RESULTS BELOW

The Lake Chippewa Flowage Resort Association accepted registrations for 202 participants for the 2001 Musky Hunt Catch and Release Tournament. Each person received a registration gift consisting of a:
• Tournament hat,
• 2 tray Plano tackle box,
• A Chuck Smalley green and black skimmer bucktail,
• Insulated beverage cozy from Treeland Resorts,
• A chip from Chippewa Pines Resort good for a free drink,
• A 20 oz. Plastic cup from Johnson's Resort,
• A leader from Deer Run Resort,
• A package of M & M's from Johnson's Resort,
• And an embroidered Musky Hunt 2001 hand towel from Reeder's Recess

Coupon offers included
• A free drink from R & R Bayview
• All ice cream treats 1/2price at Johnson's Resort Ice Cream Parlour
• 1/2 price pizza at Chippewa Pines
• A free cup of soup with any meal at Chief Lake Lodge
• Raffle ticket entry form for rod and reel combo at Deer Run

The guest speakers at the Fishing Tips Night event featured local guide Ron Bergman and Tony Dean. Dean is host and producer of "Tony Dean Outdoors," an outdoor television show that has garnered the highest ratings in the nation and won more programming awards than any other show over the past 15 years.

Sponsored by the L.C.O. Convention Center, delicious hot and cold Hors d'oeuvres were enjoyed by all. The fare included mounds of iced shrimp, meatballs and cocktail wieners in sauce. A question and answer period followed the presentations, preparing the contestants for a great start at 6:00 a.m. the next morning. Then nearly 100 door prizes were distributed to attendees. The evening ended with raffle prize drawings. Among the raffled items were a Custom Tournament Jacket, Fish Locator, and free stay for the 2002 Musky Hunt.

Fishing opened at 6:00 am on Thursday. The weather was agreeable, but only one fish was caught by 4:00 p.m. The first day of fishing closed with a Brat Feed hosted by Treeland Resorts. "The Wisconsin Brat" was featured along with baked beans, sauerkraut, chips and fixing's. Reinhart Foods and Klement's Brats donated food. Park Ridge Distributing supplied Budweiser beer for the beer ticket sales. Again the festivities ended with distribution of almost 100 door prizes from baits and tackle boxes to rods and reels followed by raffle drawings for an Underwater Camera System, a Spirit of the Eagle 75th Anniversary Print and more.

A new event was introduced on Friday morning for contestants. They were provided a hearty buffet breakfast at both Herman's Landing and R & R Bayview Resort and Restaurant. Fare included scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausages, muffins and French toast. Indianhead Foods and Great Lakes Foods donated food. Fishing started at 10:00 am. The weather began deteriorating, but fishing improved somewhat with two fish caught by 8:00 p.m.

Fishing hours on the final day of the Musky Hunt 2001 Tournament started early with questionable weather. While the weather didn't improve, the fishing did. Seven more muskies were to be caught that day, including a tie for first place. Both Tim St. Peter of Kenosha, WI and Drake Williams of Hayward, WI measured 42" muskies. A coin toss determined who would take home the 15 HP Mercury Outboard, and who would enjoy the Underwater Viewing System.

The awards banquet was held at the LCO Convention Center and was attended by 198 people. The delicious buffet, included at no charge for contestants, featured salads, chicken, roast beef, noodles alfredo and assorted rolls. The evenings' entertainment started with allocation of door prizes. In total, more than ten St. Croix and Fenwick rods were awarded, twenty reels were given away and over one hundred musky baits along with seventy-five additional tackle boxes and countless more gifts were shared over the course of the tournament. Raffles included chances for a free automatic entry to Musky Hunt 2002 and a Fishing Hall of Fame Scott Zoellick Musky Print.

1. 42" Drake Williams of Hayward, WI a 15 HP Mercury Outboard (by coin toss)
2. 42" Timothy St. Peter, Kenosha, WI Underwater camera system
3. 40 1/4" Bob Yule of Eau Claire, WI St. Croix rod with Garcia Moorum Reel
4. 40" Jon Justman of Oakfield, WI Garcia Moorum Reel
5. 39 1/2" Scott Thiermann of Port Washington WI Ambassador 6500C Reel on St. Croix Rod
6. 39" Alan Brunner of Elcho, WI Ambassador 6500C Reel on St. Croix Rod
7. 39" Dean Kampa of Erie, CO Ambassador 6500C Reel on St. Croix Rod
8. 38 1/2" Jon Justman of Oakfield, WI Hand held GPS unit
9. 36" Greg Denney of Diamond Lake, IL Hand held GPS unit
10. 36" Craig West of Eau Claire, WI Hand held GPS unit

Although 10 fish were caught, according to tournament rules contestants are only eligible for one of the ten prizes. If a contestant qualifies to win more than one prize, they may select the prize of their choice. Jon Justman chose 4th place over the 10th place prize, a handheld GPS unit that was awarded by drawing to a Musky Hunt 2001 contestant.

The Grand Finale of the Musky Hunt 2001 Catch and Release Tournament was the drawing awarding the grand prize of a 16' Northwoods boat and trailer, with a 30HP Johnson Motor donated by the L.C.O. Casino and Convention Center. All registered contestants in attendance were eligible. The lucky winner was Harry Gordee of Eau Claire, WI.