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Greetings BLC Members,
Crazy to think that this is the final newsletter for this muskie season. With the final day of the 2023 season being Dec, 1st, you can do some quick math and come to the very real conclusion that you only have about 3 weeks left before the season is an official wrap. I realize cold weather fishing is not for everyone but if you are willing to do a little work, it may well produce your heaviest fish of the season. Above all, if you do venture out, make safety a top priority. Warm clothes, flotation devices/clothing, de-icer, sand,salt, WD-40 are a few essentials to name a few. And if you have decided that your season is already over, it's a great time to pull reels to send in for repair and of course buy more baits. Whatever you decide, I hope your season comes to a safe and successful end.
Speaking of coming to an end, I will officially be stepping down from my position as president for the BLC at the end of December and just want to take a moment to offer my thanks for the opportunity to serve the organization and perhaps offer a little perspective. First, I want to say that I have been absolutely blessed to work with some of the best, most passionate people the past number of years. I've had the privilege to serve in a variety of positions the past 15 plus years as an ALD member, youth director and as your president. Your board has done an incredible job of continuing to prioritize youth in our area, provide multiple quality speakers, offer tons of fishing opportunities, offer resources to our local DNR, work to increase fisheries, and give back to the community. These activities were started long before my involvement and I'm thankful to have been a part of them. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the privilege I had to work with and learn from the late, great, Jeff Young. Jeff was a great example of someone who would say yes to an opportunity and then figure out how he would pull it off after. He offered a great example of stewardship toward a greater good and knew that any time he gave to something he believed in would be well worth the effort. I'd encourage us all to take a look at our willingness to assist and give to an organization that we believe in. I fully realize that we all have busy lives, time is precious and that we can't do everything. However, I would also state that if we don't make an active effort to be involved in things that we enjoy, like the BLC of Muskies Inc., organizations like ours can vanish as quickly as a following muskie. And as you have learned from muskie fishing, you may never get that fish back up again. We currently do not have anyone who has been willing to stand for the president position moving forward and non-profit organizations such as ours require designated board member positions for incorporation. If you've had the thought that maybe you could serve the BLC in a little more active role, I'd encourage you to throw your name in the ring and stand for the president or any other board position. Regular rotation of leadership is an essential component for organization success and sustainability. Again, I truly thank you for the opportunity to have served this organization the past number of years.
To wrap up our final speaker of the year, we are excited to bring you Jeff Schulte, owner of Bomb Squad Baits and Phantom Lures. Jeff will be giving a real brief breakdown of his season, some muskie tips, how he got into the tackle industry, and bait building concepts. He will also have baits for sale and is hoping to even have a BRAND NEW prototype he will be offering for the 2024 season. On top of all that, Jeff is known as one of the best dressed and fashionable builders in the industry so that alone is worth showing up to see. You literally cannot afford to miss this opportunity. I look forward to seeing you all next Tuesday at the Nisswa American Legion.
Thanks for this opportunity to serve the BLC.
Jim Kath
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