Category: Misc

Over 30 anglers came out to our LEESVILLE LUNGEFEST to wrap up our 2024 in-person tournament season while remembering our departed brother, Chuck Land. It was a lovely Fall day to be on the water in pursuit of muskies, and a handful were brought to net. We saw nine muskies over 30 inches submitted in this single day tournament. The largest of all was a 47.75 inch beauty caught by Hunter was awarded the $280 Big Fish pot for landing that monster! Hunter also received the first place trophy for scoring two fish worth 31.75 points. Brad continued his great season, collecting another trophy for his second place finish with 28.5 points. Also taking home a trophy, Jason @redfiveomustangplaced third with 14.25 points. Congratulations to our trophy winners, and everyone else who was able to put a fish on the board! Our favorite catch of the day though, was from Chuck Jr, who caught his muskie in honor of his father on this day we came together to remember Chuck Sr. Really awesome catch Chuck Jr!

Fish Submitted:
1. Hunter Miller, 47.75″ 36″, 31.75 Pts
2. Brad Evans, 40.25″ 40.25″, 28.5 Pts
3. Jason Westbrook, 41.25″, 14.25 Pts
4. Cash Naftzger, 39.25″, 13.25 Pts
5. Chuck Land, 38.25″, 12.25 Pts
6. John Ringenbach, 37.5″, 11.5 Pts
7. Chad Harmon, 36.75″, 10.75 Pts

Thank you to @six2noon Lures for donating awesome bucktails for this and all our events this season, and big thanks to the Prop & Paddle Tavern at Leesville Lake for hosting and feeding us so well again! A huge thank you to all of you who joined us, or made donations allowing us to give $2,000 to Anna Land to show support in her time of loss. We will certainly miss fishing with Chuck, and you remain in our thoughts and prayers Anna. This season passed way too fast, but we appreciate all of you who made it such a great one!

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!