large replacement hooks
Leatherman all-in-one tool
Shimano hand held bolt cutters & long needle-nose pliers
Culprit braid blades (for cutting braided line)
Lindy fish handling gloves
Baker mouth spreader & hookout
Abu Garcia reel lube
Fuji headlamp (Rayovac too)
Cool Stuff for the Cabin, Den, Car, & Boat…
Need more ideas? How about these fun gift items available at Rollie & Helen’s & Thorne Brothers:
Muskie license plate holder
Muskie sport towels
Muskie magnets & decals
Muskie hitch cover
Muskie drink coasters
Muskie books & DVD’s
Muskie door mat & mouse pads
Looking for a gift the whole family can enjoy? Book a vacation next summer. In September 2006 I spent 2 weeks on Lake Vermilion near Cook, Minnesota and stayed at the incredible Vermilion Dam Lodge. Let me say that it was nothing short of spectacular. The accommodations and amenities were great and the service was top of the line. Of course, it didn’t hurt that fishing was pretty dog gone good too. Vermilion Dam Lodge is perfect for large groups and families with kids. For a virtual tour or to make a reservation, visit www.vdl.com or call Ed Tausk at 1 (800) 325-5780 (e-mail to vdl@vdl.com)... Make sure you tell them that I sent you!
By now I hope you are surfing your way through gifts that will make your Muskie Hunter very happy. I should note that none of the companies mentioned here paid me to write about them. These are all places I shop online, by phone, and/or in person on a regular basis, because they have exactly what I need - when I need it. They are polite, helpful, and have great customer service. I recommend them all based upon my personal satisfaction.
Same goes for the products – all battle tested (maybe even tortured) by yours truly in my personal hunt for toothy critters. Of course, you are going to find a whole bunch of other stuff that I don’t have room for here. With that said, I will let you go fourth and shop. Have a VERY Happy & Safe Holiday Season…
Best Wishes for BIG Fishes!
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