Ohio Huskie Muskie Club, Inc

Thank you to the ODNR for helping insure the potential of a great muskie fishery on Lake Erie.   Their hard work deserves more recognition for all that they do.  The muskie destroyed was most likely in the four foot range.

 

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife has charged Szuch Fishery, Inc. with wildlife violations after investigators observed abuse and wanton waste of highly-prized game fish on March 31, 2020.

“This type of behavior is unexpected and unacceptable,” said Matt Leibengood, Law Enforcement Supervisor for the Division’s Lake Erie Enforcement unit. “I am proud of our investigators and officers working to protect Ohio’s natural resources.”

Division of Wildlife investigators observed and recorded Szuch employees intentionally injure a rare trophy-sized muskellunge after it was removed from a commercial fishing net in western Lake Erie. Employees were also observed removing numerous gar, a native fish important to the ecosystem, from commercial fishing nets and then breaking their spines and tossing the carcasses into the lake.

Szuch Fishery will appear in Oregon Municipal Court on charges of one count of causing intentional injury to a non-commercial fish species, 10 counts of stream littering and 10 counts of disposing of dead fish. Szuch employees Joseph Imre Jr., Holly Szuch, and Michael Szuch were each charged with one count of stream littering and one count of illegally disposing of dead fish.

If convicted, Szuch Fishery faces maximum penalties of $55,000 and a 30-day suspension of its ability to fish with commercial gear and to handle commercial fish or other fish at wholesale. The individuals face a maximum penalty of $750 and 90 days of incarceration.

Anyone can report a wildlife violation through the Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) Program. Wildlife violations can be reported anonymously via phone call or text at 800-POACHER (762-2437).

From our President, Jeff Ferjutz:

 

After discussion with the Board and with following the Governor’s protocol, I’m sorry to inform everyone that we are canceling the event at Peidmont on March 28th. This event could possibly be added later in the year, joined with an open event this year, etc. right now, we have to think of the safety of the anglers and everyone involved.
We will keep everyone updated. Thank you and everyone be safe!

 

Saturday night proved to be a wonderful February night in Ohio.  We gathered to celebrate 2019 at the SYB Party Center in Stow, Ohio.  What a great venue, with great support and good food.  Thanks to the team at SYB for helping make our night.

We gathered to welcome in our new President, Jeff Ferjutz, and thank our outgoing President, Paul Anderson for his many years of service as a Trustee, Treasurer and President.

We gathered to recognize our 2019 event winners for showing us how to be successful when many us of came up empty.

Spring Outing

May 4^th & 5^th, 2019

West Branch

1^st Place – Mike Adamski

1^st Place – Steven McManaway

2^nd Place – Ethan Erb

 

Lungefest

June 8th, 2019

Leesville

1^st Place – Tim Smith

 

 

 Summer Contest

July 20th & 21st, 2019

Salt Fork

1^st Place – Matt Clark

 

 

Minnow Fund Outing

September 28^th & 29^th, 2019

Pymatuning

1^st Place – Paul Anderson

2^nd Place – Robert Basic

 

 

Muskie Munch

October 19^th, 2019

Piedmont

1^st Place – Ray Elkins

 

 

2019 Overall Tournament Winner

David White

4 Muskies

 

We gathered to recognize our award winners for their outstanding catches in 2019.

Fifty-Inch Award

2019 First Time 50” Catch

Lucas Marusiak

David White

2018 First Time 50” Catch

Pat Klingensmith

 

Matthew Smith Memorial

Award for Juniors 2019

 

Boys “Released”

Lucas Marusiak – 50.00”

 

Girls “Released”

Allison Wagner – 40.00”

 

 

Ohio Huskie Muskie Club

Royalty 2019

 

King “Released”

Scott Donohew – 51.50”

 

 

Queen “Released”

Linda Zonker – 49.00”

 

 

2019 H.E. “Pooch” Curry Award

(Largest Muskie Caught in Ohio)

 

Scott Donohew – 51.50”

Piedmont

May 30^th, 2019

 

We gathered to honor our Mr. Muskie and Woman of the Year for their contributions to the success of our club and the muskie fishery in the State of Ohio.

Keith and Danielle Ott from the marinas on Leesville and Ohio Valley Boats.

 

Finally we gathered to hear a great update from Kevin Page, DOW, on the muskie program in Ohio and what we are learning from the tagging study.

 

Thanks to all who attended and we hope to see you at our IceBreaker event on March 28 at Piedmont Lake.

This will be a one-day event with a $15 event entry fee, with the longest fish caught that day being the event winner.  Each angler will have the option to enter a Big Fish pool, a Total Points pool or no pool at all.  The Big Fish pool will be conducted as in past events, with an additional $5 entry fee and all proceeds going to the longest fish caught with no verification required, so only enter the pool if you are comfortable with this format.

The Total Points pool will have an additional $35 entry fee with the winner of the event receiving 60% of the pool, 2^nd place 30% and 3^rd place 10%.   There will be verification of all catches required as outlined in the material.

The purpose of this change in format is to try to encourage more participation in club events.  After this event concluded, the Board will assess the impact of the format and determine if the format should be used for any additional events in 2020.  Given the requirements of the rules and the difficulty in running such an event over two days, most likely the Muskie Munch would be the only other event considered.

 

Here are the event rules as currently constituted.  Please review the rules and feel free to provide your thoughts on the change, and any changes you might suggest.

 

• All fish must be caught between 7:30 am and 7:00 pm on Saturday, March 28^th at Piedmont Lake.
• Registration for the event will be from 6:30 am to 8 am at the Reynolds Road launch ramp.
• All fish must be 30 inches or greater to qualify for entry.
• Neither live nor dead natural bait shall be permitted for the event.
• All fishing and boating rules, regulations and licensing in effect in the state of Ohio shall apply and be adhered to by all event participants. It is the angler’s responsibility to know the rules and regulations of the state of Ohio.
• This is a tournament where the longest fish wins the event, but the angler also has the choice to enter a Big Fish pool or a Total Points pool or no pool.
• The angler with the longest fish will be awarded first place. No witness is required.  All fish must be successfully released to qualify.  If a fish dies or is kept, the fish cannot be entered in the event or either pool.  If there is a tie for the event winner, all those tying will be declared the winners.
• All persons in the boat must be entered in the event and must be entered in the same pool. If the angler is going to enter a pool, they can only enter one of the two pools.
• If an angler chooses to participate in the Big Fish pool, then they do so at their own risk. The winner will be based on the largest fish reported.  No photo is needed for the Big Fish pool.  The winner of the Big Fish pool is declared thru an honor system, so if you have any concern, do not enter the pool.  Ties will not be broken; the cash pool will be split among the entries which are tied.
• Decisions of the tournament director will be final.
• No fish will be reported to the Muskie Angler Log. It is the angler’s responsibility to report all fish caught.
• For the event and the Big Fish pool, all fish must be reported to the tournament director by 7:30 pm at the Piedmont Marina launch ramp. For the Total Points pool, all fish must be sent via text with the angler’s name,  length, time caught and picture to the tournament director by 7 pm.   Final results will be provided at the Piedmont Marina launch ramp.
• All anglers in the event must pay the $15 entry fee and any pool entry before 8 am on Saturday, March 28^th.
• If an angler chooses to enter the Big Fish pool, an additional $5 is needed for entry. All money collected in the Big Fish pool will be paid to the winner.  If there is no winner in the Big Fish pool, all entry monies will be donated to the Minnow Fund.
• If an angler chooses to enter the Total Points pool, an additional $35 is needed for entry. All money collected will be paid to the top three positions reporting points with First place receiving 60%, Second place 30% and Third place 10%.
• The applicable IRS notice 1340 indicates a tax exempt organization must report raffle prizes if (a) the amount reduced, at the exempt organization’s option, by the wager (the amount a person paid for the chance to win a prize), is $600 or more; and (b) the payout is at least 300 times the amount of the wager. Therefore, the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club will not be filing a Form W-2G unless both these conditions are met.
• Total Points Pool special rules:
  • All anglers must be at least 18 years of age or fish with a parent or legal guardian.
  • All anglers must report their catches via text with the angler’s name, length, time caught and picture to the tournament director by 7 pm. All anglers must use a phone capable of taking and storing pictures and transmitting the angler’s name, length, time caught and picture via text.  Service varies by carrier at Piedmont with dead zones present with each carrier.  It is the angler’s responsibility to transmit all catch reports by 7 pm.  It is highly recommended that any entries be transmitted as soon as service is available.
  • All anglers must be at registration to be released at 7:30 am. You may launch you boat in the water prior to being released.
  • At registration all anglers must present their bump board for certification. The bump board will be marked at registration and that mark must be visible in any photo submitted to the tournament director.
  • Each angler will receive a unique marker which must be visible in any photo submitted to the tournament director.
  • Fish must be measured with the back facing the bump board, have the mouth closed, the nose against the side bump plate, tail squeezed for maximum length. Measurements are rounded down to the ¼”.
  • Photos should be taken with your phone first, then sent via text with the angler’s name, length and time caught to the tournament director. You are encouraged to take multiple pictures to ensure alternate pictures are available in case there is an issue with the photo sent to the tournament director.  All photos on the phone should be retained until the Total Points pool is finalized.
  • If the tournament official cannot clearly read the measurement in the photo, they will make their best determination and that decision will be the final measurement. The fish will not count if the official cannot see the picture, or unique marker, or board certification mark, or the fish’s nose appears to not be touching the front of the board.
  • Scoring is based on any fish 30 inches or greater will receive 4 points plus a point for each inch over 30 inches prorated by fraction. For example, a 42.75” fish would generate 4 points plus 12.75 points for a total of 16.75 points.  Total points for all fish determine the final score total for an angler.
  • Any unclaimed prize money will be donated to the Minnow Fund. If no fish are caught, all the money is donated to the Minnow Fund.  If only one angler catches a fish, they will receive the 60% payout with the remaining money being donated to the Minnow Fund.  If two anglers catch fish, then the 3^rd place payout will be donated to the Minnow Fund.   If there is a tie for first place, based on the number of people tied, the money will be split for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd   For example, if two tie, 1^st and 2^nd will be split.  If 3 tie, 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd will be split.   This will be true for each position.  Only the top 3 positions will be paid out.
  • Should any angler be caught cheating, it shall result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of the event and pool entry fee.

 

 

 

At the upcoming Business meeting before our banquet, the members will be asked to vote on the 2021 Summer contest lake and the election of officers for 2020.  Also up for a vote is a revision of our Event and Award guidelines.

Major changes from the prior rules include:

• Elimination of the Trophy Awards (awards for kept fish) for men, women and junior boys and girls.
• Designating the Pooch Curry award as the award given to the male member, regardless of age, with the longest released fish for the year. Prior to this change, kept fish were included. This award would also replace the King Released award.
• Designating the Gloria Roberts award as the award given to the female member, regardless of age, with the longest released fish for the year. This award would replace the Queen Release award.
• Empower the Board of Trustees with the ability to set the tournament schedule for the upcoming year at the November board meeting, except for the Summer Contest lake which would continue to be set by the members at the Annual Meeting.

These changes are being made to align our awards with the desire to release as many muskies as possible to insure the future of the fishery.  A member clearly has the option to keep a personal trophy, the Club, however, will not be providing an award for the kept fish.

The changes also reflect the reality of how the Trustees determine the fishing events for the year, based on the experience of the prior year, the desire to encourage angler participation in our events, and the activities of the other muskie clubs in the state.

The Board is recommending a vote for the motion to adopt the revised Rules and Guidelines.

Here are the full guidelines to be voted on by the members:

CRITERIA FOR AWARDS BANQUET

The Annual Awards Banquet shall be held during Spring of each year.  The exact date and place of the banquet shall be determined by the Board of Trustees.  The membership shall be given a minimum of thirty (30) day’s notice.  All members who are current paid or free members qualify to get their recognition through trophies, plaques, and jackets for outstanding catches and achievements.  Qualified anglers who catch and register their muskellunge catches during the season by submitting their catch data to the Division of Wildlife, thru the Muskie Angler Log will receive their awards at the following annual banquet.  Some awards are based on the point system which is a point per inch to the nearest ¼ inch.  Length shall be submitted at the time it is registered on the MAL thru the Division of Wildlife.  No points shall be awarded without the proper information on length.

1. A complimentary dinner ticket to the Annual Awards Banquet may be given to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources personnel directly involved with the Corporation and any other personnel that the Executive Board of Trustees decide to invite.

2. A complimentary dinner ticket shall be given to those who catch their first Regular Huskie Muskie, measuring at least forty-two (42) inches in length, whether it be kept or released.

3. Certificates are printable when those who qualify for Regular and Honorable Mention muskellunge catches register their catch on the Muskie Angler Log.
   

4. Muskie Award. This award was named in honor of Joseph Blackwell.  It is presented to the male whom the Board of Trustees feels has done the most to support the Corporation and promote the sport of muskie fishing in the state of Ohio.  The award given shall be a plaque shaped like the state of Ohio.

5. Woman of the Year Award. This award is presented to the female whom the Board of Trustees feels has done the most to support the Corporation and promote the sport of muskie fishing in the state of Ohio. The award given shall be a plaque shaped like the state of Ohio.

6. Pooch Curry Award. This award was named in honor of our first president, H. E. Curry.  It is presented to the male who caught the largest released muskellunge in Ohio as determined by the length of the fish only, irrespective of age of the angler.  The award given shall be a plaque shaped like the state of Ohio.  The angler will also receive an Ohio Huskie Muskie Club, Inc. jacket.

7. Gloria Roberts Award.  This award was named in honor of our longtime member Gloria Roberts.  It is presented to the female who caught the largest released muskellunge in Ohio as determined by the length of the fish only irrespective of age of the angler.  The award given shall be a plaque shaped like the state of Ohio.  The angler will also receive an Ohio Huskie Muskie Club, Inc. jacket.

8. Matthew Smith Memorial Award for Juniors. These awards are presented to the anglers sixteen (16) years of age or less at the time the muskellunge was caught.  No one who catches a muskellunge after their seventeenth birthday is eligible for these awards.

• Boys Release – This award is presented to the male, 16 years of age or less, who caught the largest released muskellunge as determined by length only. The award given shall be a trophy.
• Girls Release – This award is presented to the female, 16 years of age or less, who caught the largest released muskellunge as determined by length only. The award given shall be a trophy.

9. Dunmire Award. This award was named in honor of Dr. Laverne Dunmire.  It is presented to the anglers who caught three (3) or more Regular Huskie Muskies, measuring at least forty-two (42) inches in length, whether it be kept or released.  The award given shall be a plaque.

10. Released Award. This award is presented to the anglers who caught ten (10) or more released muskellunge, measuring at least thirty (30) inches in length.  The award given shall be a plaque.

11. Tournament Champion Award. This award is presented to the angler with the most tournament points for muskellunge caught during the Club’s fishing events.  The scoring method of only counting 30-inch fish or longer. A thirty-inch fish = 4 points and one additional full point for every additional full inch, measurements rounded down to next ¼ inch, ¼” = .25 pts.

12. 50 Inch Award. This award is presented to the anglers, irrespective of age, who caught their first fifty (50) inch or larger muskellunge, whether it be kept or released.  The award given shall be a plaque.

 

Annual Fishing Events

The Board of Trustees at their November meeting shall determine the fishing events, their locations and dates to be held in the upcoming year.  The lake for the Summer Contest is determined by a vote of the membership at the most recent Annual Meeting.   Ohio Huskie Muskie Club fishing events are decided by a majority vote of the trustees.  Every effort should be made to rotate events among the ODNR program lakes or lakes that are stocked by the ODNR to ensure members from throughout the state will have the opportunity to fish a lake near their home.

The format and tournament rules for each event will be determined by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.

For all two-day events, a trophy will be awarded to the First (1^st) and Second (2^nd) Place finishes using the scoring method of only counting 30-inch fish or longer. A thirty-inch fish = 4 points and one additional full point for every additional full inch, measurements rounded down to next ¼ inch, ¼” = .25 pts. The muskie must be released.  The trophies shall be awarded at the Annual Awards Banquet.

For all one-day events, a trophy will be awarded to the First (1^st) place finisher.  All entries must be released.

For all our events, the following guidelines apply:

All lake horsepower limits are strictly enforced.

All boating safety equipment is required.

It is unlawful to operate a watercraft under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

All state and local boating rules and regulations shall be observed.

Swimming or diving from watercraft is not permitted.

All fish must be caught during tournament hours, using legal sport fishing tackle (rod & reel), in strict compliance with local and state laws.

Valid fishing license required.

Courtesy and sportsmanship shall always be maintained .

Violations of local or state fish and game laws during the tournament shall be grounds for disqualification from the tournament and shall forfeit any trophies or prizes won.

Any protest on violations of Tournament Rules must be presented to the Tournament director prior to awards on Sunday.  Decisions of the Tournament director are final.

Ohio Huskie Muskie Club, Inc., Ohio agencies and tournament officials shall not be liable for any loss, damage or liabilities occurring during the tournament.

Please help us maintain our status as one of the most elite fishing clubs in America.

KEEP OUR WATERS CLEAN.

 

DIVISION DAY OUTING

The annual Division Day Outing was started in 1984 by Everett Smith, President at that time.  The purpose of the Division Day Outing is to keep open communications and relations between the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club and the Division of Wildlife.  It is also to promote sport fishing for muskellunge and to give the invited Division of Wildlife guests a chance to experience one of the state’s great pleasures: the thrill and anticipation of landing one of Ohio’s largest game fish, the muskellunge.  This is a day when members of the club volunteer to take employees of the Division of Wildlife out for a day of muskellunge fishing.

A plaque in the shape of Ohio shall be awarded at the Division Day Outing and shall be presented to the Division employee or honored guest, who caught the largest muskellunge based on length only, whether it be kept or released.