Osfar and Huck Win Pro-Mac™ Manitowish Event
The Professional Muskie Angler Circuit (Pro-MAC™) hosted the fourth Open Championship of the 2011 season on the Manitowish Chain August 20th and 21st . Although the Manitowish Chain has produced big numbers for the tournament anglers in the past, the weekend event would prove to be a tough bite for the competitors with only nineteen muskies were registered, thirteen muskies on Saturday and six on Sunday.
Clear skies and a dead wind would great the competitors on Saturday morning, making for some slow muskie action but when the wind picked up shortly after one, the muskies would respond, especially the big fish. The first muskie of the day would come at 7:55am by Kent Stadler and Doug Bloch with a 36.50 incher but the duo would be the first team to double up at 2:15pm with a 42.50 incher. Joe Brezinski and Randy Miller would get put a muskie on the board at 8:29am with a dandy 39.25 inches. At 10:04am, Ben Bain and Marcus Malyuk would tally a 38.25 muskie. Grabbing an eventual eight place finish, Rick McClellan and Ryan Wahlgren scored on their 38.75 incher at 1:40pm. The second team to double up for the day would be Brian Krelle and Tim Miller with their first coming at 1:23pm and measuring 42.50 inches followed up with a hefty 45.50 incher at 2:34pm giving the team the lead going in to the second day of competition. Landing a 36.50 muskie at 2:31pm, Scott Gindt and Todd Steinman would capture tenth place. The final team to register two muskie on the day and the big fish honors were Nate Osfar and Corey Huck with fish of 46 inches at 2:15pm and 36.25 inches at 3:03pm. The first team to register a muskie on Sunday, and the first team to triple up for the event would be Stadler and Bloch when the scored a 35.50 muskie at 6:45am. The fourth team of the contest to tally multiple fish would be scored by Todd Luedtke and Dan Buss at 7:25am that measured 40.50 inches to go along with their previous days catch of 35.25 inches at 9:03am. The largest muskie for Sunday would be landed by Cody Hahner and Joe Swiander that measured 45.75 inches at 9:38am. At 10:24am, father and son team Gene and Jason Schulz would tally a 41 1/4 muskie giving the team a sixth place finish. Last minute heroics and a 41.25 muskie earned Osfar and Huck the largest triple of the contest at 11:56am.
Other teams who scored on muskies Saturday were: Bob Dekker and Scott Chisholm 36.25 at 8:07am, Chad
Popp and Al King 35.50 at 9:28am, and on Sunday Darel Hill and Dana Perez 36 at 10:16am.
The Pro-MAC™ Manitowish Chain qualifying tournament top ten finishers were:
1st - Nate Osfar/Corey Huck
2nd - Kent Stadler/Doug Bloch
3rd - Bian Krelle/Tim Miller
4th - Dan Buss/Todd Luedtke
5th - Cody Hahner/Joe Swiander
6th - Gene and Jason Schulz
7th - Joe Brezinski/Randy Miller
8th - Rick McClellan/Ryan Wahlgren
9th - Ben Bain/Marcus Malyuk
10th - Scott Gindt/Todd Steinman
Sponsor partners for the 2011 Pro-MAC™ are: Chanticleer Inn, Eagle River Inn, Wild Eagle Lodge, Rollie and Helens Musky Shop, Fittante Taxidermy, Tooth Tamer Rods, Tackle Industries (Super D), Dreamcatcher Bucktails and Tackle, Ts Tackle, Suick, Hellraiser Tackle, Skimmer Fishing Tackle, Yakima Baits, www.mudpuppylures.com ,R.J. Lures, Musky Mayhem Tackle, Cats Tails, River Run Tackle, Bait Rigs, Hawg Seekers Tackle, Figure 8, Musky Armor, Mason (muskie fishing lines), Trophy Hunter Glittertail Muskie Lures, Super Slayer Tackle Company, Optimum Baits, Red October Baits, and Leaders and Lures.