Musky Fest fishing contest features catch, release

Winners of the Hayward Musky Festival catch and release fishing contest were presented with certificates and trophies Saturday June 22 at the contest booth on Main Street.

This year’s three-day contest, encompassing all area lakes and rivers, was sponsored by the Hayward Bass Club and Hayward Lakes Chapter of Muskies Inc.

The top musky entered into the contest was a 45.5-incher caught and released in Day Lake, near Clam Lake, on June 20 by Jeff Dippold of Scottsdale, Arizona. The fish hit a lime green and white Rapala.

The winners in each category were:

Youth division

Bluegills: 15 fish entered. The top two fish were both nine inches long. The tie was broken by a coin toss. Rylee Berlin took first place and Delores Garcia was second.

Walleye: Seven fish entered. Simon Bloxham took first place with a 24 incher, caught on a jig and minnow in Lac Courte Oreilles; Kirk Koss took second with a 21 incher from Round Lake.

Perch: four fish entered. Grace Ranic, first, 10.5 inches, Nelson Lake; second, tie of 8.5 inches broken by coin toss, won by Owen Ranic.

Crappies: Five fish entered. First, Grace Koss, 12 inches; second, Kirk Koss, 11 inches.

Northern pike: Landon Bell, 25.5 inches, first, Nelson Lake; Jonathan Esperson, second, 24.5 inches.

Bass: 21 fish entered. Castiel Conner, first, 19.5 inches, undisclosed lake; Kirk Koss, second, 19 inches.

Muskies: None entered.

Adult division

Muskellunge: Twelve entries, all of whom received trophies. Jeff Dippold, first place, 45.5 inches, Day Lake; Scott tOte, second, 37.5 inches and 30.5 inches, caught on, East Fork of the Chippewa River; Mark Anderson, third, three fish measuring 36, 34 and 28 inches, caught on Spider Lake Chain.

Northern pike: Eight entries, First, Tony Eastlin, 35.5 inches, Lake Hayward; Jeff Dippold second, 32.5 inches, Nelson Lake.

Bass: Ten fish entered. Mark Sandstrom, first place, 20.5-inch largemouth from Spring Lake; second, Joe Hall, 19.5 inches Chippewa River.

Walleye: Six entries. Jeff Dippold, first place, 22.5 inches; Mary Anderson, second place, 19 inches.

Perch: four fish entered. Todd DeTray, first, 9.5 inches from Chippewa Flowage; Carl Kozak, 8 inches; Adam Labs received the prize for second place.

Crappies: Six fish entered. Phil Koss, first, 13.5 inches, Nelson Lake; second, tie with two 11 inch fish caught by Mark Anderson and Mike Brudos.

Bluegills: Fifteen fish entered. Thomas Brudos, first place, 9.5 inches, Lake McKenzie; second, five people entered 9-inch fish, tie broken by drawing, winner was Carson Kalina, McKenzie Lake.