Big lake trout key to ladies classic win
Patty RamusArticle Photos
Carrie Smith's catch of a 21.4 pound lake trout Thursday would be the envy of many fishing enthusiasts.
The catch may also have been the important factor to her Fishin' Again team placing first in the Herb Lange Jack Daniels Ladies Classic. Her team caught 48.95 pounds of fish in the tournament.
Smith, a Harrisville resident, said this was her first time fishing the ladies classic.
"It took us about a half hour to reel it in and it took my two teammates to net it," Smith said of catching the large lake trout. "It was just right timing and the right place. That was the last one of the day."
According to tournament rules, prizes are awarded for the total weight of the five heaviest brown trout, salmon, lake trout or steelhead from the Department of Natural Resources state legal limit. Crews are limited to three women to fish, and three men allowed on board, only to set lines, navigate, and assist in clearing lines.
No more than two lines are allowed per woman. Designated women must catch and net all fish. All women on board must have a valid Michigan fishing license and must be registered.
The tournament began at 6 a.m. with a shot gun start and participants had to be back in the City of Alpena Marina by 3 p.m. for weigh-in.
According to Tournament Director Doug Niergarth, this year's classic had 57 entries but 20 did not make weigh-in because either their boats broke down or teams didn't catch big enough fish. The tournament had 60 entries last year.
"We're well pleased with that," he said of the number of entries.
Niergarth said Smith's lake trout is rumored to be the largest fish caught in the tournament, but they can't prove it because they only keep records of the brown trout.
Amber Brenner, Alpena resident and captain of the High Tech Red Necks team, has fished in the tournament for the past 10 years. The conditions on the lake were beautiful but the fishing could have been better, she said.
The fishing was better for Dawn Martin and her Nancy Ann Fishing Team. In all, her team caught nine lake trout. The tournament is something her team looks forward to each year and they're already starting to plan for next year, Martin said.
The team has fished together for the past five years and have come to be known by tournament O-Fish-Als as the "hair tie women."
"When we bring in big fish we mark them with hair ties so we know which ones to weigh," Martin said.
Patty Ramus can be reached via e-mail at pramus@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.
