The Morehead Kentucky Tourism Commission, southern hospitality and sunny skies all made the first qualifier of the 2010 Professional Musky Tournament Trail an awesome event. With over 160 anglers from all over the country visiting Cave Run Lake on April 17-18, the anglers caught and released 36 muskies up to 48 inches in length.
There was a steady weather pattern during the days before the big tournament which brought clear water conditions which most anglers prefer. But heading into the evening before, a small cold front blew through, dropping water and air temperatures a bit. This left the anglers wondering how the muskies would react to the change. The answer was the fish may have become more active.
The anglers competing fish different water and weather conditions all across the country which prepares them for different challenges that occur, so someone no doubt figures out a pattern. This held true as two gentlemen who have had previous success at Cave Run over the years connected on three muskies measuring 32, 37 and 38 inches. Russell Schneider of Harrison, Ohio, and James Wells of Walton, Kentucky, won first place by trolling crankbaits under schooled-up baitfish. Then, as they thought their baits were going under and through the bait, the anglers would let off on the boat’s throttle and allow their lures to float up a bit into the baitfish and then hit the throttle again which caused a reaction from the muskies to strike the bait. Two muskies fell to this pattern and one other fish was caught casting doing the same thing. The anglers were using AC Baits in shad and “Nine Dollar Bass” colors. The reward for their efforts was two beautiful trophies and over $12,600.00.
Second place of $2,900 was won by Clay Schroeder and Mark Lijewski of Minocqua, Wisconsin. These two anglers are not strangers to placing high in musky tournaments and caught muskies that were 31 1/4, 36 and 37 1/2 inches long. Their technique was casting deeper weed edges and timber edges with green jerkbaits, with most of their strikes coming right at boat side.
Third place went to Josh Borovsky of Crystal, Minnesota, and Troy Zuelke of Watertown, Minnesota. The muskies that they measured were 36 and 37 1/2 inches long and were caught while the two fishermen used a white and silver spinnerbait and a firetiger crankbait to entice their fish.
Fourth place went to two local Kentucky anglers, Bill Burns of Olive Hill and David Tate of West Liberty. These guys had a real good pattern going all week and their pattern held true during the 2-day event as they landed two muskies that both measured 36 1/4 inches.
Rounding out the top five were Anthony Smith of Powell County, Kentucky, and Joey Reed of Montgomery County in Kentucky, who caught a beautiful 48-inch musky that was also the big fish of the tournament. The fish was caught off of a deep point casting a blue and white Deep Invader crankbait. Saturday’s Big Fish was caught by Brian Clepper of Circle Pines, Minnesota, and Chuck Snyder of Cambridge, Minnesota, who landed a 46-incher.
Tournament Director Tim Widlacki thanked all of the PMTT’s incredibly fantastic sponsors, especially the Morehead Tourism Commission and the entire community of Morehead, Kentucky, for their continued support. Other PMTT sponsors include Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Musky Hunter Magazine, Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce, Keyes Outdoors Television, Rollie & Helen’s Musky Shop, Musky Mayhem Tackle, Crash’s Landing, Chaos Tackle, Superior-Douglas County Chamber, Barkers Island Inn, Comfort Inn, and all the associate and contributing sponsors.
To obtain more information on becoming a member of the 2010 PMTT, or to view the event photo album, please visit www.promusky.com or call the PMTT office: 815-478-4351.