Musky fishing legend Gelb dies at 85
Tom Gelb, an accomplished engineer and manager better known as a top Wisconsin musky angler, died Dec. 25 at his home in Conover. He was 85.
Gelb is credited with catching several of the largest muskies in northern Wisconsin in the modern era, including a 51pound 2-ounce fish caught in 2006 while row trolling in Vilas County.
He authored a book on musky fishing, was a winning race driver and had a leading role in turning Harley-Davidson Motor Company around in the 1980s and '90s.
"Everything he set out to do, he accomplished," said Steve Heiting of Minocqua, managing editor of Musky Hunter magazine.
Gelb was born in Chicago, a fact over which he had no control, he often quipped.
Thanks to mentorship by a teacher, Gelb learned to love fishing, initially for bluegills and bass with a fly rod.
He caught his first musky (a 35-incher) in Vilas County on opening weekend in 1952 and immediately became addicted. In 1954 he began guiding out of Manitowish Waters while he attended Michigan Technological University.
Gelb obtained an engineering degree from the university in 1957. Three years later he moved to Milwaukee and started work at Harley-Davidson as a process engineer.
Over the next 37 years with the company he held many positions, including senior vice president of operations.
Gelb retired from Harley-Davidson in 1997 and began living full-time in Conover, closer to the musky lakes he loved.
Joe Bucher, famed fishing guide and television show host and founder of Musky Hunter magazine, recruited Gelb as part of the inaugural group of field editors for the magazine.
"Tom being Tom, he brought a scientific, meticulous approach to musky fishing," Bucher said. "And of course he was a very successful angler. I wanted readers to learn his thoughts and views."
Bucher said it took some convincing to get Gelb to write about his methods, but eventually he signed on and became one of the most popular contributors to the magazine.
Bucher and Gelb collaborated on evolving techniques and understandings related to the "fish of 10,000 casts," including the study of moon phases to help select the most productive fishing times.
Gelb, who was a skilled troller for salmon and trout off Milwaukee in Lake Michigan, later took Bucher's suggestion and adapted the practice to row trolling for muskies in northern Wisconsin. The strategy allowed Gelb to more efficiently present lures to suspended fish, especially in late fall.