NORTH/SOUTH TWIN LAKES SETS NEW RECORDS FOR THE WMT

Photo Album ( Not All Photos Available )

The WMT has hosted two qualifying tournaments on North/South Twin Lakes in as many years and once again the Twin Lakes sets new records for one-day WMT tournaments. In 2005, the Twins registered 26 legal muskies (a WMT record) and once again in 2006. The Twins duplicate the 26 legals. This year's tournament, however, registered more 40 inch-plus muskies for a one-day event (13) and registered two over 50 inches. Also, the North/South Twin tournament held on Monday, May 29th set a WMT record for having all five places being double-ups.

The first team to double-up for the event would be Evan and Buck Derleth when they tallied a 45 3/4 incher at 8:37am to go along with their earlier fish of 37 inches caught at 7:05am. The total inches would give the team the early lead that would hold up until the end of the tournament, earning the Derleth's a first place finish and $10,000.00. The winning pattern for the father-son team was to fish the first breakline, and both of their muskies would take their offering of two Suick jerkbaits.

Mark Curtis and Stan Luety would score on two muskies also, measuring their first, a 38 incher at 9:50 am, to go along with a 41 3/4 incher at 11:10am. Jig fishing in the shallows is how Luety and Curtis scored on their two fish. Another team to measure two muskies while jig fishing the shallows was Steve Doyen and Ralph Spurgeon with a 40 incher at 8:13am and a 42 1/2 inch muskie at 12:03PM.

Two more teams would double-up for the competition later in the day, Justin Gaiche and Tom Hanaman scored on a 40 incher at 10:25am and tallied a 35 1/2 inch muskie at 1:47pm. And the final team to double and eventual fifth place finishers was Todd and Gary Luedtke with muskies of 38 1/4 and 36 3/4 inches at 9:49am and 3:37pm, respectively.

All of the excitement of several teams doubling-up to place in the tournament would almost be overshadowed by the two giant muskies measuring over 50 inches. At 6:41am, the team of Charlie Elmberg and Nancy Scharhag scored on an impressive 50 1/4 inch monster that would be the first muskie of the contest over 50 inches and win the couple over $5,000.00 for the fish. The father and son team of Jay and Norman Baldwin tallied a massive 50 3/4 incher at 11:20am that possessed a 26 inch girth with an estimated weight of over 42 pounds. For their efforts, the team woudl take home the big fish money for the event and they sit in first place for the "Hunter Trophy" award for the largest muskie caught during the season. Both 50 inch muskies also put the teams in contention to win a free graphite reproduction from Fittante Taxidermy.

The tournament paid down five places:

1st place: Evan and Buck Derleth, both of Tomahawk
2nd place: Steve Doyen and Ralph Spurgeon, both of Phelps
3rd place: Mark Curtis, Phelps and Stan Luety, Beloit
4th place: Justin Gaiche, Appleton and Tom Hanaman, Sun Prairie
5th place: Todd Luedtke, Eagle River and Gary Luedtke, Greenleaf
6th place: Jay and Norman Baldwin, both of Lena
7th place: Charlie Elmberg and Nancy Scharhag, both of Barronett
8th place: Greg Kliss, Custer and Phil Amstadt, Rhinelander
9th place: Andy Regenfuss and Greg Buckmaster, both of Phelps
10th place: Ivan Stross, Oak Creek and Jeff Piazza, Lake Tomahawk
11th place: Rick Lapp, Iron River, MI and Dick Lapp, Land O'Lakes
12th place: David Konopacky, Land O'Lakes and Chip Bottrell, Liitle Suamico
13th place: Bruce Gruening, Rhinelander and Tom Rahlf, Merrill
14th place: Rick Hess, Burlington and Bill Vierkandt, Nashotah
15th place: John Cestkowski, Watersmeet, MI and David Godin, Tinley Park, IL
16th place: Scott Schaefer, Burnsville, MN and Randy Usher, Ionia, IA
17th place: Clay Schmoeker, Phelps and Mark VanRossum, DePere
18th place: John Wroblewski, Eagle River and Danny Mukenschnabl, Watersmeet
19th place: Brian and Jeff Beaman, Land O'Lakes
20th place: Ron Crass, Phelps and Don Lapp, Land O'Lakes

Thanks to Grape's Twin Haven for being a huge part of another great tournament!