BEC Recap, Saving Bambi, and More
As touched on last week, a 40 inch musky caught and released on Presque Isle by the father and son team of John and Dave Morten won the Bob Ellis Row Trolling Classic last week.
Bill Beno came in second with a 30 inch fish, and several fish were lost during the no-money and plain fun tourney honoring the hall of fame angler from Boulder Junction. About 35 rowers participated.
I started on Presque Isle with friend Dean Pavletich of Mukwonago, who also is building his family cabin on the lake we fished. Dean rowed me around and I basically relaxed.
We also shadowed Classic Coordinator Kevin Wallenfang who trolled Presque Isle, ensuring that he didn’t have a chance of getting a strike.
Kevin once again did a great job with the annual event, with lots of help from Geoff Crandall and Steve Reinstra.
Early afternoon, I jumped to Papoose Lake and jumped in my brother John Ellis row troller. John rowed me around and I basically relaxed.
My other brothers Steve and Jim were also rowing Papoose, as was Uncle Stan Ellis, (Bob’s little brother) and Dave Dlobik, who still rows in the Bob Ellis skiff that the master troller landed so many fish from. In fact, Bob caught his largest fish ever, a 41 pound musky, on Papoose.
John Ellis was pulling a Bob Ellis hand crafted lure over the depths of Papoose. “Wake me if we get a strike, I’ll need to take your photo,” I said as I settled in the stern and John sweated on the oars. Indeed, we would have had a great story had we landed the fish in 45 feet of water that struck Bob’s lure wobbling 10 feet down. But she didn’t stay hooked, and we were rendered just like the other losers making up the Ellis family on Papoose.
The Classic begins and ends annually at the Skyview Restaurant in Presque Isle. Rowers gather for coffee and donuts and conclude the day with great meals, awards, music and an overall great time talking about the fishing that day and anything else that blows in.
Thanks to everyone who remembered Bob. For your planning purposes Wallenfang said that the Classic will remain a July event in 2016. Check in at http://www.row-troller.com/
Something unusual happened to my first rowing partner, Dean Pavletich, on his way home from the Classic. I’ll let Dean’s e-mail to me and his photos tell it.
“When going home Sunday morning I got on HWY P and saw a doe on the road,” he writes. “Behind her was a fawn taking its time crossing the road so I slowed down. As I got closer the fawn laid down right on the road inches from the yellow stripes. The fawn must have got the signal from mom to hide. Well, I couldn’t leave it there. I pulled up next to the fawn and opened my door slowly. The doe was only ten yards away. (wasn’t sure what she might do) I got out and took two steps towards the fawn. Then I took my foot and gave the fawn a little tap on its rear-end and said, “You better move along, this isn’t a good hiding spot”. The doe snorted, fawn jumped up and ran into the brush and lay down again. I continued on…
I took couple pictures of the doe and the fawn standing on the road (looks far away but I was only 30 yards), then of the fawn laying just off the center line. (5 feet away).”
“That was my good deed for the day.”
On Wisconsin Outdoors Design Director Ali Garrigan is on vacation with her family this week in Vilas County, but she shows us that her son, Joshua Garrigan knows his way around a pier. This 19.5 inch Duck Lake smallie lost the good fight to Joshua, and sent his mother running from her golf clubs to her own fishing rod. We’ll see if another photo comes in from mom.
I’ll be on the Wisconsin River Saturday with Kwik Trip contest winner Dan Rose and his wife as Top Guide Phil Schweik and HookSetters Fishing Service take us fishing. Watch for details next week in this spot and the story in an upcoming issue of On Wisconsin Outdoors. Pick up your OWO at any Kwik Trip, or any O’Reilly Auto Parts store.
My great nephew Grant Ellis sends us this photo of a very nice bluegill wrestled into submission while fishing with his grandpa. Send your photos to ellis@onwisconsinoutdoors.com. We will post.
Thanks for connecting with On Wisconsin Outdoors. Shoot straight.
Dick Ellis