History mystery

Sharon Mattinen Goergen sure knew who the mystery angler was from last week. Kris Nelson, who has compiled a booklet on some of the history of Big Lake, used the photo for the cover but never knew who the person was or the story behind it.

Sharon fills us in:

"The young man in the photo is my brother, Bobby Mattinen, age 15, of Cloquet. Bobby loved to fish and often rode his bike from town out to Otter Creek (crick, as we called it) and to Big Lake to spend the day fishing.

"Our family was staying at our cabin near Cary's Resort in August 1950 when this photo was taken. Bobby was in a rowboat, fishing, when he hooked what was a 17.5-pound, 46-inch northern pike. It was so big and heavy that he couldn't reel it in.

"Fearing that his pole or line would break, he shouted to Dad to get help. Dad ran up the road to the resort and asked for Glen Cary's gaff hook. The resort owner was incredulous that someone had hooked a fish big enough to warrant the use of a gaff hook, but he handed it over. Bobby was hanging on to his pole for dear life but managed to land the huge fish using the gaff hook.

"Someone took his picture holding the fish, and the pike was taken up to the tavern to be put on ice in the freezer. The freezer was 45 inches wide and the fish was so long that its tail curled over so it could fit. Apparently that photo was featured over the bar at the resort for many years thereafter.

"Apparently word of the record catch reached Cloquet and Bobby was asked where he caught it. One inquirer was Jack Moll, owner of Moll's Drug. The next week Mr. Moll went fishing in the same spot and caught a huge northern, one pound bigger than Bobby's."

Thanks to Sharon for that riveting tale, and for solving the History Mystery.

Bob Mattinen died in 2006 at age 70. Sharon said he "died when up north at his cabin (near Grand Marais) while getting ready - you guessed it - to go fishing."

Two years after that photo was taken, Bob joined the Air Force and served in Japan during the Korean War. Later, he worked at Potlatch as a pipefitter when he wasn't out enjoying the outdoors.

Have a History Mystery? Send it along to [email protected] or call 218-216-6292.