The gross was our highest from any banquet at just over $12,000. After all expenses it will net down to nearly $6000, our highest net ever by a couple hundred.
Just to give an idea of how tight our operating expenses are each year, here are a few of our planned expenses for 2006.
– Iowa/Michigan Program $2500
– Know the Difference Signs $2500
– 2007 Banquet $2500
– Newsletter/Mailings $1500
– Sanford Tournament $500
– Fish Fest $250
We're committed to the Iowa program.
In the last few years we've cut the sign project because we couldn't afford it.
The banquet is our major fundraiser if we cut that expense we wouldn't be able to operate in 2007.
Iowa muskies:
We don't buy Iowa fish. Each year I talk to Iowa and request 5000 spring fingerlings. If Iowa has a surplus, as they have a few times, they will offer us additional fish beyond the 5000. In return, we purchase feed or equipment for Iowa to offset their cost. Once Iowa has raised the spring fingerlings, we pay a private fish farm to haul the Iowa fish to Wolf Lake Hatchery. From that point all feed expenses are handled by Wolf Lake. In 2005 there were 12,500 Iowa fish stocked in Michigan (1/3 of the total production). Our investment in those fish was about $2000, hatchery costs were roughly $20,000 (total expense for 12,500 fish = $22,000). If we had purchased a similar number and size fish in the fall from Minnesota Muskie Farm our expense would have easily exceeded $100,000. As you can see this Iowa program is very cost effective. MMA is the pioneer in this type of cooperative muskie program between a private group and two state agencies.
Know the Difference:
This has basically been in limbo for a couple years. With our board members spread thin we've been short on manpower to make this happen. It only takes one person (I would rather see two) to make this happen but they have to be committed to making it work. I think we can find the money to fund this but, I need someone to step up and run with this program. We need to coordinate producing new signs with a sign company, then coordinate the manpower to place signs around the state. I can honestly say that I don't know how many signs we can purchase because we don't have a sign company in place. As far as the manpower to hang the signs, it depends on the situation. In some instances we have put up the signs and in others the local parks and rec. have placed the signs. We got a flying start with this program but it fell apart, we need to jumpstart it with new signs. The person responsible for this will need to coordinate design and production of the new signs. The new signs will need to be offered in a couple different sizes and materials.
If anyone is interested, let me know and we can talk.
how many lakes are there with out signs?? Do the signs get stolen?? Does the MMA want to have a sin at every launch or just at every lake.
Signs, I have a small kids basketball hoop(backboard) with my hometown logo on it. It is made of some type of pressed board like some road signs and the logo was screen printed. I have had this thing in the elements for over 5 years and it is holding up well. Couldn't something like that cut down on costs.
"MuskyDan" said:
how many lakes are there with out signs??
Most lakes don't have signs on them right now.
"MuskyDan" said:
Do the signs get stolen??
Yes, the signs get stolen.
"MuskyDan" said:
Does the MMA want to have a sin at every launch or just at every lake.
We could do without sin at every launch 
. The goal is to have a sign at every access site, this is not only at boat ramps but also where someone might access a picnic area with shore fishing, pier, boat rental, etc.
"MuskyDan" said:
It is made of some type of pressed board like some road signs and the logo was screen printed. I have had this thing in the elements for over 5 years and it is holding up well. Couldn't something like that cut down on costs.
That might be more or less expensive than what we were using in the past. I can't answer that because I don't have anyone that has stepped up to handle this project.
Hamilton – We need a point person for the whole project before we discuss specific areas.
Does the MMA have an open policy with the DNR on placing the sign at DNR launches? Or does the placing of each have to be purposed and okay-ed first?
How does the MMA decide which lakes need/get the signs? (I would imagine all lakes with muskies) but is there a list, is it done through committee and voted?
Glad this opened up to discussion. The theft of these signs in the past has, in my opinion, precluded the continuance of the program. Those signs were darn expensive, and theft or vandalism occurred at a very high rate. I still have 5 of the old style metal signs left, but haven't had the heart to doom them at a launch anywhere. But of course they are doing just as much good in my basement as they are in some punk kid or drunk redneck's…
What do we think should be done??? Launches with a locked kiosk type thing are good, we have smaller, cardboard signs for those (non-MMA, we can use those right?). Those aren't such a trohpy as our big metal ones must be. I don't know!
"MuskyPimp" said:
Does the MMA have an open policy with the DNR on placing the sign at DNR launches? Or does the placing of each have to be purposed and okay-ed first?
No, the only borad approval that we have is that the signs have been cleared by all divisions for use (verbiage, pics, our logo, their logo). We must contact the department (state or local) responsible for each access site. They will give us instructions on where the signs should be placed and who (us or them) will put the sings up.
"MuskyPimp" said:
How does the MMA decide which lakes need/get the signs? (I would imagine all lakes with muskies) but is there a list, is it done through committee and voted?
All lakes and access sites need signs. We made the decision long ago to start with the stocked lakes. This was mainly because we assumed, right or wrong, that there was less familiarity with muskies on these waters and incidental catches would be higher.
We're at the point of starting over, a new list with a prioritized list of water and access sites. I would prioritize with stocked/heavy traffic first then proceed down the list until we've got everything covered. Due to theft this will be an ongoing battle. I currently have specific requests from the DNR for signs on Lake Winyah, Hamlin and Margrethe. There have been signs stolen from Tahq. River, Murray, Thornapple, Ovid, Bankson, Campau… that I know about, maybe more.
"Duke" said:
Glad this opened up to discussion. The theft of these signs in the past has, in my opinion, precluded the continuance of the program. Those signs were darn expensive, and theft or vandalism occurred at a very high rate. I still have 5 of the old style metal signs left, but haven't had the heart to doom them at a launch anywhere. But of course they are doing just as much good in my basement as they are in some punk kid or drunk redneck's…What do we think should be done??? Launches with a locked kiosk type thing are good, we have smaller, cardboard signs for those (non-MMA, we can use those right?). Those aren't such a trohpy as our big metal ones must be. I don't know!
I still like the idea of adding a line at the bottom that says "if you are caught stealing/destroying this sign you will be prostituted"
Yes, I typed that right.
Duke – I didn't know you had those, are they the really old signs with the bad pore art? Are they all 42" size limit? PM or e-mail me. We need to get those on the water.
Wait… I think I'm having an idea… If we all knew exactly what needed to be done to put up a sign ie call person x and get three signs you may put them here, here, and here I think it would help-Will stop sighing- I am sketching a design that would make them harder to steal. Basically a metal framework that would bolt to a post or whatever and make it much more difficult to even harm them. If there was a standard size I would make these frames and distribute them. I have access to and the ability to fabricate such items. Once a jig was made the cost would be low maybe $3-$4 each. Compared to the loss of expensive fish that is cheap. Now… If a member could say "I would like to purchase three signs with frames to put up" and we could keep the cost at say under $10 per sign would people make the investment? I mean hell we spend three times that on gas to go fish for four hours. If we could save a few fish a year at each lake it would be money well spent. Yes Will I am saying I will put some effort and time into this. I don't think it will require all that much. AND everytime somebody goes to say the UP they could get a sign and take it with them spreading the joy and love around the state.
Thoughts…
Kevin
PS Since I have an in with the Musky Pimp I think that prostituting violators is a real possibility.
"Cyberlunge" said:
Wait… I think I'm having an idea… If we all knew exactly what needed to be done to put up a sign ie call person x and get three signs you may put them here, here, and here I think it would help-Will stop sighing-
Distribution isn't the issue, that will be relatively easy.
As far as designing something that keeps them safe… I applaud your effort but before you go to great lengths to deisgn something you should know that the issue hasn't been the sign. In nearly every instance where they have been stolen it has been the 4×4 post AND sign that have vanished. If the signs are installed correctly someone has to cut the post or pull it out of the ground to steal the sign. A steel post might help, a little, but the DNR doesn't want steel posts on their sites.
Under $10? Consider this… the old signs were around $45. I'm hoping that we can get the price down to $25 each for a weatherproof signs. $25 does not include the cost of a treated 4×4, a bag of cement and bolts for each sign.
How many members does MMA have?
If the member list includes those on a family membership lets exclude those below 22 years of age.
For that matter lets exclude all of those 22 years of age.
Reason being the below 18 group are probably on a family membership. 18-22 group could potentially be students w/part time work.
Now take the remainder of everyone and how many do we have? That number X's $5 per week payroll deducted for each member and we should see some decent numbers. As in the last 'Muskie' M/I is a charitable organization with tax exemption registration. None of us would mis that $5. As I understood from that bit in 'Muskie' 1/2 goes to the chapter of your choice, and 1/2 goes to national org.
In any event this discussion can only help advance our financial situation. I wish I could make the meetings but think that due to their location and mine I won't make many….
Lon, I think that's an interesting idea. I judge our size based on households, we're right around 125 households. If we were to start something like that we would bypass the international. They need to manage their business to better utilize the membership dues. The rubber meets the road at the chapter level, what the international provides can be done with our regular membership money. I'm getting off topic…
I guess I made it sound like we don't have enough money, in reality we have enough money to fund our projects. The problem is that we don't have enough committed people to manage these projects.
Starting in May we'll have satellite meetings in Utica, Novi, Midland and Grand Rapids. These will be every other month and on opposite months we'll meet in Lansing. Hopefully, this will enable more members to make meetings.
Is MMA a registered not for profit group?
If so there is no reason why we couldn't offer payroll deductions directly to MMA.
If an organization is a registered NFPG then charitable organization donations are fair game right?
Just a thought. I really have no idea, the specifics. Just something I've been thinking about the past few days. How we as MMA members can help boost our programs.
Is there any evidence that these signs work? I'm not saying they don't I am just asking. Cuz I got to thinking about what a less than sportsman like person would think upon first seeing the know the diff sign. Might they be thinking "hey joe, they got muskies in here!" "lets go catch em, they eat our blue gills anyway" Or, maybe I'm wrong because come to think of it, I first checked out the MMA website because I saw one of those signs on the tequaminon. So is it in effect like a curiousity builder, so people go hmmm, I wonder what this muskies inc is all about. At least thats how it was with me. AK
The theft of these signs in the past has, in my opinion, precluded the continuance of the program. Those signs were darn expensive, and theft or vandalism occurred at a very high rate.
Curious, how many signs have been placed? and how many were stolen?
Any thought on having cardboard or poster facsimiles available for purchase, not that I think that would stop vandalism, but who knows they could also be the ones used in the locked launch displays and possibly displayed at bait shops, state parks.
Is there any regulations on having advertising on these signs? Maybe Gander or Cabelas or someone would donate toward the signs in return they get their logo on them(tax write-off)?
Would the person(s) coordinating the sign project need to be able to attend the meetings?
Running one restaurant and working on opening a second monopolizes most of my time, but I am in touch with advertising and sign people almost daily.
Will as much as I drive around the state. I could stop at a lot of lakes over the summer and put a signs up. I've got a posthole digger and could the rest of the stuff to get the sign in. In the back of my truck. And if we put some kind of note on the sign we would pay a reward for info on the sign with a number on it if it got ripped off.
Thanks LeMay OUT
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