Ohio Huskie Muskie Club, Inc

The 2017 OHMC Fall Outing was held on Saturday, September 30^th and Sunday, October 1^st.  The festivities started on Thursday as a few anglers showed up early to take advantage of the picture perfect weather.  The temperatures for the weekend never got above 75 degrees and did not dip below 45 degrees.  Mostly sunny skies and very light wind made for what most agreed to be the ideal conditions for camping and fishing.

By Friday evening the campground filled in and everyone greeted one-another with smiles, hugs, and handshakes.  The conversations were jovial and it seemed like we all were just glad to be there.  A few new faces were welcomed into the group.  As always, we made sure to greet new members and make them feel right at home with the club.  Club Treasurer John Ringenbach registered everyone in the campground on Friday evening as he continues his tireless service to the club from which we all benefit.

Early on Saturday morning as some anglers were just taking to the water, OHMC member Kyle Jones was enjoying the type of morning we all dream of having.  By 9:00 AM, he had put 3 huskies in his boat and done a good deed by assisting a nearby kayaker in landing a 46 inch fish which was that angler’s very first muskie.  I know it was an emotional day as it was the anniversary of the passing of a loved one.  I’m also sure that his loved ones would be incredibly proud of the good deed and talent put on display.  The bar had been set high for the event big fish award at 47.5”, but that would not withstand the Sunday charge that was coming.

As we filtered back to the campground Saturday evening to enjoy our steak fry, it was apparent that most of us were without that familiar slime on our nets.  So as usual, we drowned our sorrows in food.  The “roast” sized ribeye steaks were grilled to perfection by OHMC Past-President Fred Lederer and were thoroughly enjoyed by all.  We had plenty of side dishes and some amazing pie that a member brought for us to enjoy.  Surely, nobody was hungry at the conclusion of the meal.

Next, the raffle prizes were drawn by 2^nd V.P Rick Simpson, Secretary Stephanie Neville, and Trustee Robert Neville.  The 50/50 in the amount of $106 was split between the club and Fred Lederer who had purchased the winning ticket.  Many baits and miscellaneous items were won during the general prize raffle and most who bought tickets left the event with a prize

Some of us went back out fishing in the darkness on Saturday evening while others opted for an early bedtime – early rise approach.  Phil Jarvis headed out Sunday morning with a bit of disheartenment, but that was about to change.  He had a bite window open up late in the morning for a little over an hour.  That window saw him land five (5) fish including a Personal Best 49” behemoth that was good enough to take the $90 big fish prize.

The final standings were as follows:  Phil Jarvis (1^st Place); (49.00”, 41.00”, 39.25”, 37.00”, 30.00”) (66.25 points): Kyle Jones (2^nd Place); (47.50”, 46.00”, 43.00”) (58.50 points): Bill Lambert (3^rd Place); (41.50”) (15.50 Points): Greg Eischen; (33.00”) (7.00 points): Nick Cox; (32.00”) (6.00 points).  Our winners will receive their trophies at our annual banquet next spring.

Many thanks to everyone that came out to the event and especially those that help conduct the outings.  I look forward to hopefully seeing many of you on the water this fall, the fishing shows this winter, and the banquet next spring.

The 2017 OHMC – M.I. Chapter 19 Nite-Bite was held Friday, August 19^th into the morning of August 20^th at Leesville Lake.  It was hot a takeoff but cooled quickly after sundown.  This led to very dense fog that created challenges for everyone on the water.  Thankfully, all anglers made it back to the ramp safely.  Unfortunately, the fish did not cooperate very well.  We had 19 anglers sign-up and 4 fish reported as being caught. Thank you to those that came out and especially Jason Chalmers and John Ringenbach for conducting the event.  Bill Shultz took first place with two fish 35.00” and 42.00” for a total of 25.00 points.  Will Tollerton took second place with a 44.00” fish worth 18.00 points.  Chad Harmon finished in third place with a 39.00” Fish for 13.00 points and increased his lead in the overall tournament standings.  Our winners will be presented their trophies at next year’s awards banquet.

 

The 2017 OHMC Summer Contest was held July 15^th and 16^th at Salt Fork Lake in Cambridge, Ohio.  We had 33 anglers register and 30 fish reported being caught.  Chad Harmon claimed First Place for the third year in a row.  Fred Lederer earned Second Place and Stephanie Neville earned Third Place.  Our winners will receive their trophies at the next annual banquet.

The campground filled in on a sweltering Friday evening just in time for a torrential downpour.  Fortunately, the brief rain event was the only precipitation we would see this year.  The weather was near perfect for the weekend with highs in the low 80’s and lows in the mid 60’s.  Water temperatures ranged from 80 degrees to 85 degrees.

We started out Saturday morning with our traditional coffee and pancakes during registration.  Soon the armada took to the water to test their skills.  Early in the day, it was apparent that this was to be an event for the record books as the fish showed up in the nets early and often.  Regular reports from various anglers of a successful release kept our spirits high as everyone knew the bite was on.

I personally witnessed several releases and every angler was fast and efficient to get the fish back in the water quickly.  There was one floating fish that a member put in his cooler to be enjoyed as table fare.  I admire this approach and feel that while we do our best, occasionally a fish dies.  Much better to not waste the meat and my hat goes off to the member that tried to revive a fish that wasn’t his, but in that failed attempt recognized the opportunity to have a meal.  That is the only fish that was seen floating during event hours and may not have been an outing anglers fish.  There was an extraordinary number of non-members fishing all over the lake on Saturday.  I’m very proud of our members for their skills in getting so many quick, successful releases in adverse conditions.

Saturday evening we all came in for a well-deserved break to enjoy another great Steak cookout.  Thank you to Past-president Fred Lederer and Honorary Trustee Jerry Rice for once again doing a great job on cooking our steaks to perfection.  Tim Smith once again treated us to fresh corn-on-the-cob and for that and all the other work he does, I sincerely thank him.  Nearly all of our trustees showed up and each one jumped in to help where needed.  We are genuinely fortunate to have such a fantastic group of dedicated individuals.

We drew our raffles at the conclusion of the dinner and saw the following results: Herb Stephens won our Rod-n-Reel; Bill Lambert won our 50/50; and Bill Lambert also won our 2017 Grand Prize.  Thank you to everyone that purchased those tickets.  This is our best fundraiser and allows us to function in a financially stable manner and generously donate significant dollars toward the Minnow Fund.  In addition to the raffles, we drew door prizes and every person that signed-up received a free bait or another nice prize.

Sunday morning was a cloak of fog but that did not slow us down.  We poured into the lake to get some more of the incredible fishing.  Most of the anglers that entered, either caught or netted a fish.  There were a few exceptions to that and I must confess that I was disappointed to keep my cold streak alive by seeing no slime on the deck of my boat.  I did, however, have a great weekend with old friends and new friends as well.  The camaraderie of our group is second to none and I am truly appreciative of every person that took the time to come out and enjoy a weekend with our club.

When the dust settled the following were all fish turned in for the event:  Chad Harmon (Big Fish ($135)); Chad Harmon (47.00”, 36.00”, 49.25”, 44.50”, 34.50”, 36.00”) 91.25 points;  Fred Lederer (46.00”, 38.00”, 35.50”, 44.00”) 59.50 points;  Stephanie Neville (36.50”, 32.00”, 31.50”, 32.50”, 30.25”, 35.50”, 32.50”) 48.75 points; Jenna Lederer (43.00”, 39.00”) 30.00 points; Kevin Proffit (31.00”, 49.00”) 28.00 points; Phil Jarvis (33.50”, 37.00”) 18.50”; Rick Simpson (42.50”) 16.50 points; Tim Smith (41.75”) 15.75 points; Bill Lambert (41.00”) 15.00 points; Kate Patton (38.00”) 12.00 points; David Baio (35.00”) 9.00 points; Rich Welk (30.00”) 4.00 points; Jeff Ferjutz (30.00”) 4.00 points.

 

 

 

 

 

The 5^th annual Minnow Fund Muskie Outing was held May 6^th & 7^th, 2017 at Clear Fork Reservoir in Mansfield, Ohio.  Thirty (30) anglers came out to test themselves against all that mother nature can dispense on an early May weekend.  The rain was torrential and the wind had white-caps on even this small reservoir.  Temperatures dipped down to 35 degrees and somehow it felt even colder.

Even with the harsh conditions, spirits remained high as all participants knew that they were helping to support the best vehicle we have for demonstrating our appreciation for the muskie program in this great state.  We had raffles, some great food, and even better stories and companionship.  However in the end, the fishing was as you might expect given the conditions: Lousy.  There were only six (6) fish reported as being caught during the two day event.

Preceding the weekend activities, we had OHMC members that showed up to serve as a Friday fishing guide for our ODNR guests during our annual Division Day event.  Eleven (11) ODNR members came out to brave the elements and all walked away without a fish to show for their dedication.  That’s what this was, true dedication, to show up shows how much dedication they have to our program.  A huge thank you for coming out goes to; Curt Wagner, Kevin Page, Rich Zweifel, Nick Radabaugh, Tim Parker, Kevin Kayle, John Windau, Kurt Koschalck, Steve Niekamp, and Doug Sweet.  Also, an equally big thank you to the OHMC members that served as guides; John Ringenbach, Tim Smith, Elmer Heyob, Phil Cummings, Robert Neville,               Stephanie Neville, and Phil Jarvis.

For the weekend event the following fish were caught:  Jason Chalmers – 48.00” (22.00 Points) (1^st Place); Matt Clark – 42.00” (16.00 Points) (2^nd Place); Kyle Jones – 40.00” (14.00 Points) (3^rd Place); Elmer Heyob – 39.00” (13.00 Points); George Smart – 35.25” (9.25 Points); Jerry Rice – 33.25” (7.25 Points).  All winners will receive their trophies at next year’s awards banquet.

The 56^th Ohio Huskie Muskie Club Annual Awards Banquet was held on April 1, 2017, at McCalls Banquet Center in Canton, Ohio.  The attendance held steady relative to recent years and all those in attendance were treated to good food, friends, and laughter.  A total of 115 OHMC members and guests along with 5 vendors were in attendance.  Every person in attendance received a door prize consisting of one of three custom painted baits created by Greg Them of Xtreme Muskie Lures.

During the business meeting, members voted on the lake nominations for our 48^th  Annual Open Summer Contest in 2018.  The winner was Piedmont, with the event to be tentatively held on July 14^th and 15^th pending park approval.  Elections for officer positions were held during the business meeting.  The OHMC officers for 2015 are as follows; Paul Anderson, President; Jeff Ferjutz, 1^st Vice-President; Rick Simpson, 2^nd Vice-President; Stephanie Neville, Secretary; John Ringenbach, Treasurer.

Before the banquet meal started there was a pause for a moment of silence for all the club members who 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 Brown.  The food was very good with a buffet that included Baked Chicken, Sausage and Peppers, McCalls Signature Potatoes, Green Beans, Rigatoni, a Garden Salad, Rolls, and Cake.  We all had a great time and lots of fun with the fish stories that were being told.

ODNR attendees were: Curt Wagner, Fisheries Biologist, District 3 (Akron); Rich Zweifel, Acting Inland Fisheries Program Administrator; Phil Hillman, Fish Management Supervisor, District 3 (Akron); Mike Greenlee, Fish Management Supervisor, District 4 (Athens); Debra Walters, Fish Management Supervisor, District 5 (Xenia); Ed Lewis, Fisheries Biologist, District 2 (Findlay); Kevin Page, Fisheries Biologist, Inland Fisheries Research Unit (Hebron); Rich Carter, Executive Administrator Fish Management and Research Group; and Scott Hale, Assistant Chief, Central Office.

Special thanks go 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 to the club.  Please patronize these companies as they make our events a success.

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 2016 season.

Joe Blackwell “Mr Muskie” Award

Tim Smith

Woman of the Year Award

Gloria Roberts

H.E. Pooch Curry Award:

Richard Reeves – 51.50”

Piedmont

July 13, 2016

The Matthew Smith Memorial awards were as follows:

Boys “Released”

Fischer Himes – 37.25”

Girls “Released”

Ashley McCartney – 45.00”

The Royalty Awards:

King “Released”

Richard Reeves – 51.50”

King “Trophy”

Greg Bozick – 51.00”

Queen “Released”

Kathy Mitchell – 51.00”

 

Dr. Dunmire Plaque Awards:

Patrick Klingensmith (41), Greg Bozick (35), David Baio (30), Kevin LaRoche (22), Chuck Harmon (20), Richard Reeves (19), Ray Elkins (17), Kathy Mitchell (16), Will Tolerton (16), Chad Harmon (15), Dennis Mitchell (14), Bob Marshall (11), George Weber (11), Dennis Braun (8), John Thompson (8), Paul Anderson (7), Sherman Champlin (6), Charlotte Fuchs (6), Nick Smith (6), Jason Basic (5), Bill Brant (5), David Brown (5), Tom Hannen (5), Bob McCloud (5), Sam Ringenbach (5), Mike Sandridge (5), Bill Schultz, Jr. (5), Tim Smith (5), Bob Basic (4), Linda Hannen (4), Lee Himes (4), Tom Morris (4), John Ringenbach (4), John Savu (4), Jeff Heiser (3), Ray Hinchcliff, Sr. (3), Fred Lederer (3), Josh Marshall (3), Ashley McCartney (3), Jerry Rice (3), Rick Simpson (3)

10 or More Release Awards:

Pat Klingensmith (275), Greg Bozick (150), David Baio (99), Kevin LaRoche (86), Bob Basic (73), Bob Marshall (71), Will Tolerton (66), Chad Harmon (62), Bill Shultz, Jr (61), Chuck Harmon (58), Jason Basic (52), Richard Reeves (52), Ray Elkins (51), Sam Reichenbach (46), George Weber (43), Dennis Mitchell (39), Kathy Mitchell (38), Tim Ritter (34),Beau Chumley (29), Charlotte Fuchs (27), Tom Morris (27), Chuck McKnight (25), Josh Marshall (24), Sherman Champlin (23), John Thompson (23), Dennis Braun (22), Lee Himes (19), Tom Johnson (19), Nick Smith (19), Paul Anderson (18), Jim Cook (18), Tom Hannen (17), John Ringenbach (17), Mike Sandridge (17), Tim Smith (17), Bill Brant (16), Linda Hannen (15), Ray Hinchcliff, Sr. (15), Philip Jarvis (14), Fred Lederer (14), David Brown (13), Tony Crisp (13), Chuck Land, Sr. (13), Elmer Heyob (12), Ashley McCartney (12), Jeff Heiser (11), Bob McCloud (11), John Savu (10), Rick Simpson (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 a great success.