2011 Personal Best Photos

[Justin Gaudry]

I came up with this idea part way through last summer, but it seemed to late to get it going then. Here we go with a new year and I will try to post every 2011 personal best in any species that I'm given and/or made aware of.

If anyone has a personal best photo not on the thread, please email me the picture with details and I will get it on.

Hope we put up a tonn of them again this year.

Remember to click the photos to enlarge the pictures.

[Justin Gaudry]

All the way from SD for the first time ever at Lake of the Woods and Mylie's Place


Congrats to Rich on his 26" personal best walleye that was caught, photographed and released May 24, 2011.

[Justin Gaudry]

Future son-in-law Jeremy B holding up long time guest Doug H's PB crappie during their annual Ontario Opener trip.

Nice slab @ 13.5"!!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Darren with a 27" walleye that was CPR'd; equalling his personal best over the 2011 Memorial Weekend.

[Justin Gaudry]

Long time guest, Jeremy K, with his 28.5" PB walleye that was CPR'd on May 29, 2011. Congrats, Jeremy.

[Justin Gaudry]

Bob "Hoogie" Hanson with a beautiful PB at 29 1/4". This one is a contender for the largest released walleye of the year. It may not hold up, but still an awesome fish.

Congrats, Hoogie. Another well deserved PB.

Sunday, May 22, 2011 during opening week.

[Justin Gaudry]

Despite having to slum it in his Dad's tin can because his beloved Ranger boat was in the hospital due to a motor issue relating to the harmonic balancer on the powerhead (huh, what?), Rich L managed to score BIG over the Memorial Weekend.

Here is Rich with his personal best walleye that went 30.5" that was caught, photographed & released and likely would have been 31" with a proper tail pinch, but Dad Ron wouldn't give it to him.

Congrats, my friend. That is a BEEEEE-AUTY.

Note that Rich is not eligble for the guests-only fishing contest as his family has a place on the lake so was not staying with us at the resort at the time of the catch.

[Justin Gaudry]

Mike Egelend with his Personal Best 25.5" walleye after 30 years of fishing LOTW. This one came during the Memorial Weekend trip in 2011.

Congrats, Mike. You earned it!! See you in September.

[Justin Gaudry]

Congrats to Brett R with a 24" personal best that was safely released after he reconsidered keeping the fish to eat.

Way to go, Brett. That is a prime spawning size class fish.

Memorial Weekend 2011.

[Justin Gaudry]

Received this note from Marv G of the Gilbert group relating to his nephew's first trip ever to Lake of the Woods:

"Chase just graduated from high school and this trip was a graduation present from his parents. He graduated from Centarus High School in LaFayette Colorado. Chase is an accomplished fly fisherman on the Trout streams in Colorado but had never fished anything else. Needless to say, Chase had a great trip and his dad, Dave, couldn’t have been more proud."

Congrats, Chase. You may have already beat those initial PBs during the rest of your trip, but it's great to see "first ever" pictures like that. Nice job.

Chase's "First Ever" walleye, smallie and northern from Opening Week in May 2011.

[Justin Gaudry]

Here is the current guests-only big walleye release of the year!!

A brute of a fish that went 29.5" and was CPR'd by Dick W on June 8, 2011.

Nice fish, Dick. Congrats!

[Justin Gaudry]

First time guest and Lake of the Woods angler Mike T with the first of two personal bests during an early June trip.

The first was 26 1/4" and was caught June 5, 2011. The second PB is 28" and captured on 35mm film so hopefully we can get a photo of that at some point too.

Congrats, Mike. Sweet to get two PBs on one trip.

[Justin Gaudry]

JD Hanson with a monster walleye to take the lead for the largest release of the year.

Fishing with Dad (Dean) and pictured with Grandpa (Ken),JD's personal best 29 3/4" walleye on June 11 made their trip in 2011.

Congrats, JD.

[Justin Gaudry]

Shelley W with a personal best during their week long stay.

This 27.5" was CPR'd on June 6, 2011.

Congrats, Shelley.

I prpmise I'll come up for margaritas with the Wessels & Beckers next time!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Northern fishing in some last year's weed growth produced this 49" muskie for Scott B. Pictured with Son, David.

Well done guys.

June 3, 20011

[Justin Gaudry]

Rich B hooked into this girthy tooth critter in 16 feet of water while walleye fishing with a spinner. Talk about having your hands full.

That 48" brute looks like a 40 pounder to these eyes. Nice job!!

June 15, 2011

[Justin Gaudry]

Derek with a nice looking 28.5" PB that was CPR'd the weekend of June 10/11/12, 2011.

[Justin Gaudry]

June 20, 2011 personal best northern for Greg.

Congrats on the great fish and successful release of this beauty.

38" northern pike.

[Justin Gaudry]

Norris A with an absolute HAWG!!

Personal best of 30" even after setting a new PB in June 2010 of 29.5".

This great fish was caught, photo'd and released on June 24, 2011.

If Norris' fish hold up, he and wife Jan will be the first husband and wife to receive the Largest Release Walleye Award from Mylie's!

Congrats to the happy angler.

[Justin Gaudry]

Dave B with a great big 41" northern that ate a minnow hooked to a jig during some walleye fishing.

Caught, Photo's & released June 19, 2011.

Congrats, Dave!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Andy L's personal best was a great fish and an even better story. Andy was reeling in a smallish northern when all of the sudden there was ALOT more weight pulling back. He was able to land this 46 incher as a result!

Awesome stuff. Congrats, Andy.

June 22, 2011.

[Justin Gaudry]

Another PB northern caught jigging!! Only a highly skilled angler can land a fish like this on light tackle.

Scott T's first trip to LOTW will be memorable for many reasons, but the highlight may be this 40" trophy class northern caught, photo'd and released while jigging on June 28, 2011.

Well done, Scott!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Martin S celebrated the anniversary of his 50th year since his first trip to Mylie's with a nice northern that equalled his personal best length. This fish was the same size as one in 2010, but had a more ample girth so is his personal best northern.

38" northern pike CPR'd June 26, 2011.

Congrats, Marty.

[Justin Gaudry]

Katie G's personal best and biggest fish ever is a 27" walleye CPR'd over the 4th of July weekend.

Way to go, Katie!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Pete K bested his previous personal best of 49 1/4" (also caught on LOTW at Mylie's Place) with this beauty!

49.5" - July 4, 2011.

Congrats!

[Justin Gaudry]

Mark P hooked this big ole muskie while walleye fishing a 10 foot reef. They had it to the boat multiple times and opted not to put it in the small net on board. Anyone that forgoes netting a fish for the safety of the fish and the anglers themselves gets credit for a caught fish in my book. Without a measurement, we can't say the length for certain, but it was the biggest fish Mark ever had up to the boat so is definitely a personal best.

Talk about excitement with his wife, daughter and two grandkids in the boat with him!!

July 6, 2011.

[Justin Gaudry]

Denny had himself a week to remember during his July 2-9, 2011 trip to Mylie's as part of the Dreese crew. Fishing with Russ out of the "new ride", Denny landed these two beauties. I don't know the exact dates because the camera date setting was obviously incorrect, but they are great fish!

40" Northern - CPRd

48" Muskie

Well done, Denny!

[Justin Gaudry]

Dick C with a trimphant return to Lake of the Woods and Mylie's Place after a several year long hiatus. Congrat's on sticking this biggie, Dick.

46" muskie - July 7, 2011

[Justin Gaudry]

Congrats to my Baby Bro on catching a nice one. Jeremy's 46" is only his 3rd muskie ever caught casting. He's caught 1 or 2 little ones while walleye fishing.

Way to go Jerm!!! Awesome having you and Tanner in the boat with me. Tanner's turn next time.

46" - July 7, 2009

A few days prior to his muskie...while staying at the in-laws cabin in Bergland on the Little Grassy River and fishing for walleyes...Jeremy also got a PB pike on a jig...

40.5" Northern CPR

[Justin Gaudry]

Cousin Rob M thought it might be cool to see a muskie so came out with me and his brother Jeff for an afternoon of casting. Rob's first first was a 29" peanut that he watched come up and eat his spiner bait. He thought that was cool enough, but an hour later.....

50" - July 9, 2011 - second muskie ever during his first muskie outing ever.

Might have to retire, Rob. It's likely gonna be tough to do that every time out. HAHA.

After a heckuva a tussle, we got to take photos and release her back to the depths.

[Justin Gaudry]

Rusty K with his first ever muskie. Caught on a spoon.

40" - Congrats, Young Man. You'll have to take me out and show me how it's done sometime.

[Justin Gaudry]

Dorrie N with a beauty that equals her personal best walleye.

29.75" CPR'd July 16, 2011.

Dad would be proud!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Ron and Jim caught twin PBs on the same spot within 20 mins of each other. Ron's fish equaled his personal best (which he has set/matched 4-5 times total) and Jim raised the bar almost 4 inches.

28.5" Walleyes CPRd July 20, 2011. (Ron on the left, Jim on the right.)

Well done, Guys.

[Justin Gaudry]

Don A with a hawg of a muskie. His second muskie ever to boot.

50" - July 21, 2011.

What will his third muskie measure? The sky is the limit!!

[Justin Gaudry]

The week of July 11-15, 2011 was a big walleye week to remember. A total of 5 walleyes 30"=31" were caught by our guests and customers.

Here are two of them.

At left, Chris B with a 31" walleye of a lifetime that he reluctantly harvested when it couldn't be revived even after only this quick cell phone photo. We love that you tried to let her go, Chris. It will make a great trophy for you.

At right, another Chris B with a 30" walleye that was CPR'd.

Well done, Guys. Congrats to bother of you.

[Justin Gaudry]

Chris B with a couple of first ever's that were also great inital PBs the week of July 16-23, 2011.

27" Walleye CPR
47" Muskie on a topwater.

Well done, Chris!

[Justin Gaudry]

Andrew with a PB walleye from his first ever trip to Lake of the Woods.

27.5" CPR'd the week of July 16-23, 2011.

Nice one!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Jed with a first muskie and PB all at once during the week of July 16-23, 2011.

44" is a great way to start.

Well done.

[Justin Gaudry]

Ryan with a good day for anyone that fishes. Two personal bests in the northern and muskie category.

Northern - 40" CPR
Muskie (and release photo) - 49"

July 24, 2011.

Very well done, Ryan. Now it will be wifey's turn to up the ante.

[Justin Gaudry]

My little buddy, Brayden set two new personal bests in one day on his first ever trip to Canada.

The first was 22" and caught right off the dock in the morning.

The second was 23" and landed while out in the boat.

June 30, 2011.

Way to go, Brayden. I can feel 24 and 25 inchers in your future on the next trip to Canada.

I'm sorry I was so busy on the tractor that you guys had to leave before I could look at them in June. Grandma was nice enough to bring them over during the July trip so we coudl get them on the board and wesbite!

[Justin Gaudry]

Lee W with a big girl caught the week of July 23-30, 2011.

51" of Lake of the Woods muskie.

Well done!!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Justin S with a real nice fish for his personal best.

45" is a great starting point in the 40" class of muskie.

Congrats!!!

[Justin Gaudry]

Ken B with a personal best muskie caught July 29, 2011.

52" on a bucktail.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

Also during the week of July 23-30, 2011 came Ken's personal best walleye.

29 1/4" CPR on a bucktail. YUP, a bucktail.

Nice!

[Justin Gaudry]

My Buddy, Jake T, with a great fish caught on a figure 8 for his new personal best. We'll have to try and beat that next week and again this fall trolling.

46 1/4" caught July 30, 2011 on a D-8 Twist made exclusively for Mylie's Place by Dick Moore.

Nice job, Jake.

[Justin Gaudry]

Congrats to my good friend, Rich L, on catching his first ever 50 incher on July 29, 2011. After having too many heartbreaking close calls over his 30 or so years of fishing muskies, it is AWESOME for him to get that big number on the board. Rich has put a couple buddies on fat fall 50s while trolling but he has come up just short with numerous fish 48-49.5 inches the last several years.

Not only did he break 50, he did it in style with a 52" brusier.

The best part would have to be getting to share it with his wife and kids in the boat.

Congrats, Rich. Not many anglers would be more deserviing of a fish like that than you are.

I predict those big girls will be making regular visits to the boat from now on.

[Justin Gaudry]

Tom B with a very healthy looking 49.5" personal best muskie from the week of July 23-30, 2011.

Boy, I'd like to hook into that baby in the fall when she REALLY porks up.

Beautiful fish.

[Justin Gaudry]

Team Northland's Eric Naig with a 47" muskie that was part of a 4 fish day (that should have been a 5 fish day) during the week of July 23-30, 2011.

Congrats on a beauty!!

[Justin Gaudry]

The smile is big and bright, even if the sky isn't.

43" of muskie for Ben H's personal best the weekend of July 30, 2011.

I heard of rumor of a huge northern for Ben too. We may be adding that to this post in a day or two if I get another email!

Way to go, Ben.