Drawing attention like a fish flopping around out of the water, a massive muskie near Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County, Minnesota, has been reeling in the attention of tourists for more than 65 years. But put down your tackle box and tuck away your dreams of casting out to catch the 65-foot monster. "You're not going to catch this with a regular muskie lure? You're going to use a moose or a black bear for bait,” Al Hemme joked as he talked to WCCO. “And, you're going to need a truck with a winch on it to reel it in."The muskellunge in question is not actually a fish. It’s a large structure — which is also a piece of art. And it’s big. In its earlier days, it was used as a drive-up food stop — selling ice cream out of a drive-up window on the side of the fishy structure, according to Hemme, who — along with his wife, Amy —owns the muskie. The fish is located on the property of the Big Fish Supper Club. It was built in 1957 by Wayne Kumpula, according to WCCO, which reports that burgers and fries, which were cooked in the muskie's tail, were also sold inside the fish when it was a food stand. The Hemmes haven’t always owned the muskie or the namesake business. They purchased the property, which also houses a resort, in 2010. Prior to the Hemmes becoming the owners, the fish structure was on the verge of physically collapsing, but It was refurbished thanks to the help of an anonymous donor and others, according to WCCO. The muskie become somewhat of a pop culture icon over the years — having even taken a bite out of Hollywood. An image of the fish structure appeared as a postcard in “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”“There are so many people that watch that movie now, and they'll quickly take a picture of it and send it to our phones. 'Did you know?' 'Yes, we did know that,’” Amy Hemme said.Decades after it was built, the giant work of art continues to draw tourists, movie buffs and selfie-takers to the supper club and resort."I love our place. I love our people. I love watching the kids grow through the years, and they become like family. It's very, very nice,” Amy Hemme said.Those who may get a hankering to cast a line upon seeing the giant fish need not worry. According to the Big Fish Supper Club’s website, the giant fish is located “adjacent to one of Minnesota’s top walleye fishing lakes.”
Drawing attention like a fish flopping around out of the water, a massive muskie near Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County, Minnesota, has been reeling in the attention of tourists for more than 65 years.
But put down your tackle box and tuck away your dreams of casting out to catch the 65-foot monster.
"You're not going to catch this with a regular muskie lure? You're going to use a moose or a black bear for bait,” Al Hemme joked as he talked to WCCO. “And, you're going to need a truck with a winch on it to reel it in."
The muskellunge in question is not actually a fish. It’s a large structure — which is also a piece of art.
And it’s big.
In its earlier days, it was used as a drive-up food stop — selling ice cream out of a drive-up window on the side of the fishy structure, according to Hemme, who — along with his wife, Amy —owns the muskie. The fish is located on the property of the Big Fish Supper Club.
It was built in 1957 by Wayne Kumpula, according to WCCO, which reports that burgers and fries, which were cooked in the muskie's tail, were also sold inside the fish when it was a food stand.
The Hemmes haven’t always owned the muskie or the namesake business. They purchased the property, which also houses a resort, in 2010.
Prior to the Hemmes becoming the owners, the fish structure was on the verge of physically collapsing, but It was refurbished thanks to the help of an anonymous donor and others, according to WCCO.
The muskie become somewhat of a pop culture icon over the years — having even taken a bite out of Hollywood. An image of the fish structure appeared as a postcard in “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”
“There are so many people that watch that movie now, and they'll quickly take a picture of it and send it to our phones. 'Did you know?' 'Yes, we did know that,’” Amy Hemme said.
Decades after it was built, the giant work of art continues to draw tourists, movie buffs and selfie-takers to the supper club and resort.
"I love our place. I love our people. I love watching the kids grow through the years, and they become like family. It's very, very nice,” Amy Hemme said.
Those who may get a hankering to cast a line upon seeing the giant fish need not worry. According to the Big Fish Supper Club’s website, the giant fish is located “adjacent to one of Minnesota’s top walleye fishing lakes.”
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