OZARK MUSKIES
Pomme De Terre Lake - Missouri
May 21st & 22nd, 2005

CLICK HERE to view the 2005 Pomme De Terre Tournament Photo Album

“Show Me the Musky”: Tom Olson & Hanley Seamus Take ‘Pomme’

Pro Musky Trail’s First Ever Visit To Missouri A Real “Eye Opener”

By: Bob “the Fin-Addict” Osborne PR/Media Dir. 

Setting a blistering pace right out-of-the-gate, Tom Olson of Antioch, IL. and Chicago area partner Hanley Seamus were “on fire” as the Professional Musky Tournament Trail made it’s deepest venture yet into the southern-most realms of this amazing “Monarch of Freshwater” and a first ever visit to Missouri’s awesome Pomme de Terre Lake May 21^st & 22^nd … boating five fish on Saturday, three of which exceeded the 36-inch minimum for this event, that included a 38.50, a 40.75 and day ones incredibly fat $500 Big Fish Award winning 45-incher, building what proved to be an insurmountable lead as they went on to claim 1^st Place and a total of $11,300 for their effort.

Tom, a very successful member of the PMTT since the first event seven years ago, was able to develop a pattern early on while pre-fishing that held up throughout a week that saw air and water temperatures on a steady rise as high pressure, blue-bird skies and increasing angling pressure made these elusive fish a bit skittish and even harder to target than is normally the case … for the majority competing here this weekend. “We looked for clearer water over deeper flats, creek arms and such that had lots of baitfish in them”, shared Tom. “Waiting as they moved up in the water column slightly we would employ a planer board to get a Believer crank bait out to the side of the boat and back a relatively short 25 to 30 feet or so while moving along at 3.5 to just over 4 m.p.h. to target these fish.” He went on to add, as did everyone who was able to contact these “Show Me State” Musky, “What an impressive system. Every fish that came to the boat appeared to be much larger than the tape would register with a weight / girth / length ratio that seemed almost unreal!”

Taking 2^nd Place and a check for $2,700 reigning PMTT/Ranger Boats World Champs, Ohio’s Kevin Selders and Mike Money utilized natural colored Tuff Shad crank baits in mid-lake and upper-river basins to continue what is fast becoming a dominating display of consistent Top 10 finishes as they fine tune and adjust their deep water tactics.

Terri DuBe’ of Walker, MN. and partner Diana Mindar of Aurora, IL. were also able to figure out the deeper suspended pattern as they trolled a white Lil’ Ernie crank bait over 60 foot depths to register and release a 43.50-inch specimen near the dam.

Rounding out the top five are two brother acts. 4^th Place and $1,350 went to Iowa brothers Virgil & Stan Harrison, the self-proclaimed “Geriatric Team”, when Stan stuck the biggest fish of his 71 years, a hefty 41.25-incher.

While Chicagoland area brothers and long-time PMT competitors Chris & Eric Burseth claimed the $1,000 Ranger Cup check as the highest finishing registered Ranger Boat owner and Sunday’s $500 Big Fish Award when they decided to try bigger baits and speeds exceeding 6m.p.h. to trigger a 41-incher that placed them 5^th overall.

Dan Peckels and Jerry Rzepka of Pewaukee, WI. also made their second top 10 finish in a row by trolling Cisco Kid cranks along deep timber to take a 39.50-inch Musky for 6^th Place, taking the early lead in the 2005 Top Gun points race.

Missouri Department of Conservation’s Muskellunge Program Advisor, Mark Boone was on hand to welcome the country’s best Musky anglers to Pomme while sharing pertinent information on this often overlooked system. “It seems that we (the MDC) are seldom, if ever mentioned when talking of southern Musky fishing even though we have had a great fishery for nearly 40 years now”, said Mr. Boone after the closing ceremonies. “It is our hope that after seeing the tremendously fat, healthy fish we have here, waiting in great numbers, to give any hopeful Musky angler a great experience, that this trend will soon change.” Tournament Director Tim Widlacki echoed the sentiments of all in attendance when thanking the entire community surrounding this 7,800-acre reservoir, "What an incredible and interesting fishery, simply and consistently the fattest fish we have ever seen in a system!”

Special thanks go out to the fine folks at Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Musky Hunter Magazine, Heckel’s Marine, Crash’s Landing, North Country Adventure Television and all associate and contributing sponsors, as well as Host Site Sponsors; Eagles Nest Resort, Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Treelands, Hayward Country Inns & Suites, Medina Center and of course the Morehead Tourism Commission … without who’s continuing support none of this would be possible today.

Learn from the Pros ... be a part of the action ... and help to show your support for Musky fishing. Anyone can join the PMTT and enter this fast-growing and addictively exciting competition ... and everybody … as always …is warmly invited to come out and join the fun. The next event is in Eagle River, WI June 25th and 26th.

To register or obtain more information on the 2005 PMTT or any remaining Qualifier, please visit them on the Web @ www.promusky.com or call PMTT Director, Tim Widlacki @ 815-264-3228 *space is limited and remaining slots are filling fast! *

1st Place Tom Olson & Seamus Hanley 45", 40 ¾" & 38 ½"
2nd Place Kevin Selders & Mike Money 37 ½" & 37"
3rd Place Diana Mindar & Terrie Dube 43 ½"
4th. Place Stan & Virg Harrison 41 ¼"
5th. Place Chris & Eric Burseth 41"
6th. Place Dan Peckels & Jerry Rzepka 39 ½"
7th. Place Mike Keyes & Steve Genson 39 ¼"
8th. Place Adam Schoenbeck & Matt Masche 38 ¼"
9th. Place John Ferguson & George Rion 38"
10th. Place Tony Grant & Laura Morrison 37 ¾"
11th Place Gary Lehnherr & Danny Dimaggio 37 ½"
12th. Place Steve Cady & Matt Beulke 37 ¼"
13th. Place Mike Riley & Kelly Armstrong 36 ½"
14th. Place Ralph Bigham & Kirk Harlon 36"
15th. Place Jim Wilson & Matt Ginnins 36"