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| Before I knew about Muskie First I was a regular on the Muskie Shop's chat site. Total newbie, Rollie was so kind and generous with information. I'm proud to say that I'm member #4 of the Club. Still have my hat and my membership card is stashed away with a few other precious items in a safety deposit box at the bank.
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| Cool! Had not heard of this. |
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Location: Bloomington, MN | I've seen a few fights in bars, but the 2 most brutal beatings I witnessed involved Rollie. He was the winner both times. The mid-80's was a tough time to be a muskie guide on Pelican Lake. He was a very good muskie fisherman for the days. He would locate the White Bass schools Pelican once had and fish around them. R.I.P. Mr. Bessett.
Edited by Clark A 8/6/2023 2:08 AM
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| Being a long time visitor to the Northwoods of Wisconsin I used to shop at Rollie & Helens when Rollie and Helen were in there and I read that Jay was worked there for over 25 years I must have meet him around his first day. Also I remember driving by the Musky Shop when it was still in Rhinelander. (I was never in the Rhinelander location) When they moved to Minocqua we started shopping there. I know I was in there in the early 90's. don't know the exact year. I know Rollie caught a 38 pounder out of Pelican. (I think from a old Musky Hunter Article)
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Clark A - 8/6/2023 1:06 AM
I've seen a few fights in bars, but the 2 most brutal beatings I witnessed involved Rollie. He was the winner both times. The mid-80's was a tough time to be a muskie guide on Pelican Lake. He was a very good muskie fisherman for the days. He would locate the White Bass schools Pelican once had and fish around them. R.I.P. Mr. Bessett.
Rollie had a bit of a dark side. It peppered his life with...interesting episodes. I was guiding Pelican full-time when he started guiding there, so we saw each other a lot in said bars. |
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Location: Bloomington, MN | Pelican had a monthly muskie tournament held on a Sunday. I won the June one in 1976 and the May one in 1977. The Chamber would have an October tournament just between the winners. The one I remember fishing only had 3 contestants. Mr. Worrall won of course with a 33" off the Town Bar. My tournament luck ended 46 years ago! Clarence Bodenhagen was the original owner of Bayside Resort. Clarence hated Frank Suick and vice versa. They would carry a bucket of rocks around in their boats and throw them at each other when they crossed paths. Clarence actually kicked out a guest for using a Suick. There must be something in the water! |
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Location: SE, WI. | I’m sure I was a bit Tardy to the Party on Pelican lake. After Hiring Mr. Worrall for guiding a couple times in the mid 80’s, and got a bit more serious about the game, I started to spend a bit more time in Oneida County. My memories of Mr Rollie were not all that pleasant . His on water etiquette had a lot to be desired. Sad but true! JD
Edited by jdsplasher 8/9/2023 6:25 PM
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| Clark A - 8/6/2023 10:35 PM
Pelican had a monthly muskie tournament held on a Sunday. I won the June one in 1976 and the May one in 1977. The Chamber would have an October tournament just between the winners. The one I remember fishing only had 3 contestants. Mr. Worrall won of course with a 33" off the Town Bar. My tournament luck ended 46 years ago! Clarence Bodenhagen was the original owner of Bayside Resort. Clarence hated Frank Suick and vice versa. They would carry a bucket of rocks around in their boats and throw them at each other when they crossed paths. Clarence actually kicked out a guest for using a Suick. There must be something in the water!
"Carry a bucket of rocks". That is pretty crazy, the idea of them throwing rocks at each other on the water. Much better than opening up with a 9mm but still ---- |
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Location: E. Tenn | Clark A - 8/6/2023 11:35 PM
Clarence Bodenhagen was the original owner of Bayside Resort. Clarence hated Frank Suick and vice versa. They would carry a bucket of rocks around in their boats and throw them at each other when they crossed paths. Clarence actually kicked out a guest for using a Suick. There must be something in the water!
Is this them?
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| Yea, my grandpa had a small coffee can with rocks and a pen. He threw the rocks at water skiers who came way too close. Not the boat, the skier. He never hit anybody but the boat would see it and come back around to complain. As soon as they pulled alongside he would pull the pen and write down the numbers on the boat. As he was writing he would say, "I'm an old man. If I can hit you with a rock you're way too close. I'm reporting you to the water patrol, they'll explain it to you. Thank you for stopping." He meant it, too; called them in to the sheriff and the sheriff in turn called the boat owner with a warning. |
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| Ranger - 8/11/2023 11:39 AM Yea, my grandpa had a small coffee can with rocks and a pen. He threw the rocks at water skiers who came way too close. Not the boat, the skier. He never hit anybody but the boat would see it and come back around to complain. As soon as they pulled alongside he would pull the pen and write down the numbers on the boat. As he was writing he would say, "I'm an old man. If I can hit you with a rock you're way too close. I'm reporting you to the water patrol, they'll explain it to you. Thank you for stopping." He meant it, too; called them in to the sheriff and the sheriff in turn called the boat owner with a warning. Genius! |
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Location: Bloomington, MN | John Gustafon and Max Goldman were the best of friends. Sometimes arguments last for years, but the friendship stays solid. I do not think there was ever a truce or friendship to speak of between the two. I never met Mr. Frank Suick, but knew Clarence since I was a child. Hearing these stories of Clarence's antics from my grandfather and dad somewhat shocked me. He was a kind and classy man to all the folks I knew. My friend's father, Jim, fished with Frank Suick very often. He stated that he was part of the 30 muskies in 30 days. You can't shoot a muskie by yourself! Jim was fishing by himself off the west side of "The Rock" on Pelican one evening and hooked a nice muskie. Frank came over to assist, and asked "What color Suick did you catch it on?" Jim replied, "A color you don't make!". They shot and gaffed the fish, and probably shot it again since they are so wild, and Frank yanked out an all black Suick that Jim had dipped in a can of black paint! Frank then started making all black Suick's, and I wish the company would change the color name to "Ladwig Black"! Jim's last name. One more Jim Ladwig story! A boat going out of Guth's Bay to Antigo Island flipped over during a storm. The person in the boat was O.K., but he lost a case of Rhinelander Shorties. A day or so latter Jim and a friend came into Guth's Bar with a nice muskie they claimed they caught it off the island. As the fish was laying on the bar they noticed how fat it was and decided to cut it open. Inside was at least 4 Rhinelander Shorties that they shoved down it's throat as a joke. My last muskie I kept was in 1984, and was thrown on a bar at Paul's Place (Otis's now PB&J's). I hadn't killed one in 5 years. It engulfed a Suick, and no proper release tools back then. More $$$ for Joe Fittante's Gulf Shore Estate!!
Edited by Clark A 8/15/2023 1:15 AM
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| I love all these great stories! keep them coming. |
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Location: Bloomington, MN | My stories are mainly of my time and my family's time spent up at Pelican Lake, WI.. My grandfather started going there in the 1920's. People have asked me since we have a 100-year history on the lake, "What point on the lake do we own?". We were and always will be renters! Going back to the 70's which is still fresh in my mind, two of my young teenage friends at the time either won or placed very well in a Pelican all species tournament. My friend, Eric, got two muskies using a Suick. They were 30'-32" fish. Neither of the fish was hooked. They both jumped into the boat while he was figure 8ing. Talk to him at this year's Kevin Worrall Memorial tournament, he won it last year. Pretty sure he hooked those. |
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