Alumnus Spends Weekends as a Musky Hunter

Tim Learn, a non-traditional 1995 DSU graduate and former DSU Alumni News Editor (1972-73 and 1992-94) spends his free time touring the Wisconsin musky tournament fishing circuit. He earned his degree in English for Information Systems--Computer Programming Option, in May 1995 and after spending 2-years with American Express Special Teams, Inc. (AEST) in Brookings, SD. as a Senior Proposal/Technical Writer, Tim accepted a position in Wisconsin, the state of his birth and childhood, as a Senior Consultant/System Engineer/Programmer, with Stratagem, Inc., a highly reputable information systems consulting firm. Tim currently resides in Wausau and covers the Central Wisconsin Region for Stratagem. He recently completed a Year 2000 project for American Medical Security (AMS), in Green Bay and is now working on a project for the city of Marshfield, WI. Information systems consulting provides Tim with plenty of challenges and many long hours on the project site; however, he still seems to find some time to participate in the Wisconsin musky tournament fishing circuit. He smiles with satisfaction when he eagerly boasts that as of August 15, halfway through the '97 tournament season, he has boated 6 "legal" muskies--he still has two more tournaments left on his schedule before the season ends in October. "Musky fishing is more than a challenge," says Tim, "it's an art, but, no matter how good a musky fisherman you think you are it doesn't hurt to live only an hour from Vilas County: perhaps the best musky fishing waters in the United States." Listening to musky tournament fishing stories from Tim supports his belief that, "musky are a fish of a thousand casts." This may be a conservative estimate! Tim says that, "during a typical tournament a fisherman may be able to spent 10 hours a day on the water. My personal goal becomes to maintain an average of 35 to 40 presentations (casts) per hour. Simple arithmetic states that during a single day of observation that most recreational musky fishermen spend far to much time beating "dead water" and far to little time actually "hunting muskies". Tim feels that, "bait selection and bait color are often afforded a great deal more importance than they truly deserve." Tim states that, "if you have a particular style and model of bait that you personally work (present) well, stick with that bait regardless of light conditions, water clarity, or time of year." Tim reluctantly divulges that his, "killer bait," all summer has been a 2 oz. orange and natural (colored) Buchertail 700 ( inline bucktail spinner bait). He has also says that he has done well with an 8" (black and white) "Crane" (jerk bait). "It may be wise to select darker colors on bright days and/or in gin clear water. There is also a logic to selecting brighter colored baits on dark days and/or in tinted or coffee stained waters." Tim seems to respect this theory but argues that his frequent successful violation of those beliefs lead him to believe that these rules are not, "carved in stone." "Buzz baits, rattle baits, jerk baits, crank baits, top water baits, spinners...they in themselves don't guarantee success. Knowing where the fish are and putting down good presentations, with a bait you are personally able to work well, are the real keys to boating big muskies...of course, it's a scientifically proven fact that you will never catch a trophy musky unless you have a package of double stuffed Oreo cookies in the boat!" (Tim and his partner have a superstition and tradition of always having an open package of double stuffed Oreo cooks laying on the console of the boat while tournament fishing.) Not all of Tim's musky fishing trips are tournament outings. He says that nearly every non-tournament weekend he has had available this summer has been spent hosting musky fishing outings for friends and fellow DSU Alumni. He admits that some of their trips have been successful (for his "rookie guests") while other days have, "just been plain old fashioned futile attempts to catch the most illusive fresh water fish in the world-- the lacustrine and/or riverine muskellunge/maskinonge." Tim lives by the philosophy that, "a bad day fishin' is still better than a good day at work," and he's always ready and willing to spend a day, "hunting musky with anybody who has a sincere desire to catch a "legal" or "trophy" musky." Tim hasn't put together his 1998 tournament schedule yet but he does invite any and all DSU Alumni to drop him an E-mail at tlearn@dwave.net if they are planning to, or would like to take a musky fishing trip to the Northwoods area of Wisconsin. Tim has offered to provide fellow DSU Alumnus with first hand tips and musky, northern, and walleye fishing reports from his area. He can also provide information and recommendation on motel, resort, and camping accommodation. When viewing Tim's Catch, Photograph and Release (CPR) musky tournament fishing photo album you will see each picture labeled with the fish's length, weight, girth, date-of-catch/release, and the lure and rod & real used to boat the fish. The label also includes the weather conditions occurring on the day of the catch--followed by a, "secret," lake numbering code. Like all true Musky Hunters Tim is reluctant to give up the name(s) of the particular lake(s) he has caught big fish on and even more reluctant to divulge the place(s) that he knows a "big boy" is hiding. He does however say that, "for fellow DSU Alumni, and a bag of double stuffed Oreo cookies, he might be persuaded to mention names like: Moens Lake, Island Lake, Potato Lake, and even Lake #10--Pelican Lake. He might even be willing to take you on a guided trip to a submerged log on Lake Julia, where he has (twice) raised a 50+ inch/40 pound (+) fish.