Bob Ellis Musky Classic
Lightning strikes twice. David Morton shows the 45-inch fish taken and released on Presque Isle with his father, John Morton that wins the 2016 Bob Ellis Classic. The father-son team also won the 2015 BEC…leading the rest of us losers to contemplate a lawsuit.
The Ellis family appreciates the approximate 30 musky row trollers who participated last Saturday in the The Bob Ellis Classic on lakes around Presque Isle in northern Wisconsin. The BEC is a memorial row trolling musky tournament held annually in honor of our late Uncle Bob, whose expertise and pioneer-like thinking on the water landed him a well-deserved place in the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward.
Bob was a tremendous musky angler who is recognized for first targeting suspended fish in deep water and looking at baitfish as “structure” instead of rock, weed, wood, or depth changes. Find the baitfish forage, like cisco, and find the musky ready to feed. And he did it all in a 12-foot Shell Lake rowboat from May through ice. In fact, many times he pushed that little skiff over ice to reach the open water. His largest musky was 41 pounds, taken on a cold November day on Papoose Lake where he would lose his life in 1989 in a collision with power boat while fishing in that same skiff.
Uncles, cousins and my brothers in a potpourri of rowboats and skiffs would return to Papoose like they do during each BEC to honor the tourney, and the man. I again landed on Presque Isle with good friend Dean Pavletich and maybe a half dozen other rowers to chase muskies. We didn’t score, but others scored big.
Dean Pavletich works for a strike on Presque Isle that will not come.
For the second year in a row, the father-son team of John and David Morton won the tournament with a beautiful 45-inch musky taken and released on Presque Isle. John Lane and Steve Kalsas came in with a 40-inch fish caught and released and 2nd place bragging rights on Big Lake.
At the post tournament banquet at the Skyview Lodge in Presque Isle, which kicks off and concludes each BEC, other heart-breaking stories were told. Like the girl-boy team actually pulled by an estimated 50 inch fish and working the musky partially into the net before the lure, hooked in that net, allowed a not-so great escape. Another heart-breaking story was told by my brother Jim Ellis, when his wife Colleen did not leave even an inch of her prime rib as left overs.
The father –team of John and David Morton accept the prize for their repeat win at the 2016 BEC from MC and Event Coordinator Kevin Wallenfang.
Once again, The BEC was coordinated from start to finish by Keven Wallenfang…the man….who also entertains the row trollers and guests as MC of the evening gathering. Kevin was also presented with the BEC Conservation Award, and expressed appreciation for the great help received in organizing the tourney once again from Geof Crandall, who also played guitar and sang for the group, and Steve Reinstra. All of their efforts as always are greatly appreciated by the entire Ellis family.
Keven Wallenfang receives the Conservation Award at the BEC post tournament banquet.
The 2017 Bob Ellis Classic will be held July 15. For details connect with www.row-troller.com.
Look for your July-August issue of OWO now on shelves at every Kwik Trip in Wisconsin. If you’re like us, for example on the 300 mile to and from journey to the BEC, you will find all you need in gas and food at every Kwik Trip you see. We checked out the new store in Minocqua. Take your compass or you just may get lost in there!
See you at DeerFest at the Washington County Fairgrounds August 5, 6 and 7. Thanks for connecting with On Wisconsin Outdoors. Shoot straight.
Dick Ellis