Adamovich and Krelle Win WMT's Autumn Classic Open Championship

The Wisconsin Muskie Tour™ (WMT) third "MAJOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP™" event of the season, and the final qualifier, was held on the Eagle River Chain on Saturday and Sunday, August 28th and 29th. There would be forty muskies registered during the two-day "AUTUMN CLASSIC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP™" qualifier with twelve teams scoring on multiple fish during the event.

The first muskie of the day to be registered would come at 6:54am by the team of Al and Brad Wirt, when they tallied a 44" that would also be the biggest muskie of the day. The first team to double up for the day would be Ryan Bock and Tyler Maney at 9:45am when the duo scored on a 34" muskie to add to their 35.75" incher caught at 7:10am. The second team to tally two muskies on Saturday would be captured by Jared Adamovich and Brian Krelle at 10:27am when they measured a 41.75" to go along with their 35" muskie at 9:38am. The next team to put two on the board would be Bill Hill and Cody Schymanski with a 34.50" muskie at 11:10am and a 34.50" at 11:45am. Danny Thomas and Graham McKay would measure two muskies also with fish of 40" at 9:18am and 34.75" at 12:59pm. Two teams would score the biggest doubles of the day only three minutes apart, but owning the lead due to the time tie-breaker, would be Greg Halluska and Dan Lewein at 1:22pm scoring a 39" when added with their 41.25" muskie gave the team 80.25 points. The same points would be tallied at 1:25pm when Matt Raley and Jeff VanRemortel score their second muskie of 39.25" to add to their 41" at 12:34pm.

A cold front had passed through the area for the second day of competition but the weather would have little effect on the muskie activity as thirteen muskies would be registered for the day. The first muskie registered Sunday would come at 6:32am by Jarred Adamovich and Brian Krelle measuring 34.50", giving back the lead to the duo that they would not relinquish, but for good measure, the team would quadruple with a 36.25" at 11:32am. At 6:41am, Chad Popp and Al King would be the seventh team to double up for the contest when they scored a 35.50" muskie to add to their previous days catch of 37.75" at 1:49pm. Bock and Maney would be the next team to triple for the contest at 6:47am with a 38.75". Jason Baratka and Jason Weik would be the eighth team to score on two muskies at 7:07am with a 36.25" to add to their Saturday’s 34" at 12:40pm, but the duo weren't through when they scored their third at 10:33am, measuring 40.25". Ben Bain and Marcus Malyuk would join the teams with multiple fish at 7:53am, tallying a 34" muskie to go along with their 39.75" muskie at 12:07am on Saturday. The team of Don Grant and Dave Laska would land their second muskie of the contest at 8:52am, measuring 37.75" to add to their Saturday 39.25" muskie at 8:24am. Mark Lijewski and Clay Schroeder would tally both of their muskies on Sunday and the two biggest muskies of the day would come at 7:48am and 42" and a big 45" at 11:47am. The final team to score on multiple muskies for the event was Clay Schmoeker and Mark VanRossum with a 38.50" muskie at 11:55am on Sunday and a 34.25" muskie at 8:54am on the previous day's competition.

Other teams to score on muskies Saturday for the "AUTUMN CLASSIC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP™" were:

Andy and Kathy Regenfuss 40.25" at 7:35am, Jim and Andy Kolosso 37" at 7:45am, Dave Mueller and Ron Terkel 34" at 7:51am, Jim Olson and Les Dupont 35.25" at 7:43am, Doug Steiner and Jim Rutkowski 34" at 11:27am, Phil Amstadt and Greg Kliss 36.25" at 11:22am, Tony Piantek and Perrin Sanderson 39.75" at 1:00pm, Tom and Crissie Dassow 34.25" at 1:02pm, and Mason Gerlach and Adam Bricco 36.75" at 2:52pm.

Other teams to score on muskies during the second day of competition, Sunday were:

John Cestkowski and David Godin 35.25" at 10:00am, and Joe and Therese Brezinski 35.25" at 11:29am.

The WMT’s Eagle River Chain “AUTUMN CLASSIC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP”™ top ten finishers were:

1st - Jared Adamovich/Brian Krelle
2nd - Jason Baratka/Jason Weik
3rd - Ryan Bock/Tyler Maney
4th - Mark Lijewski/Clay Schroeder
5th - Greg Haluska/Dan Lewein
6th - Matt Raley/Jeff VanRemortel
7th - Don Grant/Dave Laska
8th - Danny Thomas/Graham McKay
9th - Ben Bain/Marcus Malyuk
10th -Chad Popp/Al King

The next tournament for the WMT is a "2009 WMT INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP™" event on the Manitowish Chain the weekend of September 26th and 27th. If you would like to attend the "2009 WMT INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP™" tournament on the Manitowish Chain and talk first hand to 2009's top muskie anglers, the headquarters for the event are being held at Little Bohemia Lodge in Manitowish Waters on HWY 51 just one mile north of Greer's Pier.

If you are interested in becoming the next big winner, meeting a great bunch of men and women, and learning more about this great fresh water game fish, fish the Wisconsin Muskie Tour. For more information about the WMT, log onto www.wmtseries.com or call (715) 369-1394.

Sponsor partners for the 2009 Wisconsin Muskie Tour season are: Shoeder's RV & Marine, G Loomis, Fittante Taxidermy, Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop, www.SimplyFishingMagazine.com , Badger Sportsman Magazine, Tackle Industries(Super D), A-Team Tackle Company, Hawg Seeker Tackle, Ace Baits, Suick, Bait Rigs, Worden's Lures, Yakima Bait Co., Bobbie Bait Muskie Lures, Cat's Tails Lures, RJ Lures, Skimmer Lures, Beast Teaser, HellRaiser Tackle Co., Musky Armor, Mud Puppy Lures, Grim Reaper Lures, Esox Edge Custom Lures, Trophy Hunter Glittertail Musky Lures, Inhaler Muskie Lure, www.MonsterLures.net Musky Mayhem Tackle, Dreamcatcher Bucktails and Tackle, River Run Tackle, Ducktail Lures, Big Game Tackle Co. LLC., Figure Eight Lures, Inhaler Lures and Tackle Co., and www.BigTalesTaxidermy.com and Lures.