Muskoka anglers reel in $10,000 grand prize

Spiel · May 28, 2009

Muskoka anglers reel in $10,000 grand prize

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Two Muskoka anglers are getting quite comfortable in the winner’s seat.

Mike Reid of Gravenhurst and Wes Foster of Bracebridge won the annual Lake Muskoka Pike Tournament on Saturday with a tournament record of 188 inches for five pike.

The win came with a top prize of $10,000 – a prize some Parry Sound anglers weren’t far from catching.

Reid credits his partner and their combined pike fishing experience for the win, adding it helps when you’ve got a fast boat.

“This year we had some help from Team Powersports,” said Reid. “We fished the entire lake and covering the water quickly in a fast boat is key. We don’t fish any spots that no one else knows about, we just run around a lot.”

The duo’s smallest catch was 32 inches, but the other four fish ranged from 37.5 inches to 41.5 inches.

By 9 a.m. the team had a good inventory in their live well and weighed in their fish two hours before deadline, but Reid explained the pair also overcame some adversity.

“We caught one and lost one (in front of another angler),” said Reid.

“But we went back about a half-hour later and caught it again. It was one of those gift days where the fish Gods were good to us. Everything worked out.”

He said the best part was the tournament drew more than 80 teams, which meant the prize money for first place was a whopping $10,000.

“Once we knew there were 80 boats registered, it was time to go to work,” said Reid.

This is Reid and Foster’s second time winning a $10,000 first-place prize.

Last year they won a $6,900 purse for their top finish.

The tournament paid cash to the top five spots and awarded prizes from sixth to 20th.

Second place and $2,608 went to Scott and Tim Carley of Gravenhurst with 160.25 inches, and Clint Hurd and Brad Herbert from Parry Sound took third place and $1,956 with 157.75 inches.

Chris Marling of Bracebridge and Phil Curtis of Parry Sound earned $1,304 for fourth place with 156.5 inches, and Chad Coady and Mike Reynolds of Gravenhurst won $652 for fifth place with 153.75 inches.

The biggest pike – a 43.5-inch pike – was caught by Brian Cammick and Ray Potter, earning them a $1,580 cash prize.

Full tournament results are posted on the Muskoka Bassmasters’ website at www.muskokapike.webs.com.

“We are proud to say that we ran a 100-per-cent live release tournament this year with every single fish being release healthy and alive,” said Andre Carriere of the Muskoka Bassmasters.

“As well, the Ministry of Natural Resources teamed up with us this year to take on an extensive pike tagging project that is a first of its kind in North America. They were able to tag hundreds of pike as they were coming in to the final weigh-in.”

Carriere said each tagged pike includes a tag number and a call-back number and it is hoped that when these pike are caught, the anglers will report it.

“This tracking program will be ongoing for years now, and we will be able to track the time and distance the pike travel after being released from Gravenhurst Bay,” he said.

“If someone catches one, please call it in and release this fish back to the lake safe and sound.”