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May 2024 BLC Newsletter

Hello Everyone, 

With the Minnesota fishing opener this weekend. Hopefully you've all had a chance to get your boat in the water already. If you are able to get out this weekend and are lucky enough to get a big one, make sure to send it to us so we can use it in our BLC photos of the month (does not need to be a muskie). You can also use this time to get in on the Lake Cleanup Challenge, we will give the $50 fleet farm gift card away next Tuesday at our Monthly Meeting. 

In the last month I was able to spend some time working with Aitkin DNR fisheries. They are doing a netting study on Cedar Lake in Aitkin, they have been coming up with a few smaller males from the 37"- 47" range. It was a fun thing to be a part of and I would recommend if you get that chance, do it.

We have a few youth events coming up, the first one is June 8th, Brainerd youth fishing clinic at Lum Park. Followed up the next weekend June 15th by the Everything Youth Expo which is at the Crow Wing County Fair Grounds. Lastly, our Youth Night which will be held at the Nisswa Community Center August 13. We are looking for volunteers for all these events. 

Finally, Next Tuesday we are holding our annual Lure Swap & Membership Drive. If you cleaned out your tackle box and are looking to try and sell some baits, rods, reels or any other fishing equipment bring it on Tuesday. We are also doing our membership drive. Something new we are doing this year is giving away a Youth Lifetime Fishing License. We will draw for this at the June meeting. So, all family memberships with an eligible youth who signed up or renewed January 1 to May 31 will be entered to win. 

Have a safe fishing opener. 

Levi Stifter

May 14th Meeting - Lure Swap and Membership Drive

FREE Lifetime Fishing License

As an added bonus for our Membership Drive, we will be giving away one Minnesota LIFETIME FISHING LICENSE to a BLC Youth Member.

​REQUIREMENT: To be eligible, the youth member must be part of a BLC Family Membership that is either a new member or RENEWED between January 1st and May 31st. We will draw for this winner at our June monthly meeting. Need not be present to win.

Meetings are open to the public and FREE to attend! Chance to win various prizes from lures or maybe a rod in our meeting raffles. Come to hear and share fish stories and more. One random door prize drawing for those in attendance. Bring your friends!



* 2nd Tuesday of the Month - Nisswa American Legion - 7 pm *

May 11

Fishing Opener

May 14

Monthly Meeting - Lure Swap and Membership Drive

June 1

Muskie Opener

June 11

Monthly Meeting - Lake Breakdown (outing discussion) and Lure Building

Lake Cleanup Challenge

Do you want a chance at a $50 gift card to Mills Fleet Farm?  Here is all you need to do; simply take a picture of you cleaning up the trash at any of our area waters and send the picture to us via email or Facebook message before our May monthly meeting. brainerdmuskies@gmail.com 

So that we can share with our community where we have been, we ask that pictures include a lake access sign or other visible landmark at a public landing.

The winner will be chosen at our May 14th monthly meeting. Need not to be present to win but your attendance is encouraged:) Our goal is to help improve our local lakes and help promote great stewardship.

* See the bottom of the newsletter for 2024 lake cleanup pictures from BLC members. Thank you everyone!

BLC Merchandise - Online Store

The online merch store is back! If you’ve been waiting for it to come around again, it’s finally here.

Get your wardrobe decked out with new “lucky” gear to wear while out fishing this summer. Choose from t-shirts, UV protective options, sweatshirts and more. There’s even a TALL section!

Check it out - this online store will only be available until May 23rd. Items can be picked up for FREE at the June monthly meeting, or have them shipped to you.

Follow the link to get yours: 

https://muskiesinc.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

Rules and Registration can be found here

Youth Member Spotlight - Silas Stifter

The BLC needs YOU!

We’re looking for volunteers, like YOU! 

We have two upcoming youth events that we’re looking for volunteers:

• Kids Fishing Clinic - Lum Park - June 8th
• Brainerd Everything Outdoor Youth Expo - Crow Wing County Fairgrounds - June 15th

Spend a few hours during the day teaching youth about fish and fishing at both of these events, and share with them the passion that you have for the outdoors.

If you’re interested in volunteering a few hours of your time please contact Jadyn at: 218-821-3728

Jeff Young Memorial - 2024 Muskie Shootout

Registration for the 2024 Jeff Young Memorial Muskie Shootout is officially open and we already have 31 teams signed up!

We will once again be headed back to Agency Bay Lodge on beautiful Leech Lake. Clear your calendar for the weekend of October 5 - 6, 2024 and register your team today. Remember, starting positions are determined by the order of registrations. So it pays to sign up early!

New Sponsor Spotlight - Beaver's Baits

The BLC would like to welcome Beaver's Baits to our fantastic group of sponsors.

Beaver's Baits is a Minnesota company specializing in making a highly realistic looking swimbait that mimics a muskrat or baby beaver. These come in multiple sizes and weights and will be one of the most versatile lures in your tackle box.

We hope you'll consider supporting Beaver's Baits and all of our great sponsors, as we couldn't do everything that we do without their help!

2024 BLC Muskie Hunter of the Year (MHOTY) Schedule

June 23

Lake Bemidji - Northwoods Access - 7am to 3pm

July 20

Virtual - Any lake in Minnesota - 6am to 11pm

August 6

Lake Roosevelt - Ladies/Kids get double points for muskies caught - 4pm to 9pm

August 11

Lake Pokegama - 7am to 3pm

September 3

Cedar Lake - Sponsorship night - fish must be caught using a BLC sponsor's lure - 4pm to 9pm

September 21

Leech Lake - 7am to 3pm

October 12

Lake Waconia - 8am to 3pm

October 26

Lake Roosevelt - 8am to 4pm

** Schedule subject to change **

** Potluck following most outings **

BLC Memorial Outing

September 14

Mantrap Lake - 7am to 5pm

This is separate from the MHOTY schedule and is run a bit more like a tournament style with prizes for the winner as well as big fish pot and raffles afterwards.

Release Contest & Replica Eligibility

The 2024 season is approaching. So here is our annual reminder to everyone of our annual release contest as well as our replica eligibility.

• Any BLC member that enters a fish into our release standings in a given month goes into a random drawing for a Musky Tackle Online gift card at the following month's meeting. MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN.
• ​You can enter your fish online through the Lunge Log or submit in person at any meeting to our Release Chairman, Nathan French. Submitting your fish electronically will save our release chairman a considerable amount of time.
• If you would like to have your fish entered in the chapter contest but not be submitted to the national Lunge Log, you can download and print out a release form to be submitted to Nathan. Be sure that you check the appropriate box on the upper left hand corner.

2024 BLC Replica Eligibility and Rules

1. Must be a current member in good standing at the time of catch

2. Attend at least four (4) monthly meetings per calendar year

3. Attend at least one (1) Muskie Hunter of the Year outing

4. Must submit a clear photo of the muskie's length on a bump board

Receipt of the photo is your entry into replica eligibility

Submit your photo to Release Chairman Nathan French at french.nathan22@gmail.com

5. Fill out and turn in a MI Release form to the Release Chairman within thirty (30) days of catch

Rules and Info:

1. The replica will be awarded to the winner with the largest (by length) release as per Replica Eligibility.

2. In case of a tie - the muskie that was caught first (by date and time) will be awarded the winner.

3. Winner of the replica will be ineligible for future BLC awarded replicas.

Save 10% at Musky Tackle Online

Orders placed with Musky Tackle Online that are delivered at monthly meetings are eligible for a 10% discount (and no shipping charge, of course). You need not be a member. You simply need to show up at the meeting to receive your order. It's that simple!

How does it work?

1) Register an account at Musky Tackle Online.

2) Email Aaron at MTO to let him know that you would like to have your order delivered at the next meeting.

3) He will set your account up to receive the appropriate discount.

4) He will let you know when you can proceed with putting in your order. Discount will apply automatically in your cart.

The BLC will get paid too! For every order that is placed this way, MTO will match the discount amount in the form of a donation to the chapter in the same amount. So not only will you get a great deal on some gear, but you will be contributing financially to the BLC!

CHAPTER SPONSORS



Please support our great sponsors that support us. We wouldn't be able to do the things that we do without their help!

Connect with us

BLC Photos of the Month

BLC Members with some of their lake cleanup efforts this spring

And a few fish that have already been caught this open water season (one with the aid of some DNR nets!)

Let's see what our fellow members are up to! Would you like to have your pictures featured in the next monthly newsletter? Send your fishing or outdoor related pictures to us at brainerdmuskies@gmail.com. Include a brief caption if you would like anything included with the picture.