The legacy continues
The Muskellunge Club of Wisconsin has a long history of stocking muskies in Wisconsin
In February 2012 MCW discussed plans to resurrect the club’s involvement with stocking muskies. At that time, the MCW had last stocked muskies in 2005. That joint partnership stocking with the Milwaukee Chapter of Muskies Inc (MCMI) introduced 600 muskies to Okauchee Lake at a total cost of $6000. (In 2006 VHS was discovered in Wisconsin and DNR policy restricted fish stockings for a few years but that restriction has been lifted.)
Our April 2012 newsletter shows the first evidence that a separate stocking fund had been established with a balance of $100. Prior to that time anytime stocking occurred, money from the club’s general fund was tapped for that purpose. Establishing this separate stocking fund was an attempt to show MCW’s renewed commitment to stocking muskies. The club didn’t realize it at the time but this separate stocking fund eventually helped to promote donations from outside sources that would ensure those donations were dedicated to stocking muskies.
By the fall of 2012, Scott Wilkie (MCW Secretary at the time) had taken the initiative and our club stocked 250 extended growth yearling muskies in 2 southeast Wisconsin lakes; 100 in Delavan Lake (MCW partnered with their lake association) and 150 in Okauchee Lake. These very healthy 17-22 inch 1 1/2 year old muskies were purchased from the Minnesota Muskie Farm (aka Oswald Fisheries) for $30 each! (A compilation of stocking photos from 2012 can be seen near the bottom of this page.)
Fast-forward 1 year to our October 2013 membership meeting when a club member suggested that we name our club’s stocking fund in Bob Baumann’s memory after Bob’s wife, Roxanne Baumann, presented our club with a generous donation for stocking muskies in Bob’s memory. (Bob had passed away in April 2013.) That same night, prior to Roxanne’s donation (and per her request), in lieu of flowers, MCW moved $50 from our general fund to our stocking fund in Bob’s memory. And with that, our MCW stocking fund was officially named the Bob Baumann Memorial Stocking Fund.
In early 2016 we establish a “Donate” button on our website which was very successful for raise stocking donations for the very big April 2016 yearling stocking project we did on Okauchee Lake in partnership with the Milwaukee Chapter of Muskies Inc and Waukesha County who supplied us with grant funding. In addition, donations to the Bob Baumann Memorial Stocking Fund can be mailed to our club’s P.O. Box which is found on our Registration page. The MCW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization so any donations made are tax deductible and a receipt (with our club tax ID) for each donation will be sent to anyone who donates. To date, we have received many donations – big and small – which are dedicated to the propagation of muskies in Wisconsin. Any questions can be directed to our email address which can be found at the bottom of this page. Thanks in advance for considering a donation to our Baumann/Dawson Memorial Stocking Fund.
Bob Baumann’s Legacy Lives On
Less than a year after officially naming it, the Bob Baumann Memorial Stocking Fund was used for the first time on September 22, 2014 when 387 muskies were stocked in Lac La Belle. (MCW and MCMI teamed together that year to accomplish the first ever direct stocking of muskies into Lac La Belle. Those muskies were purchased from Gollon Bait and Fish Farm at a cost of $10.50 each. MCW and MCMI each contributed $2000 toward that stocking.) An article about that stocking event can be found in our October 2014 MCW Release newsletter. You’ll find another awesome reflection article written by Bob’s wife, Roxanne Baumann, after our 2015 fall stocking on Lac La Belle and Pewaukee Lake in our October 2015 MCW Release newsletter.
