Matt D
07-10-2006, 05:14 AM
Migration Open sees over 40 pounds come to the scales
The reputation of the central basin of Lake Erie holding big fish held true as the Migration Open held out of Geneva State Park Saturday July 8th by the Western Reserve Walleye Association (WRWA) and the Western Basin Sportfishing Association (WBSA) was a good success and saw a lot of big fish come across the scales. The weather was perfect and the bite was unbelievable as all 27 teams caught a tournament limit of fish and some teams were sorting fish in as short a time as 40 minutes. The average size for all the fish brought to the scales was over 5 lbs.
Fish were caught in about every way imaginable and the six teams that cashed a check used jets, dipseys, leadcore, wire, and bottom bouncers to catch their fish. The lures used were as diverse as the methods as spoons, crawler harnesses, crankbaits and stick baits all caught fish for the top six teams. The one consistent thing from the top six was everyone went Northeast out of Geneva towards Ashtubula to catch their fish. Bringing in a total of 41 lbs. for 5 fish was the team of Mike Miller of Lakewood, OH and Jason Kopf of Avon Lake, OH. They pulled 40 Jets with Worm Harnesses to catch their winning basket worth $1231. They credited a late afternoon flurry of big fish as giving them the weight to win. Finishing in second with 40.45 lbs was the team of Mike Kalafut of Uniontown, PA and Tom Davis of Wampen, PA. Kalafut and Davis also won both big fish pots as they brought in a 9.95 lb walleye and a 6.05 lb steelhead. Their big walleye came on a Shrimp colored spoon behind a dipsey. Rounding out the six money winners were 3rd place Mark Hull of Youngstown, OH and Steve Bartalone of Westerville, OH; 4th place Dale Grimm of Warren, OH and Sam Cappelli of Poland, OH; 5th place Matt Davis of Marion, OH and Dan Gies of Huron, OH; 6th place Randy Cline of Nova, OH and Mike Petruska of Cleveland, OH.
For more information about the clubs holding this event you can visit their websites at www.thewrwa.com and www.wbsa.us There is one event remaining for the WBSA’s Lake Erie Walleye Trail and that is set for July 22nd out of Spitzers Marina in Lorain.
The Fairport Harbor Rod and Reel Club collected the donated fish and will use them for their senior citizen fish fry. The club also supplied food and beverages for all the participants and the spectators.
The reputation of the central basin of Lake Erie holding big fish held true as the Migration Open held out of Geneva State Park Saturday July 8th by the Western Reserve Walleye Association (WRWA) and the Western Basin Sportfishing Association (WBSA) was a good success and saw a lot of big fish come across the scales. The weather was perfect and the bite was unbelievable as all 27 teams caught a tournament limit of fish and some teams were sorting fish in as short a time as 40 minutes. The average size for all the fish brought to the scales was over 5 lbs.
Fish were caught in about every way imaginable and the six teams that cashed a check used jets, dipseys, leadcore, wire, and bottom bouncers to catch their fish. The lures used were as diverse as the methods as spoons, crawler harnesses, crankbaits and stick baits all caught fish for the top six teams. The one consistent thing from the top six was everyone went Northeast out of Geneva towards Ashtubula to catch their fish. Bringing in a total of 41 lbs. for 5 fish was the team of Mike Miller of Lakewood, OH and Jason Kopf of Avon Lake, OH. They pulled 40 Jets with Worm Harnesses to catch their winning basket worth $1231. They credited a late afternoon flurry of big fish as giving them the weight to win. Finishing in second with 40.45 lbs was the team of Mike Kalafut of Uniontown, PA and Tom Davis of Wampen, PA. Kalafut and Davis also won both big fish pots as they brought in a 9.95 lb walleye and a 6.05 lb steelhead. Their big walleye came on a Shrimp colored spoon behind a dipsey. Rounding out the six money winners were 3rd place Mark Hull of Youngstown, OH and Steve Bartalone of Westerville, OH; 4th place Dale Grimm of Warren, OH and Sam Cappelli of Poland, OH; 5th place Matt Davis of Marion, OH and Dan Gies of Huron, OH; 6th place Randy Cline of Nova, OH and Mike Petruska of Cleveland, OH.
For more information about the clubs holding this event you can visit their websites at www.thewrwa.com and www.wbsa.us There is one event remaining for the WBSA’s Lake Erie Walleye Trail and that is set for July 22nd out of Spitzers Marina in Lorain.
The Fairport Harbor Rod and Reel Club collected the donated fish and will use them for their senior citizen fish fry. The club also supplied food and beverages for all the participants and the spectators.