SCHNEIDER AND COOK WIN WMT’S PHILLIPS QUALIFIER

Photo Album ( Not All Photos Available )

The second stop for the Wisconsin Muskie Tour (WMT) in the new northern region was held on the Phillips Chain of Lakes on June 4th. Six muskies would be registered for the event in the tough post-frontal conditions that kept the tournament anglers guessing as to just what would attract and trigger some muskie action.

Forty-seven minutes into the contest, John Kleczewski and Garett Shipman scorred on the first muskie of the day with a 38 ¾ incher. Patrick Beidel and Josh Strama would tally the next muskie of the tourney at 8:35am measuring 35 ½ inches. At 10:03am, the team of Don Grant and Brian Sokolik would land a 34 inch muskie that would give the team a 6th place finish.

A 39 ½ inch beauty and the big fish of the tourney would be registered by Steve Schneider and Bob Cook. that would be the eventual winning fish of the qualifying tournament and first place. Schneider and Cook would later report that they had a slow start to the day, with the 39 ½ incher being the first fish they would see for the day, but had opportunities to land a second muskie. The winning pattern for the duo would be a bucktail in the weeds and wood. This was a banner weekend for Schneider and Cook, as they had taken 2nd place the day before at the WMT Butternut Lake tournament.

Using a finesse approach with a jig in the weeds, the team of Eric Omit and Troy Hinchley patiently fished to score on a very hefty 34 ½ inch tiger muskie. The final muskie of the day, that would eventually give the team a 4th place finish, was scored by Marty Moser and Tony Warkoczewski at 12:19pm, when they scored a 35 34/ inch muskie.

The top teams to place in the WMT Phillips Chain of Lakes tournament:

1st place: Steve Schneider and Bob Cook both of Phillips 39 ½”
2nd place: Garett Shipman, Medford and John Kleczewski, Withee 38 ¾”
3rd place: Marty Moser, Grafton and Tony Wakoczewski, Muskego 35 ¾”
4th place: Josh Strama, Medford and Pat Biedel, Schiocton 35 ½”
5th place: Eric Omit, Stoughton and Troy Hinchley, Cambridge 34 ½”
6th place: Don Grant, Jefferson and Bryan Sokolik, Manawa 34”

Sponsors of the Phillips Chain of Lakes tournament are: Birch Island Resort, Harbor View Pub and Grill, Ross’s Sports Shop, Highway 13 Bait and Tackle, Heckel’s Marina, Ranger Boats, Minn Kota, MidWest Outdoors, Fittante Taxidermy, G Loomis, Smokey’s Muskellunge Shop and Rollie and Helen’s Musky Shop.