I vaguely remember hearing about muskies for the first time as a kid.

An article somewhere said these huge, uncommon fish might only eat every so many days, and therefore might eat something big.

A muskellunge, weighing up 50 pounds or more, is the catch of 10,000 casts, it said.

Mystery and power -- that's why I remember. Awe.

So if a company becomes known for making tackle for muskies, the largest member of the pike family, you notice.

Musky angler Brad Ruh founded Musky Innovations, a Wisconsin Company, in 1993.

The company’s latest lure, the Swimmin’ Dawg, will be introduced this winter at outdoor shows.

The paddle-tailed soft-plastic will be approximately 11 inches long and 7 ounces in weight, and the company is developing different colors, including the bluegill in the photo above.

The Swimmin’ Dawg can be retrieved in a steady reeling or in a pull-and-pause.

On a steady retrieve, the lure swims 7 to 9 feet below the water.

On a pull-and-pause, it swims 11 to 13 feet below.

The plastic and lead are hand-poured, and the lures, expected to retail between $26 and $28, are hand-painted in detail.

By now, Musky Innovations makes many different musky lures, more than 300 sizes and colors, and other tackle for the fishing, including rods to lob these imitations.

The company works with more than 15 pro-staff anglers to develop new and innovative products, trying to fill the needs of customers, and fill unique niches for more success on the water, it says.

At press time, the Swimmin’ Dawg was yet to be included on the company’s website.

It’ll be included when the lure becomes available around January, Ruh said in an email.

Visit the Musky Innovations website.

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