World's Largest Tiger Muskie

One Land O'Lakes claim to fame is the star attraction at the quaint Minnow Bucket bait shop east of town. Tiger muskies are a hybrid species between muskellunge and northern pike. Their breeding cycles overlap for about six weeks in nearby Lac Vieux Desert, one of the very few places where they naturally reproduce. Their name comes from their shaded stripes.

Tiger muskies are big and hard-fighting, "the bad boys of freshwater sport fish," according to Utah Outdoors. "Catching a big tiger is an exciting event — a milestone that fishermen brag about." Tiger muskies are being bred to stock many fisheries today.

The record tiger muskie is 52 1/4" long. It weighed 51 pounds and 3 ounces. On July 17, 1919 John Knobla caught it in Lac Vieux Desert. Years and years ago, a previous owner of the Minnow Bucket bought it at an estate sale for $250. The fish has been remounted three or four times. The Minnow Bucket displays the third- and fourth-biggest tiger muskies, too.

County Road E, about 2 1/2 miles east of U.S. 45. Spring and fall hours 7-6, 7 days. Summer: 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Winter open mornings. (715) 547-3979. Wheelchair-accessible.

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LAND O'LAKES
POINTS OF INTEREST

Downtown Land O'Lakes. Convenient and friendly, with a certain amount of northwoods panache and cottage decor. ... more

Gateway Lodge. Once a media magnate's log showplace, this lodging/restaurant complex is worth a visit. ... more

Gateway Golf Club. A 1940s 9-hole course with giant pines straddles the Michigan-Wisconsin state line. ... more

Pine Creek. A charming shop whose owner sells her own hand-painted furniture, bowls, candle holders, as well as works by other area craftspeople ... more

Wisconsin River Wayside. Picnic at the charming creek whose waters end up in the Gulf of Mexico, and see the Wisconsin's source on Lac Vieux Desert. ... more

World's Largest Tiger Muskie. This giant, 52 lb. fish, an unusual and hard-fighting hybrid, was caught in 1919. ... more

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