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Message Subject: Musky Mission Complete After Action Report!

MuskyMissionComplete

Posted 9/18/2017 10:53 PM (#878422)
Subject: Musky Mission Complete After Action Report!

Posts: 147

What a great first year for Musky Mission Complete. The event hopefully exceeded all expectations for the Vets involved. I know it exceeded ours! That speaks to the quality of the Vets that participated. The Vets started arriving at Anderson's Grand Vu Resort early afternoon on Thursday. Everyone had arrived by 1500 so we started off with a fairly informal opening ceremony. Every Vet received a tackle box with some outstanding musky baits donated by so many great Americans. We also had a raffle where everyone also received a "bonus" prize. Some of them were VERY nice! We will just keep those a secret for now though. Everyone was chomping at the bit to get out fishing on beautiful Leech Lake. So we paired everyone with their guides and off they went. The weather was quite comfortable for the first session of fishing with overcast skies and a nice 5 mph wind. We all knew there would be some action. When the boats returned, EVERY boat had action on muskies! Unfortunately, no-one was able to close the deal. Still, it was a great start and all the Vets were excited for the next day. We had a great dinner of sloppy joe's and cheesy potatoes. After a few hours of pitching musky lures, many for their first time, the food went fast! The night ended with some cards, pool and many stories exchanged. It was good to see the Vets opening up with each other. That is, after all, the whole purpose of Musky Mission Complete.

Friday, awoken to overcast skies and stronger winds than forecast. With the size of Leech Lake, it doesn't take much of a wind to get some pretty good rollers. We made a command decision to trailer the boats to the upwind side of the lake to make it more fishable. So after a quick breakfast, the Vets grabbed their sack lunches and went for a little drive. This was quite the effort for everyone and a long day of fishing with intermittent rain showers. Good news again! Everyone had action on muskies and we even boated some this time! Jeremy Djourn caught a beautiful 41 incher on a bucktail. His first musky! We were a little worried that we might have created a monster as he told his wife they are buying a boat immediately! Guide Will Walkoviak boated three out of the back of the boat! Everyone was extremely tired and hungry when they arrived back at the cabin. They were greeted by some truly outstanding tacos. Once again, games, beverages and stories about how they "almost got that big one to bite", were flooding the cabin.

Saturday's weather was a little better. Still overcast skies, but the wind had shifted to the south southwest. So we didn't need to trailer the boats today. So once again, a quick breakfast and lunch grab and the boats were off. Ryan Nutter got the Vets on the board early with a 32 incher that hit on a Klack Bait. The fish were definitely in the weeds and the bulrushes and we all knew it. Greg Tolmoff and Jon Ball boated some nice pike. Doug Norling caught a dandy 42 incher on a spinnerbait. Jon Falch scored a beautiful 39 incher on a suick. Guide Shannon Green netted a great 40 incher on a topwater. Organizer and Vet Mike King got a nice 41 incher on a topwater. Organizer and Vet Todd Berge nailed a 37 incher on a Klack Bait. Some really nice fish were lost or just wouldn't bite. That's musky fishing though... Overall and OUTSTANDING day of fishing though! To cap it all off, as we arrived back at the resort a HUGE rainbow appeared seeming to put an exclamation point on our event! We got in a little early as we had plans for a fish fry! What a fish fry it was. Multiple species and multiple batter recipes made for some fine eating. Once again, more stories were being told and the fish lost seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. Not sure how that happens... We ended the night with a small "closing ceremony". The Vets gave the guides a well earned salute and "thank yous" were exchanged all around.

We are already starting to plan for next year. We want to make this event even better. We are taking donations immediately. We will also be at the Milwaukee and Minneapolis Shows, so stop by and say hello!

Overall we are just overwhelmed with how the Vets embraced this event and just loved musky fishing. Everyone worked their tail off to get one of these magical fish. The most impressive thing was, everyone loved the event whether they caught a fish or not. As I alluded to before, this event is about healing and camaraderie, not about catching a fish. MISSION COMPLETE!!!!!

Please check out or donors below and thank them personally or just by supporting their business! Also, please check out our Facebook page MuskyMissionComplete to see all the photos and stories.

Great thanks go out to: Brian Dean with Wounded Warrior Guide Service played a very big part in this event. The Fargo-Moorhead and Brainerd Lakes Chapter of Muskies Inc. THe American Legion Elysian Legion Post 311. All of the guides that donated their time and effort, Shannon Green, Pete Maina, Nate Reilley, Joe Davis, Will Walkoviak, Terry Pickar Jr.. Jeff Anderson of Grand VU resort on Leech Lake. Steve Sworral of Muskieforst for letting us hold the fundraising auction. Also all of the following for helping with gear for the vets or our fund raising auction. Aaron Meyer, Andy Veith, Chaos Tackle, Chris Piha from Llugen Tackle, Dick Pearson, Fudally Tackle, Frank and Laura Walsh, Gary Schwartz, Gerry Carrol of Gerry tail bucktails, Gordy Farrington, Hirsch's Ghosttails, GT Rod and Reels, Rod Provost, H20 Tackle, Harvey Baits Todd Fleury, Todd Forcier, Musky Junky,Mike Kramer of Kramer Bucktails, Lake X Muskie Lures, Lynchum Lures, Leech Lake Customs/South Shore Guide service Bob Landerville, Monster Lures, Musky Tackle Online Aaron Heimkes, Musky Frenzy Apache lures, Musky Safari, Naze Baits, Greg Nimmer Nimmer lures,Red Tail Tackle, Gary Eastvold, Eric Larsen rubber hairy tackle, Sinister Baits, Spanky Baits, James from Tackle Industries. I also want to thank all who
bid on and bought items at our fundraising auction. A big shout out to Matthew Gyrionand Todd Berge we got it done!! thanks to all of our spouses who put up with the time we put in and all of the musky talk during!! Most of all a Huge thanks to all of the Vets who attended, they were a wonderful group who had a killer attitude. You are the real reason for this event and i am glad to see some again and meet a lot of new faces. We are looking forward to next years event!!!