Enabled to catch his first ‘true trophy’ muskie after 55 years of trying

Ron Thomas, living with Parkinson’s disease, makes the most of his time on the water. That was especially true last week when he caught the first “true trophy” muskie of his life after 55 years of trying.

SHARE Enabled to catch his first ‘true trophy’ muskie after 55 years of trying
Ron Thomas with his first “true trophy” muskie.

Ron Thomas with his first “true trophy” muskie.

Provided

Where’s an email headed that begins, “As an aging fisherman with a disability, namely Parkinson’s disease, I try to make the most out of the time I spend on the water?”

It goes here. “I have been chasing muskies for 55 years or so, but never caught a true trophy, until [last] Wednesday, thanks to Andy,” Ron Thomas emailed.

The trophy was a 52.5 x 24-inch muskie caught while he trolled on Green Bay with Capt. Andrew Schiera of Veteran Guide Service. Thomas made the most of his time on the water with “a little 43-incher,” too.

For perspective on the giant, Thomas, a member of Chicagoland Muskie Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., goes 6-1 and 235.

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter, as this one shows) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times. The online posting here at chicago.suntimes.com/outdoorsgoes up at varied days of the week, depending on what is going on in the wide world of the outdoors.

To make submissions, email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

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