WME - 2/19/2014 10:28 PM

For the third consecutive year, the Wisconsin Musky Expo is coming to the Patriot Center in Wausau, WI February 28th, March 1st and 2nd.
The Patriot Center is located in Rothschild, a suburb just south of Wausau, first exit off of Hwy 51, the main highway going north.
Show hours are Friday, February 28th, 2pm. to 9 pm., Saturday March 1st, 9 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, March 2nd, 9 am to 3:30 pm. Daily admission is $10.00, a two-day-pass is $15.00 and a three-day pass is $20.00
On Friday, the first 200 people with a paid admission receive a free muskie lure. Saturday is Chaos Tackle Kids Day, and on Sunday the first 100 kids 12 and under receive a free rod and reel or a NPAA t-shirt. This is made possible through the National Professional Anglers Association.
Everyone who comes to the show can register for a chance to win a four-day/three-night stay at Lakewoods Resort on Lake Namakagon. This includes two meals and a half-day guide trip with Hayward guide, Pete Rich.
The seminar line-up is different from other muskie shows because the usual names are not present. When asked why, show organizer Rich Reinert explained, "The other shows have the same speakers year after year. There are a lot of very successful muskie guides (fishermen) who don't get the press others do, but are every bit as good as the people you always hear about."
The seminar line-up opens on Friday with long-time muskie guide and co-founder of Muskies First, Steve Worrall, with successful tournament muskie angler, Brandon Dunbar, and Pewaukee Lake muskie guide, Joel Walczak rounding out the day.
Saturday, Hall of Fame guide Russ "Smitty" Smith and his son, Minocqua area guide Jake Smith, will open the show. Chippewa Flowage muskie guide and author John Dettloff, Green Bay muskie guide, Eric Larsen, Hayward muskie guide Pete Rich, and all-time muskie great, Bob Mehsikomer will speak throughout the day.
Sunday, Bayfield County and small river muskie guide, Adam Glickman, Lac Du Flambeau chain guide Rick Domini, Wisconsin River guide Brad Wirt, and Oneida Co. muskie guide, Norm Wild, will finish the line-up.
Legendary Hall of Fame muskie guide and author, Tony Rizzo, will be at the show all three days to visit and talk muskie. Tony also has a new book and would be glad to personally autograph copies for attendees.
There will also be three seminars given by the Wisconsin DNR featuring the Wisconsin River Systems, Chippewa Flowage and Vilas County.
Besides the seminars for the muskie angler, there will be a kids seminar on Sunday given by Greg Karch from the National Professional Anglers Association, teaching kids the basics. There will also be an area called Kids Corner with Paul Hartman that will teach the kids how to tie bucktail jigs.
After the show on Saturday evening, there will be a lure swap at the Grand Lodge sponsored by Muskies First. There will be a cash bar and the public is welcome.
Over 130 booths will fill the aisles of the convention center with muskie stuff-everything from muskie-shaped cookie cutters to custom, hard-to-find baits and the latest new colors on the hottest baits from the bigger companies, plus the latest in rods and reels.
Bring a picture in of your largest muskie and register for a chance to win a free replica with LaX Reproductions.
Bring in your old muskie lures and have them appraised by lure collector, Al Soczka.
Retailers like Ross's Sport Shop of Phillips, Tadpoles in Eagle River, Blue Ribbon Bait & Tackle from Minnesota and Turtle River Trading Co. from Mercer will be at the show as well.
Door prizes take place every half-hour each day of the show for all paid attendees.
Kids 15 years old and under are free.
Come for the day or stay the weekend. There's plenty to do and plenty of people to talk muskie with at the Wisconsin Muskie Expo in Wausau.