Author: Trustee

The 44th annual OHMC Summer Contest was held on July 12th and 13th 2014 at Salt Fork Lake. The weekend started off with registration and a few slushy beverages at the campground on a warm Friday evening. There were lots of members and visitors hanging around and as usual, there were stories, laughter, and lots of smiles. We were all glad to be blessed to be able to come out and enjoy the fun of chasing toothy critters.

The 2nd half of the registration was held at the old marina on Saturday morning with pancakes and coffee along with the anticipation that is ever present when anglers prepare to launch the boats. Soon the air had warmed into what would eventually become an oppressive 90 degree day with humidity that made it feel more like Florida than Ohio.

Sporadic fish reports filtered over the radio and it seemed as though all the anglers were intently focused on trying to repeat past success. We had casters working feverishly, persons jigging the bottom, trollers in open water, and some that tried all three strategies.

Sunday started off with the fear of the impending storms and had everyone break camp early in an attempt to avoid having to do so during a potential mid-day storm. We had a mixed bag of fishing success with a few anglers getting multiple fish and a few ‘skunks’ being taken. By the time closing ceremonies arrived, we were fortunate to just finish our activities before the skies broke open and luckily no one got wet.

We had 36 anglers fish the event with 12 fish caught. There was a trend towards the fish that were caught being nice fish and I know of two anglers that caught their personal best (Greg Eichen and Gloria Roberts).

First place went to Phil Cummins with two fish sizes 44.00” and 37.75” worth a total of 29.75 points.
Second place and Big Fish went to Gloria Roberts with one fish of 45.00” worth 19.00 points.
Third place went to Junior member Charles Neville with one fish of 43.50” worth 17.50 points.

Other anglers that caught fish were:
Syl Trunkett – 42.50” (16.50 points)
Jeff Ferjutz – 34.25” and 33.50” (15.75 points)
Greg Eichen – 41.50” (15.50) points)
Elmer McClure – 40.00” (14.00 points)
Russ Roberts – 34.00” and 32.00” (14.00 points)
Paul Andeson – 36” (Club President not registered for event)

We are now half way to determining our annual event winner and Junior member Charles Neville has jumped out to a big lead with his first place finish at the spring outing and his third place finish at the summer contest. With two events remaining, the award is definitely still up for grabs though.

The door prize and raffle drawings were held during the closing and the winners were as follows: Angelo Maniglia won the 50/50 and donated his winnings to the Minnow Fund. (THANK YOU !) Jeff Clark won the camera sunglasses door prize for the longest distance traveled (3.5 hours). Tim Smith won the Lure Board. Anna Land won the Rod and Reel. The grand prize Sony PS4 was won by Alicia Anderson.

Thank you to everyone that helped make the event successful. Jeff Ferjutz, Rick Simpson, Tim Smith, John Ringenbach, Phil Ringenbach, Jerry Rice, and Alicia Anderson. We also had other trustees that were there, but had to exit early due to other commitments. Jake Lederer, Fred Lederer, Mike Reed, and Chirs Silverthorn. We are truly blessed to have such a great group of trustees. If you are able to help our club as a trustee, we still have several positions available and we would really appreciate any additional assistance that you might be able to offer.

We welcomed our newest OHMC Life Member Jim McConnell to the event and had had several other members that had not previously been to Salt Fork. It was nice to see some new faces and I hope you had an enjoyable time and felt welcomed as part of our group.

Thanks to all that showed up and I look forward to seeing you at the Nite Bite in August with our joint sponsor MI Chapter 19.

The OHMC held our annual Division Day and Spring Outing at Clearfork Reservoir near Mansfield, Ohio on Friday June 6^th through Sunday June 8^th 2014.  For several club officers, the weekend started on Thursday as we arrived early to setup for the event and get in a little pre-fishing.   We had the entire overflow camping area reserved and over 20 club members took advantage of the opportunity for some group camping together.  It was the largest crowd of members camping at one site that any of us could remember.

Division Day started off crisp and clear as we assembled in the pavilion that would serve as home base for the weekend activities.  We had 10 club members guide 6 Division of Wildlife personnel and 4 Outdoor Writers of Ohio.  Shortly after 8:00 we hit the water and soon thereafter the radio came alive with reports of fish in the net.  The fishing was decent for numbers, but we certainly were not on pace to break any size records.  With that being said, every guest came to me individually and indicated that they had a wonderful day.   I reminded them that we cannot have such a great day without our members volunteering their time and resources to make it possible.

By 3:00 we were back on dry ground and taking in the pleasant smoke pouring from the grill as Rick Simpson and Tim Smith prepared our table fare of burgers and dogs.  Along with some side dishes, we were all able to satisfy our bellies and enjoy the atmosphere of cooperation that has been a long time tradition of our organizations.

The tally sheet showed that a total of 7 muskies had been caught and that the winner was Nick Radabaugh who works as a Fisheries Biologist for the DNR.  Nick’s winning fish was 34.50” and was netted by his guide Member Elmer Heyob.   We had a couple of first time guides and they did quite well.  Members Robert and Stephanie Neville guided Nick Jamison onto 3 fish for the day.  Member Jack Neville guided Curt Wagner onto a fish and President Paul Anderson guided for Dan Armitage and his son Ethan.  It worked out well as Ethan was able to catch his first muskies ever.

Thank you to all the guides that came out, which included Treasurer John Ringenbach, Secretary Tim Smith, 2^nd V.P. Rick Simpson, Member Jack Whyde, Member Phil Cummins, and Member George Kourkounakis.

Saturday morning started off with pancakes and coffee along with an enormous bass tournament that overfilled the parking lot.  Before the officers were done conducting the registration, the eventual winner had already landed a huskie.  The rest of us were playing from behind for the entire event, and we loved it.  That is because the nice fish had been caught by Junior Member Charles Neville.  Being family friendly is also a proud tradition of our club.

When 5:00 rolled around we were about to have what were possibly the best steaks ever served at an OHMC steak fry.  One inch thick enormous rib-eye steaks greeted the participants as they were served by club chef Jerry Rice.   As has become a tradition over the last several years, OHMC 1^st V.P. Jeff Ferjutz and Jerry came in early to fire up the grill and proceeded to cook our steaks with the masterful touch that all of us truly appreciate.  We also conducted the raffle prize drawings after the steak fry.  The Rod and Reel was won by Anna Land, the 50-50 was won by Jeff Ferjutz, and the Lure Board was won by Paul Anderson.  Nearly every person that purchased a general raffle ticket left with a prize.

As the dawn cracked on Sunday morning we all realized that the perfect weather that had been enjoyed for the three preceding days was now over.  Much of the day was raining and a few of those showers were very heavy.  With the change in conditions, several entrants hit the water in hopes of encountering a hot bite.  Most of us had misplaced our hopes and took a wet boat ride.

When the event concluded and we met back up at 3:30 the record showed that a total of 6 fish had been caught by 34 anglers for the Spring Outing on Saturday and Sunday.

Third place went to John Ringenbach with a 36.00” fish worth 10 points.

Second place and the $95 big fish pot went to Chuck Land, Jr. with his total of 21.5 points for two fish; sizes 30.00” and 43.50”.

First place and a mighty big smile went to junior member Charles Neville with his total of 42.00 points for his three fish; sizes 30.00”, 44.50”, and 45.50”.

Congratulations to all of our winners!  They will receive their awards at our annual banquet next March.

Thank you to everyone that came out to support the event and the club!

 

 

 

The second annual Minnow Fund Muskie Outing was held on May 3rd and 4th, 2014. On Friday afternoon, the campground started showing signs of the upcoming event by 2:00 as the early birds set up tents and various cooking apparatus’s. Good food would be a theme for the weekend. Upon entry to the park it was immediately apparent that the flood warning which was still active had not been overly cautious. The lake was up about 5 feet and the water in the shallow areas was a witch’s brew of debris, silt, and choppy waves. The spawn, having arrived later than usual, was now over. This was the perfect storm of poor fishing conditions.

Even with such a poor opportunity, we still had 47 anglers sign up for the event and 29 of those anglers chose to participate in the big fish pool. We had persons sign up from OHMC and from MI chapters 16, 18, 19, 23, 41, & 56. We had persons sign up that had never fished an outing of any type and had no club affiliations whatsoever. Door prizes were assigned to random registrations numbers and our winners of those prizes were Bryan Mellon, Dakota Bechter, Mike Reed, Kevin Proffit, and Jen Martinez.

The campground came to life as the deep fryers and burners roared to life. Tim Smith cooked so much good food at the campground that nobody could possibly have left hungry. A few cold beverages washed down the fare for the evening as laughter and good camaraderie filled the air.

Saturday morning seemed to arrive just a touch early for some of us, but soon the griddles were burning and the coffee pot was singing my favorite song. Some fantastic pancakes soothed the crisp morning air as the registration was completed.

Now it was time to attempt to launch the boats and that was no easy chore. The parking lot at the old marina had water in it and the concrete walkways by the ramps were completely submerged. Most anglers traveled to Cabin Bay and to my knowledge, nobody had too many problems getting launched. The casters casted and the trollers trolled and the muskies rejected most of our offerings. The radio silence meant that either we were all catching fish or nobody had anything to report. Unfortunately it was the later.

By 1:00 it was time for a shore lunch and as the anglers filed in, the rain started falling. Fortunately, we had the shelter house and a wonderful group tent that had been brought and set up by Kevin Proffit and Rich Daniels. The raffle table opened up as we sold tickets for a lure board, rod & reel combination, 50/50, and a general raffle. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and break from the harsh conditions that were present on the water. Greg Them of Xtreme Muskie Lures had baits for sale and offered them at a price of two for $25 with $5 from each sale being donated to the Minnow Fund.

We chased fish for the balance of the day and for the first half of Sunday and most of us loaded the boats up with our tails between our legs. The raffle table opened up for the final sales as the fish that had been caught were reported. The tally sheet showed that a total of 5 fish were caught, although I’m fairly sure that there was at least one fish that was caught but not reported.

In fourth place with one fish caught was Rich Newman with a 36.75” fish worth 10.75 points. In third place was Gabe Rosplock with a 34.50” fish worth 8.5 points and a 31.25” fish worth 5.25 points for a total of 13.75 points. In second place was Mike Money with a 40.00” fish worth 14 points. In first place was Jack Whyde with a 44.50” fish worth 18.50 points. Jack also won $290.00 for having the big fish for the event.

Next we drew raffle ticket winners. The winner of the rod & reel combination was Paul Anderson. The winner of the 50/50 was Chuck Kuhlman. The winner of the lure board was Tim Smith. Every person that purchased a general raffle ticket won a prize.

My heartfelt thanks goes out to all those persons that donated, helped, or both. Those include, Alicia Anderson, John Ringenbach, Phil Ringenbach, Tim Smith, Rick Simpson, Jeff Ferjutz, Mike Reed, Kevin Proffit, Rich Daniels, Elmer Heyob, Greg Them, Jimmy Struznickle, Josh Marshall, Eli Trimmer, Cliff Honeycut, Ray McMaster, Ziggie Obidzinski, Mark Smith, Fred Pearson, Rich Newman, Guy Bechter, Tackle Industries, and anyone else that I may have overlooked.

Check out the pictures in the Photo section of our site.

The 53rd Ohio Huskie Muskie Club’s Annual Awards Banquet and Business Meeting

The 53nd Ohio Huskie Muskie Clubs Annual Awards Banquet was held on March 22, 2014 at Prime93 in Akron, Ohio.  The attendance was up significantly compared to recent years and all those in attendance were treated to good food, friends and laughter.  A total of 99 OHMC members and 10 vendors were in attendance.  We had a casting competition and a trivia contest as extra entertainment again this year.

During the business meeting, members voted on the lake nominations for our 45^th Annual Open Summer Contest in 2015.  The winner was Piedmont Lake, with the event to be tentatively held on July 11^th and 12^th pending park approval.  Elections for officer positions were held during the business meeting.  The OHMC officers for 2014 are as follows; Paul Anderson, President; Jeff Ferjutz, 1^st Vice-President; Rick Simpson, 2^nd Vice-President; Tim Smith, Secretary; John Ringenbach, Treasurer.  We also added two new trustees, Mike Reed and Phil Ringenbach.  There are currently several vacancies on the board of trustees, so if you are interested, we could sure use the help.  Please see any trustee or officer.

Before the banquet meal started there was a pause for a moment of silence for all the club members whom had passed last year and for those individuals that are in the military and may be away from their families.  Next, we took a moment for a blessing of the meal by club member Mary Jill Harshey.  The food was very good with a buffet that included Beef Au Jus, Lasagna, Baked Lemon Herb Chicken, Green beans, Bean Salad, Garden salad, and Sourdough Rolls.   We all had a great time and lots of fun with the fish stories that were being told.

ODNR attendees were Mr. Scott Hale, Inland Fisheries Program Administrator; Mr. Rich Carter, Fish Management Executive Administrator; Mr. Curt Wagner, Fish Management Biologist District Three; Mr. Tim Parrett, Fish Management Administrator, Ms. Deb Walters, Fish Management Supervisor District Five; Mike Greenlee, Fish Management Supervisor District Four; Kevin Page, Inland Fisheries Research Unit Research Biologist.  Kevin presented updated information about the tag study to be conducted beginning later this year and as always he did a great job!

Everyone that attended received a custom bait created by Greg Them of Xtreme Muskie Lures as a  door prize.  A special thanks goes out to all the vendors that set up a booth at the banquet this year, and also all of the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club supporters who donated door prizes and prizes to raffle at this event.  Please patronize these companies as they make our events a success.  The following were supportive of raffle and door prizes.  Xtreme Muskie Lures,  Pearson Plugs, Musky Musky Fisherman Specialties, Jerry Rice, Jimmy’s Bucktails, Ziggie Custom Musky Lures, Marshall Custom Tackle, and Smokin Bones Baits.

AWARD RESULTS FOR OHIO LAKES, MUSKIES CAUGHT

Ohio Huskie Muskie Club Inc. Annual Banquet Awards Winners, for club member’s recognition of outstanding catches and achievements in the 2013 season.

H.E. Pooch Curry Award   (Largest musky by length only) was presented to Chuck Harmon with a 50.75” musky caught at Salt Fork Lake.

The Matthew Smith Memorial awards for juniorswere as follows:

Boys Release—Charles Neville with a 45.00” fish.

Girl’s Release—Ashley McCartney with a 40.00”  fish.

The Royalty Awards

King Trophy Division, a kept muskie, length plus weight by point system.

Greg Bozik with a 49.75” muskie caught at West Branch.

Queen Trophy Division, a kept muskie, length plus weight by point system. (None)

King Release —Chuck Harmon with a 50.75” caught at Salt Fork.

Queen Release –Linda Hannen with a 49.00” caught at Piedmont.

Mr. Muskie Award

Paul Anderson – OHMC member for his dedication, and continuous support of the OHMC.

Woman of the Year Award

Alicia Anderson – OHMC member for her dedication, and continuous support of the OHMC.

Overall Tournament Champion

Chuck Land caught six muskies with a total of 73.00 points in the four club events.

First Ever 50-Inch Award

Cliff Cherni with a 51.50” from Pymatuning.

Chuck Harmon with a 50.75” from Salt Fork.

Dr. Dunmire Plaque Awards

There were (27) Dr. L. G. Dunmire Plaque Awards recognized by the club for those anglers whom caught at least three Huskie muskies measuring 42.00-inches in length or longer. Greg Bozick (26), Patrick Klingensmith (23), Ray Hinchcliff Sr. (18), George Weber (12), David Baio (11), Chuck Harmon (10), Bob Marshall (10), Elmer Heyob (7), John Lent (7), Dennis Mitchell (6), Philip Ringenbach (6), Paul Anderson (5), Kathy Mitchell (5), John Ringenbach (5), Chuck Land Sr. (4), Fred Lederer (4), Brian Mitchell (4), Bill Schultz Jr. (4), Nick Smith (4), Dennis Braun (3), David Brown (3), Tony Crisp (3), Matt Foose (3), Linda Hannen (3), Jake Lederer (3), Josh Marshall (3), Sam Reichenbach (3)

10 or More Release Awards

There were (43) Plaques Awards recognized by the club for those anglers whom caught 10 or more muskies 30-inches in length or longer and released all of them.  Patrick Klingensmith (223), Bob Marshall (95), Greg Bozick (90), David Baio (85), Ray Hinchcliff Sr. (71), Bill Schultz Jr. (57), Chuck Harmon (56), George Weber (45), John Lent (43), Sam Reichenbach (34), John Ringenbach (33), Tim Ritter (33), Elmer Heyob (31), Dennis Mitchell (31), Kathy Mitchell (29), Dennis Braun (26), Chuck Land Sr. (22), David Brown (21), Linda Hannen (21), Nick Smith (21), Tony Crisp (18), Paul Anderson (17), Robert Basic (16), Jeffrey Ulanich (16), Josh Marshall (15), Randy Parker (15), Tom Hannen (14), Robert Neville (13), Fred Lederer (12), Brian Mitchell (12), Thomas Morris (12), Charles Neville (12), Phil Ringenbach (12), Bill Brant (11), Thomas DeVaul (11), Ray Elkins (11), Jim Cook (10), Glen DeVaul (10), Thomas Johnson (10), William Lambert (10), Jake Lederer (10), Ashley McCartney (10), Jerry Rice (10)

The banquet is now history and it is now time to start some actual muskie fishing, Thank you to everyone that attended and to all of those people that helped make the event such a great success.