Living a Tradition - Last Frontier Musky Tournament in Winter, Wisconsin
by Stephanie Forrer-Harbridge
The early morning chill was crisp, the fog – thick, and
quiet excitement filled the air. Anticipation grew the
closer we got to the lake. I was going through the gear
checklist in my head along with all of the fishing
pointers I had received from our buddy Ace Sommerfeld
during our river fishing trips to be ready for this day. I
wanted to be able to hold my own and keep up with
“the guys”. Little did I know, I would soon be having one
of the best fishing trips of my life, not because of a big
catch but because of the people I met along the way.
That is one of the best things about fishing; it does not
always have to be about what you catch to make a truly
life-changing experience.
One of the area’s best kept secrets is the Last Frontier Musky
Tournament, which is held yearly on the third weekend in
September and the second weekend in June, fishing several
lakes in the Winter, Wisconsin area. This year marks its’ 33 rd
Anniversary and it is the oldest known Muskie Tournament in
the area with the tradition of allowing both live and synthetic
baits. The story behind the beginning of this tournament and
history of the area are almost as interesting as it is fishing for
Muskies…well almost.
Town of Winter was founded in 1904 and the town’s post office
was built that same year. Winter is located in the southeastern
corner of Sawyer County, Wisconsin and was named for W.C.
Winter, a Superintendent for the North Western Railroad Line
that runs through the town. The rich history of the people and places in this Northern Wisconsin community is immeasurable.
Sawyer County has miles of trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, ATV, and Snowmobiling. Hunting in the area is the best around for
deer, bear, and turkey. In addition to all of this, there are acres of lakes and
rivers for boating and fishing. The numerous lakes, rivers, creeks and flowages
have various species of fish including a much sought-after population of
Muskies.
I had the pleasure of meeting a lifetime resident and owner of Mike’s Guide
Service, Mike Heath (pictured). My husband Scott and I met Mike while
shopping at the local bait, tackle, and meat shop in Radisson, WI; “Whisky
Ridge Sports Shop” owned by Mike’s brother, Mark Heath. One thing we
immediately noticed about this area is it felt “like home” everywhere we went.
I, personally, cannot think of anything more fun than a family friendly Muskie
Tournament. This gives you the experience of fishing in a tournament without
the high dollar entrance fees and equipment. It provides the comradery of the
locals and their families and friends; which is my kind of competition. Many of
the entrants are locals, both young and old, that have fished this tournament
for many years. As I met more and more contestants I soon discovered that
there were several that also drove hundreds of miles from as far as Illinois to
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