Author: David Simmons

And now…..for our MAIN EVENT!! After postponing our Main Event on Salt Fork back in June due to the warm water temperatures, we are now READY TO RUMBLE on October 12 – 13 instead!  With less pleasure boating traffic, and the early Fall colors showing, we think it will be an awesome time out on this BIG FISH lake!  You’ll also want to join us at our final check-in at 3:30 PM Sunday, at the Salt Fork State Park Marina South Ramp, where we will be serving food while awarding trophies and handing over the cash pot to our winners, as well as raffling off free muskie bucktails from Six2Noon Lures and other baits and holding a 50/50 drawing!  Think you have what it takes to land one of these Salt Fork Monster Muskies??  Then come join us for an awesome weekend of fishing on beautiful Salt Fork!

This two day, points-based tournament is open to EVERYONE, and trophies will be awarded to the top three points earners.  There is also an optional Big Fish pool, with ALL cash being paid to the angler(s) who scores the longest muskie(s).  Fishing begins 8 AM, Saturday and ends at 3 PM Sunday.  All fish must be photographed on a bump board with written/printed identifier code in clear view.  Identifier code and Tournament Director (TD) text number will be announced the night before the tournament begins.  All fish pics must be submitted to the TD via text message or shown in person at final check-in by 3:30 PM Sunday.

So, enter the MAIN EVENT Now and LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!

The entry fee will be $25 with a $10 big fish entry pool.

 

We prefer you register for the event 1 of 2 ways:

• Register online at
  • Online Registration
  • Online registration includes payment through PayPal.
• Via postal mail
  • OHMC, 17712 Edgewater, Lakewood, Ohio 44107
• Registration closes when the event starts.

Once registered, you can launch from any public launch the day of the event once the event has started.

Please read the rules for the tournament below:

Event Rules and Regulations

New for 2024 and going forward: 

• All in-person event plaques will now be given to the winner at the designated in-person fish “weigh-in” location.  If any angler receiving a plaque is unable to make it to the “weigh-in” location, it is that angler’s responsibility to pick it up at a later date.  Plaques will not be mailed out going forward. Plaques will be forfeited after the following year’s banquet.

34 anglers enter our 12th Annual Minnow Fund Outing held on West Branch and Milton.  We host this event every year to raise money for the Minnow Fund, which supports Muskie stocking efforts in Ohio.  30 fish were submitted in the tournament, with 10 of them being Huskie Muskies, 42 inches or longer, and one elusive Ohio 50 incher!

As we shared pizza and fish stories, trophies were awarded at our check-in to each of our top three points earners.  The Big Fish cash pot was won by Alex Turner who landed a giant 50 incher!  Alex very generously donated all the $320 cash winnings back to the Minnow Fund!  Several lucky attendees took home new Muskie lures from our free bait drawing, and bait board raffle, including some beautiful bucktails from Six2noon Lures.  We held a 50/50 raffle as well that was won by Mark Herring.  Mark could’ve walked away with some extra cash in his pocket, but he gave it all back to the Minnow Fund!  So awesome to see all the people who came together, or donated to the Minnow Fund to help sustain the great Muskie fishery we have here!

Through our events like this, the Ohio Muskie Guide Service raffle (that just brought in an additional $1,225), contributions from our great sponsors, and your donations, we were able to send a check for $4,600 to the Minnow Fund to help raise up future Huskie Muskies!  Thank you to all of you for your continued support of the Minnow Fund.

Congrats to our trophy winners, and all who were able to put a Muskie on the board!  Here are the final rankings from the tournament:

 

Justin Harbin 170 Points. 49.5″, 44.5″, 43.5″, 43″, 42.25″, 41.75″, 40.25″, 38.25″, 38.25″, 38″, 36.75″

Alex Turner *Big Fish Pot Winner * 70 Points. 50″, 41.5″, 38″, 36″, 34.5″

Austin Blauser 30 Points. 44″, 38″

Joe Martinelli 29.75 Points. 43.75″, 38″

Sean McCloskey 28 Points. 41.75″, 38.25″

Mark Herring 25.5 Points. 39.5″, 38″

Chuck Land 22 Points. 39.5″, 34.5″

Rick Thorp 19 Points. 45″

Daniel Burant 16 Points. 42″

Matt Davies 11.5 Points. 37.5″

Gary Andreis 11.25 Points. 37.25″

 

Justin Harbin 49.5″

Justin Harbin 43″

Justin Harbin 42.25″

Justin Harbin 41.75″

Justin Harbin 40.25″

Justin Harbin 38″

Justin Harbin 38.25″

Justin Harbin 38.25″

Justin Harbin 36.75″

Alex Turner 50″

Alex Turner Big Fish Pot Winner

Austin Blauser Third Place Trophy

Joe Martinelli 43.75″

Joe Martinelli 38″

Sean McCloskey 41.75″

Mark Herring 39.5″

Chuck Land 34.5″

Daniel Burant 42″

Matt Davies 37.5″

Gary Andreis 37.25″

Join us on West Branch Reservoir AND Lake Milton, Sept 14-15, for our 12th Annual Minnow Fund Outing! Mid-September is a prime time to target muskies on these Northeast Ohio lakes as the cooler evening temperatures gets these fish in the mood to chase down some baits. This event is open to everyone, and ALL proceeds from this major fundraiser go to the Minnow Fund to aid in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ efforts to raise and stock muskies in Ohio. Trophies will be awarded to the top three points earners and there is an optional Big Fish pool with all cash being paid to the angler(s) who scores the longest muskie.

After this fun weekend of muskie hunting, you’ll definitely want to join us on Sunday beginning at 3:30 pm at West Ramp off Rocksprings Rd on West Branch for some pizza at our final weigh-in where we will announce our winners and award them their trophies and Big Fish cash pot, as well as hand out some free muskie lures featuring baits from Six2Noon, and we will hold a 50/50 drawing.

The costs of feeding our future huskie muskies continue to rise, and we need your support more than ever! We hope you’ll join us for this fun weekend of muskie fishing on West Branch and Milton while supporting the future of our fishery. All proceeds of this event will help fund the OHMC’s contribution to the Minnow Fund and any extra donations are welcomed!  The statewide Minnow Fund is an integral part of the overall success of Ohio’s Muskie program.

The entry fee will be $25 with a $10 big fish entry pool.

We prefer you register for the event 1 of 2 ways:

• Register online at
  • Online Registration
  • Online registration includes payment through PayPal.
• Via postal mail
  • OHMC, 17712 Edgewater, Lakewood, Ohio 44107
• Registration closes when the event starts.

Once registered, you can launch from any public launch the day of the event once the event has started.

Please read the rules for the tournament below:

Event Rules and Regulations

New for 2024 and going forward: 

• All in-person event plaques will now be given to the winner at the designated in-person fish “weigh-in” location.  If any angler receiving a plaque is unable to make it to the “weigh-in” location, it is that angler’s responsibility to pick it up at a later date.  Plaques will not be mailed out going forward. Plaques will be forfeited after the following year’s banquet.

Congratulations to Alex Leglise, who won our Summer Raffle prize package!  Alex will receive a one week stay in the studio cabin at Leesville Lake Marinas North Fork, a guided trip with Harmon’s Ohio Muskie Guide Service, a custom built rod from Charlie Alexander of R&C Tuff Rods with a PENN Fishing low profile casting reel, a Muskie Bumper bump board, and a tackle box loaded with Muskie baits!  Total prize package valued at over $2,000!  Thank you so much to all of our sponsors/contributors that made this possible, and a big thanks to all of you that bought tickets in support of the club and the Minnow Fund.  335 tickets were sold, making this our biggest year ever for Summer Raffle ticket sales!  Your entries will allow us to make a significant donation to the Minnow Fund in support of Muskie stocking efforts in Ohio.  Thank you all for your contributions, and congrats Alex!

 

 

42 anglers BATTLED in boats, kayaks, rafts, and on foot across Ohio in first ever The BATTLE For OHIO online Muskie tournament.  70 fish were submitted in this event, but who caught the biggest five??  Well, presenting the first ever BATTLE For OHIO Champion, Kyle Jones, with a massive 95.75 points.  Kyle had an all Huskie Muskie top five score measuring in at 42.5″, 43.25″, 46″, 46.25″, and 47.75″!  Impressive!  Congrats Kyle on being the victor in The BATTLE For OHIO!

Mikel Smiddy snuck in second place with 78.5 total points and his best 5 fish measuring in at 38.75″, 40.5″, and three Huskie Muskies of 42.75″, 42.75″, and 43.75″.  Congrats Mikel on the great catches!  Not far behind was Jesse Wolford placing third with 77.75 total points and his best 5 fish measuring in at 39.5″, 40.25″, 40.5″, 41.5″ and a Big 46″ Huskie.  Well done, Jesse!

Awesome job to everyone that participated in the event.  We thank each and every one of you that help contribute back to the Muskie stocking program by joining these events to help ensure our continued success.  Here’s how the other anglers who landed fish ranked when it was all said and done.

 

Kyle Jones 95.75 Points  47.75″, 46.25″, 46″, 43.25″, 42.5″

Mikel Smiddy 78.5 Points  43.75″, 42.75″, 42.75″, 40.5″, 38.75″

Jesse Wolford 77.75 Points  46″, 41.5″, 40.5″, 40.25″, 39.5″

Brad Evans 76.5 Points  48.5″, 41.5″, 40″, 38.5″, 38″

Steve Randall 67.5 Points  44″, 42″, 38.75″, 37″, 35.75″

Rick Thorpe 58.5 Points  46.5″, 40.75″, 40.5″, 35″

Carl Conrad 55.25 Points  43″, 36.75″, 36.75″, 35.5″, 33.25″

Dana Lavy 52.75 Points  44.25″, 37.25″, 35″, 34.25″, 32″

John Proch 42.75 Points  40″, 38.5″, 34.25″, 34″

Corey Zelinski 36 Points  39.25″, 38.25″, 36.5″

Matt Davies 32 Points  43.25″, 40.75″

Cash Naftzger 22.5 Pts  39″, 35.5″

Marnie Williams 12.75 Points  38.75″

Kevin Proffitt 11.25 Points  37.25″

Matt Ford 11.25 Points  37.25″

Tom Garrity 10.5 Points  36.5″

Dave White 10.25 Points  36.25″

Derek Halas 8 Points  34″

Tyler Lynn 4.75 Points  30.75″

David Noel 4 Points  30″

 

Kyle Jones 47.75″

Kyle Jones 46.25″

Kyle Jones 46″

Kyle Jones 43.25″

Mikel Smiddy 43.75″

Mikel Smiddy 42.75″

Mikel Smiddy 40.5″

Jesse Wolford 46″

Jesse Wolford 40.5″

Jesse Wolford 40.25″

Brad Evans 48.5″

Rick Thorpe 46.25″

Rick Thorpe 40.75″

Rick Thorpe 40.5″

Rick Thorpe 35″

Carl Conrad 43″

Dana Lavy 44.25″

John Proch 40″

Corey Zelinski 39.25″

Corey Zelinski 38.25″

Corey Zelinski 36.5″

Matt Davies 43.25″

Matt Davies 40.75″

Kevin Proffitt 37.25″

Matt Ford 37.25″

Tom Garrity 36.5″

Tyler Lynn 30.75″

David Noel 30″