Musky Tourney in Illinois

[Captain Ken]

From Today's Daily Herald. Captain Ken was falling off his family's dock into these waters when he was a kid well before the muskies came. Still goes to the same family cottage, falls in a little less and fishes alot more.

Antioch lures world fishing championship

By Sara Faiwell

Daily Herald Staff Writer

Posted Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Musky fishermen will invade the Chain O’ Lakes next year during a national tournament hosted by Antioch.

The Professional Musky Tournament Trail plans to hold its 2006 world championship on the Chain for the first time in November. Four qualifying tournaments throughout the year will lead up to this event.

“This is a great source of tourism for Antioch,” said Trustee Barbara Porch, who also leads the village’s chamber of commerce.

More than 500 people would be at the fishing weigh-ins and the entire event would fill up local restaurants, hotels and other businesses, said Claude LeMere, community services director.

“This is certainly a tremendous tourism aspect,” he said. “We should be taking advantage of this. We will get nation-wide publicity.”

Antioch officials have been spending a lot of time lately trying to market the town as a weekend destination and tourist spot in northern Lake County.

Trustees also voted 5-1 Monday night to spend $25,000 to hire a marketing firm to promote the town.

Among other things, The Goodness Company, based in Antioch, will create a branding identity logo for the town to reflect its business community. The company will also develop a marketing plan for the village and a blueprint for the town’s future.

A village board committee has been interviewing marketing firms in recent months. Last Friday was the final interview with The Goodness Company and TDSM, a firm based in Ottawa. The two had been narrowed down from more than a half-dozen other firms.

“We thought The Goodness Company had an edge since they work out of Antioch,” said Porch. “It will be easier for them to discover the hidden jewels that Antioch offers.”

Officials say both promoting Antioch through marketing and hosting a national fishing tournament show that the town is serious about becoming a well-known destination.

“We need to have all the elements for tourism going at the same time so that, in the end, our end result package is inclusive with different things,” said Porch.

In April, the Chain O’ Lakes was home to the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail, a fishing tournament that experts said would bring long-term name recognition to the Chain.

After being involved with the walleye tournament, the Chain drew more national interest, said Tim Widlacki, musky tournament director.

“It’s a nice, central location for the musky community,” he said. “The village of Antioch was well-receptive to getting us up there and working with us.”

It will cost about $10,000 to host the three-day tournament. The cost will be split between the village and the Antioch chamber of commerce, which will co-sponsor the event.

Both the fishing tournament and marketing firm will be paid with Antioch’s business district fund, set up to promote local business with 25 percent of all additional sales tax revenue from retail development along Route 173.

Trustee Bob Caulfield voted against both expenditures, saying the money in the account is being spent too rapidly and without a budget or plan. Trustee Larry Hanson declined to vote on the fishing tournament.

The musky tournament is different than many others because fish are measured and photographed after they are caught and then released into the water. This means a lot of volunteers are needed, Widlacki said.

The musky tournament started in 1999. In 2001, one of the four qualifying tournaments came to the Chain and was sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

[MuskyMark]

Actually, the PMTT event described in this article proceeds the annual fall tournament that is organized by the Fox River Valley Chapter of Muskies Inc.

Our chapter runs the "Challunge on the Chain" Tournament on the Fox Chain O' Lakes. It has a Spring event (April 29th) and a Fall Event (Oct. 28th). Both events have drawn well over the last few years. I'd think this year's Fall tournament in particular will probably be a good opportunity for some of the PMTT teams to prefish the lakes.

Anyhow, if anyone out here is interested, check out the FRV Muskie site for specifics. Or, just send me a private email and I can tell you more. The prizes are great and everyone has a great time. The early bird registration free for the April tournament is March 1st!

Mark

[Captain Ken]

The fall event should be fun as always. I have fished the Challunge a number of times. Last year's was fun until it poured rain. Captain Mel and I took refuge at the Sandbar and I talked him into going back out after it looked like it let up. Poured by the time we got out on the lake again and we just gave up and drove bak to the Port of Blarney to yank the boat out and see some friends there. (He and I work there over the summer driving the shuttle boats.) Both the spring and fall Challunge events are alot of fun and worth going to if you can. Not terribly expensive to register a 2 person team either.

Capt

[MuskyMark]

Yeah. The events have been a lot of fun. We pulled in and hung out at Bob's Marina (on Catherine) while the rain and lightning were strongest. That weather did put an end to our fishing a little early... but that just gave us more time back at the at the Thirsty Turtle for the post-tourney festivities!

And it felt pretty darn good drying out in the tent, standing around a couple of kegs. Ahhhhh.

[Random guy]

These tourneys are a blast not mention they are very well run events! I have never heard of a bad experaince about this chain of tournaments. Not to mention they go through great lengths to make sure the resources are protected.

I may have to make a trip out for this tournament, great event on a great body of water.

[MuskyMark]

We're up to 68 boats now. We're taking 100 boats. We almost always have room for walk-ons on Tournament day... but we're filling up pretty fast right now. So if you're thinking about fishing it, check out the FRV HSOforum, or drop me a line. Talk to y'all later.

Mark

[MuskyMark]

77 boats fishing the tournament now. Saw pics of a 49.5, with what we'd call a "slight weight problem", caught on the Fox Chain this Sunday. Wouldn't have minded slipping one like that into the net on tournament day!

[MuskyBrian]

I'm thinking about doing the chain Tourney for FRV, My school schedule has limited me to not attending the Wendesday seminars but that will be changing in a few weeks

[MuskyMark]

Hope you can make it Brian. It's a great time. Currently, there are 81 boats signed up (100 team limit). Usually get between 10 and 20 walk-ons. So if you find out you can fish it, go to the site and get the reg. info as soon as possible. Or just send me a private email.

Fished the Chain this past Friday (4/14). Beautiful weather... but the muskies are going through their spawn ritual... so no takers. Just a nice smallie on a topwater. But if they were spawning last week, they should be recovering nicely and ready to go by the 29th!