|
Welcome To
Brainerd Lakes Chapter of Muskies Inc |
|
Youth
|
Fisheries
|
Research
|
We are BACK at the Nisswa American Legion!
Monthly meetings are held at the Nisswa American Legion at 7:00 p.m., the second Tuesday of each month
July 2026
7pm - Nisswa American Legion
Open to the public and FREE to attend
Open to the public and FREE to attend
Nisswa American Legion, 25807 Main St, Nisswa, MN
2026 Calendar of Events
|
January
13 - Monthly Meeting - Rescheduled Christmas Party & Chapter Elections February 10 - Monthly Meeting - Guest Speaker - Hays Baldwin 27 to March 1 - Minnesota Muskie Expo - Canterbury Park March 10 - Monthly Meeting - Guest Speaker - Matt Seifert 21 - 22nd Annual BLC Sportsman's Banquet April 14 - Monthly Meeting - Lure Swap May 9 - Minnesota Fishing Opener 12 - Monthly Meeting - Lure Making & Membership Drive 16 - Brainerd Parks and Rec Kid Fishing Clinic - Lum Park June 6 - Minnesota Muskie Opener 6 - Brainerd Lakes Youth Expo Everything Outdoors 9 - Monthly Meeting - Eric from Little Falls DNR 13 - MHOTY Outing - Alexander/Shamineu - 7am to 3pm 19 - High School Tournament - Lake Alexander 27 - MHOTY Outing - Bemidji area - 5 am to 4pm July 7 - MHOTY Outing - Virtual - 4pm to 10pm 14 - Monthly Meeting - Tyler Ahrenstorff - Brainerd Area Fisheries 18 - MHOTY Outing - Miltona - 7am to 10 pm August 1 - MHOTY Outing - Inguadona - 7am to 3pm 11 - Monthly Meeting - Youth Night 15 - MHOTY Outing - Virtual - 7 am to 10 pm 26 to 28 - Gil Hamm Chapter Challunge - Eagle River Chain, WI September 1 - MHOTY Outing - Virtual - 4pm to 9 pm 8 - Monthly Meeting - Guest Speaker - Chase Gibson 12 - Memorial Outing on Mantrap - 7am to 3pm 19 - MHOTY Outing - Leech Lake - 7 am to 3pm October 3 to 4 - Jeff Young Memorial Muskie Shootout Tournament 10 - MHOTY Outing - Gull Lake - 9am to 3pm 13 - Monthly Meeting - TBD 24 - MHOTY Outing - Roosevelt - 9am to 3 pm November 10 - Monthly Meeting - Guest Speaker - Gregg Thomas December 8 - Monthly Meeting - Holiday Party/Chapter Elections ANNUAL OUTING SCHEDULE - CLICK HERE |
PURPOSE STATEMENT We exist to further the purposes of Muskies, Inc. which are to:
|
BLC Latest News
We will post here links, new info or Chapter news to keep you up to date
We will post here links, new info or Chapter news to keep you up to date
PIT Tag Readers
The majority of muskies stocked in Minnesota have been receiving PIT Tags when they are stocked. So if you are fishing stocked waters and you invest in a low cost PIT Tag reader, you can help the DNR out on many of our state's fisheries. There are many styles of readers that can be found on Amazon ranging in price from $20 to $40. One main thing you need to look for is to make sure it reads ISO 11784/11785 tags. As long as it mentions this in the description, it will be able to detect and read pit tags in our stocked muskies. Pit tags are placed under the skin near the dorsal fin.
Best practices:
Keep the scanner with your hookout kit. A ziplock bag will help it stay dry and you can scan right through the bag. (IMPORTANT: Most of the lower cost readers are NOT waterproof.) After you unhook the fish, turn the scanner on. Leaving the fish in the net, grab the tail and lift the dorsal fin out of the water. Waive the scanner around the dorsal fin. If there is a tag it should read it promptly. Go around the dorsal a few times to make sure. If you get a fish with a tag, report it to the DNR website.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/tagged_fish_reporting/index.html
A couple tips:
The scanners that say "view history" or similar will generally allow you to scroll through any tags you have scanned. There are more basic ones out there that make it difficult to scroll back to that number. If you have one of those, take a photo of the number while it is still on the screen.
They need to be able to read ISO 11784/11785 and set to HEX mode so it gives you a 15 digit number. Many of the readers come set to DEC mode. Scroll to settings and change it to HEX mode. It's simple to do.
Submit the date to the DNR:
The Minnesota DNR makes it incredibly easy to submit this info to them with an online form. Follow the directions there to give them the details of the fish along with the tag number.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/tagged_fish_reporting/index.html
What info will you receive back?
One of the best parts of this is the DNR will get back to you and report the history of that fish. Year/size stocked and if it had been reported as being caught before.
Best practices:
Keep the scanner with your hookout kit. A ziplock bag will help it stay dry and you can scan right through the bag. (IMPORTANT: Most of the lower cost readers are NOT waterproof.) After you unhook the fish, turn the scanner on. Leaving the fish in the net, grab the tail and lift the dorsal fin out of the water. Waive the scanner around the dorsal fin. If there is a tag it should read it promptly. Go around the dorsal a few times to make sure. If you get a fish with a tag, report it to the DNR website.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/tagged_fish_reporting/index.html
A couple tips:
The scanners that say "view history" or similar will generally allow you to scroll through any tags you have scanned. There are more basic ones out there that make it difficult to scroll back to that number. If you have one of those, take a photo of the number while it is still on the screen.
They need to be able to read ISO 11784/11785 and set to HEX mode so it gives you a 15 digit number. Many of the readers come set to DEC mode. Scroll to settings and change it to HEX mode. It's simple to do.
Submit the date to the DNR:
The Minnesota DNR makes it incredibly easy to submit this info to them with an online form. Follow the directions there to give them the details of the fish along with the tag number.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries/tagged_fish_reporting/index.html
What info will you receive back?
One of the best parts of this is the DNR will get back to you and report the history of that fish. Year/size stocked and if it had been reported as being caught before.
|
BLC Members Cleaning Up Accesses
We encourage everyone to visit a public access and do a little clean up. As anglers and users of the accesses, it is our responsibility to help make sure our accesses debris free. See trash.. pick it up. A few BLC members have been out doing just that. Thank you and keep up the good work! |
2025 Access Cleanup Photos
Previous Years Cleanup Efforts
|
|
BLC commits a financial contribution to the Radiothon To End Child Abuse in the Tri-County area. A great cause that the Chapter is proud to donate to every year.
|
|
