EAGLE RIVER, Wis. — Brooke Czekala brought the big tent down Sunday at Shotski’s Bar.
‘‘It was heavy,’’ she said. ‘‘I am working on my netting skills, but my communication skills are getting better every day.’’
At the awards lunch for the Spring Classic, Czekala was describing how she and her father, Tim of Sugar Grove, caught the biggest muskie (45 inches) on the first day Saturday. She suggested the spot to her father, who caught it on a Lake X Toad.
The Spring Classic, held by the Headwaters chapter of Muskies Inc. on the Eagle River chain, is the most venerable muskie tournament. As I have in most recent years, I fished with Joe McCartin. This was McCartin’s 25th tournament. He and Jim Saric took fourth in his first one.
At the pre-tournament meeting Friday, the number of women struck me.
‘‘We were excited to see that this year’s Spring Classic had more women participants than we can ever remember,’’ tournament director Scott Samuels confirmed. ‘‘Twelve ladies were part of the 150 teams, a full field, competing for the top prize of $15,000. We saw many husband-and-wife teams, as well as some father-and-daughter teams.’’
Couples have a long history in muskie fishing. Most notable in Muskies Inc. history is the Chicago-area couple of Leah Rosset and her late husband, Dean (Team Rosset).
Jodi Scholbe of Fox Sports Wisconsin has been a fixture for four years at the Spring Classic, fishing with Louie Dreger. She hasn’t placed in the tournament, but she has a third-place finish in the fall Paul’s Pro-Am on the Eagle River chain.
‘‘She will outfish most men,’’ Dreger said. ‘‘She figure-eights every time. The only thing she does sometimes is leave her rod tip in the water.’’
‘‘It is a male-dominated sport, but I work in a male-dominated business [sports],’’ Scholbe said. ‘‘I am a competitive person and get that competitive edge on.’’
Asked whether she had any advice for women wanting to get into muskie fishing, Scholbe said, ‘‘They need a whole lot of money.’’
Her best muskie so far came around the Wisconsin/Michigan border on a single-blade Mepps. And Scholbe has a classic story of her first possible 50-inch muskie coming off at the boat on Lake of the Woods.
Ashley Wiedemeier fished her first Spring Classic as a couple with Rob Rottier, who won the event in 2006. Asked why they teamed up, Wiedemeier said, ‘‘Because that is who we fish with.’’
Good point.
They caught two short muskies. For the tournament, muskies needed to be 34 inches or longer.
‘‘Go with a good attitude because it is tough sometimes,’’ Wiedemeier advised.
That was sage advice this year with high skies and the late spring coming off a brutal winter. Only 23 fish were entered, and only two teams doubled.
The top prize went to the northern Wisconsin team of Nate Osfar and Matt Raley, who caught muskies of 44 3/4 and 37 inches Saturday. The Czekalas earned $1,350 for the big fish on the first day and $3,100 for third place overall.
Wild things
Monitors are needed for the nesting endangered piping plovers at Montrose Beach. If interested, email piperwatch@chicagobirder.org.
Stray cast
Home runs in 2019 are like camo caps at a gun show or vests at a fly show.