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51st Michigan Brown Trout Festival comes to a close

Highlines II wins Amrize Super Tournament

Courtesy Photo Highlines II team members pose on their boat with their trophy and $10,000 check for winning the 2025 Amrize Super Tournament at the 51st Michigan Brown Trout Festival. Pictured, from left, are Patrick Martin, Jim Glomski, Captain Codie Braun with son Caiden Braun on shoulders, and Earl Martin. Their sponsors for the Super Tournament were Huron Distributors and Werth Electric.

ALPENA — The 51st Michigan Brown Trout Festival ended Sunday with a well-attended awards ceremony.

Codie Braun and Highlines II won the Amrize Super Tournament and $10,000. Team members included Braun, who was captain, Earl Martin, Jim Glomski, and Patrick Martin.

Anglers and attendees cheered as each winner was called to the stage to receive their prize. The camaraderie amongst the anglers was clear to see.

Two brown trout were caught this year. Don Harrison caught the largest brown trout, weighing in at 11.70 pounds. Shawn Muszynski caught a 9.60-pound brown trout.

Harrison said that he has caught brown trout in the tournament in the past, and he or a teammate usually gets on the leaderboard every year. The largest he said he’s ever caught was over 18 pounds. Every brown trout caught is memorable.

Courtesy Photo Michigan Brown Trout Festival Director Phil Paquette, left, poses with Ed Retherford, who was recognized at Sunday's awards ceremony for participating in all 51 Michigan Brown Trout Festival Tournaments.

“We’re always excited,” Harrison said.

Seth Haugerud caught the largest salmon of the regular tournament, weighing in at 24.30 pounds. Austin Szatkowski caught a 25.75 pound lake trout to nab first place in that category.

Dan Bouchard caught the largest steelhead of the tournament weighing 15.05 pounds. The largest walleye was caught by Adam Peterson weighing 9.25 pounds.

Ed Retherford was honored at the awards ceremony for being a participant in the brown trout tournament for all 51 years. He received a framed certificate of dedication.

The announcement of the winners of the Besser Company Jason Rensberry Amateur Shootout was a special moment for Val Rensberry as she called out the winning team, Souper Can, with one of the team members being the late Jason Rensberry’s cousin. Val Rensberry was the wife of Jason Rensberry, an avid fisherman that the shootout is named in honor of.

News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Team Souper Can won the Besser Company Jason Rensberry Amateur Shootout at the 51st Michigan Brown Trout Festival. Pictured, from left, are Mark Pagels, John Campbell, Josh Campbell, Val Rensberry, and Captain Jarid Campbell.

Michigan Brown Trout Festival Fishing Tournament Director Brad MacNeill said that the festival went well this year. None of the tournaments had to be postponed, despite thunderstorms being predicted on the day of the ladies tournament. MacNeill said that registration for the daily tournaments were up this year, but weeklong registrations were a little lower.

The number of registrants was announced at the awards ceremony. There were 254 weekly registrations, 194 daily registrations, and 80 new participants this year.

MacNeill said that everyone’s been complimenting the music, which included performances in the Veolia Big Tent by Quiet Riot and the Van Halen tribute band JUMP.

“One of the better years we’ve had in a long time with the tents and the music,” he said. “We had probably at least four good nights, in the past we were lucky if we got two.”

AMRIZE SUPER TOURNAMENT RESULTS

1. Codie Braun — Day 1: 90.85; Day 2: 76.20; Total: 167.05

2. Phil Smigelski — Day 1: 79.85; Day 2: 83.10; Total 162.95

3. Jeff Tucholski — Day 1: 87.55; Day 2: 62.15; Total 149.7

4. Seth Haugerud — Day 1: 80.90; Day 2: 67.25; Total 148.15

BESSER COMPANY JASON RENSBERRY AMATEUR SHOOTOUT

1. Jarid Campbell — 56.90

2. Seth Haugerud — 49.00

3. Codie Braun — 47.10

4. Kevin Drummond — 46.00

ALPENA BEVERAGE CO. COORS LIGHT WALLEYE EXTRAVAGANZA

1. Eric Kruczynski — 25.9

2. Romeo Bourdage — 23.8

3. Tyler Auger — 21.9

LADIES CLASSIC (5 FISH TOTAL)

1. Marie Mellen — 75.4

2. Shirley Bloom — 66.3

3. Bray Valley — 65.65

4. Tia Szatkowski — 64.9

5. Katie Braun — 62.05

S. KONECKE/D. & A. KOOPIKKA MEMORIAL KIDS TOURNAMENT

Trout Division

1. Gavin Kennedy — 14.30

2. Dillan Gagnon — 14.20

3. Remington Gagnon — 13.4

Walleye Division

1. Brooklyn Finch — 5.45

2. Ryder Wade — 5.35

3. Colton Misiak — 5.15

Salmon Division

1. Brody Engstrom — 13.10

YOUTH OFFSHORE TOURNAMENT

Largest Fish

1. Gavin Kennedy — 14.30

2. Dillan Gagnon — 14.20

3. Remington Gagnon — 13.4

Largest Walleye

1. Brady Kadrich — 3.1

2. Jace Kadrich — 2.8

Team Final

1. Remington Gagnon — 41.90

2. Peyton Gohl — 30.10

3. Nick Smith — 26.30

4. Daxton Englehart — 23.30

5. Jace Kadrich — 5.95

REGULAR TOURNAMENT LEADERBOARD

Brown Trout

1. Don Harrison — 11.70

2. Shawn Muszynski — 9.60

Lake Trout (Laker)

1. Austin Szatkowski — 25.75

2. Marshal Suszek — 25.20

3. John Suszek — 21.05

4. Ed Hillman — 20.0

5. Andy Spigelmyre — 19.95

Salmon

1. Seth Haugerud — 24.30

2. Cory Malocha — 23.45

3. Jared Wyman — 22.10

4. Jason Snyder — 21.65

5. Martin Skiba — 20.80

Steelhead

1. Dan Bouchard — 15.05

2. Scott Bancroft — 10.35

3. Codie Braun — 8.90

4. Seth Haugerud — 8.10

5. Jarid Campbell — 8.10

Walleye

1. Adam Peterson — 9.25

2. Jenny O’Connor — 8.95

3. Kristen Wade — 7.85

4. Reno Massetti — 7.10

5. Chris Wade — 7.05

REGULAR TOURNAMENT — LARGEST OF THE DAY

Brown Trout

7-21: Shawn Muszynski — 9.60

7-26: Don Harrison — 11.70

Laker

7-19: Austin Szatkowski — 25.75

7-20: Marshal Suszek — 25.20

7-21: Ed Hillman — 20.0

7-22: Ron Boboltz — 15.40

7-23: Mathew Bunting — 7.00

7-24: Shirley Bloom — 15.00

7-25: Tony Polk — 17.80

7-26: John Suszek — 21.05

Salmon

7-19: Dylan Orr — 12.25

7-20: Mark Pagels — 16.30

7-21: Martin Skiba — 20.80

7-22: Brett Souva — 17.70

7-23: Seth Haugerud — 24.30

7-24: Jason Snyder — 21.65

7-25: Mike Bartz — 18.60

7-26: Cory Malocha — 23.45

Steelhead

7-19: Codie Braun — 8.90

7-20: Earl Martin — 7.00

7-21: Jarid Campbell — 8.10

7-22: Randy Klein — 6.15

7-24: Mark Haugerud — 6.15

7-25: Tyler Augar — 7.35

7-26: Dan Bouchard — 15.05

Walleye

7-19: Jenny O’Connor — 8.95

7-20: David Brege — 5.00

7-21: Bill Wilson — 5.50

7-22: Adam Peterson — 9.25

7-23: Mark Haugerud — 3.30

7-24: Matt Britton — 5.15

7-25: Gage Kruczynski — 6.60

7-26: Eric Kruczynski — 6.35

HIGH STAKES TOURNAMENT LEADERBOARD

Day 1 Total

LAKER

1. Austin Szatkowski — 50.15

2. Shawn Szatkowski — 38.1

3. Doug Barclay — 38.1

SALMON

1. David Brege — 28.9

2. Dylan Orr — 25.28

STEELHEAD

1. Codie Braun — 21.85

2. David Brege — 15.7

3. Shawn Szatkowski — 5.7

WALLEYE

1. Chris Wade — 13.3

Day 2 Total

LAKER

1. Austin Szatkowski — 98.85

2. Phil Smigelski — 83.9

3. John Suszek — 55.9

SALMON

1. David Brege — 36.5

2. Dylan Orr — 25.28

STEELHEAD

1. Codie Braun — 36.65

2. David Brege — 20.45

3. Tony Moe — 8.8

WALLEYE

1. Chris Wade — 13.3

Day 3 Total

BROWN TROUT

1. Don Harrison — 9.6

LAKER

1. John Suszek — 138.7

2. Austin Szatkowski — 135.75

3. Phil Smigelski — 118.4

SALMON

1. Dylan Orr — 55.7

2. David Brege — 37.7

STEELHEAD

1. Codie Braun — 55.6

2. David Brege — 20.45

WALLEYE

1. Chris Wade — 20.2

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