Olow started the final day winner’s announcements and awards with a raffle for fishing gear by pulling team number coins from a hat to give away Diamond rods, Okuma reels, inflatable floatation vests, ice chests and more. The drawing switched to the raffle baskets and the 50-50 drawing as the polygraph tests were conducted with the top winners. It didn’t take long; Attendees enjoyed the hot dogs, hamburgers, Italian sausage and multiple beverages from the dozens of volunteers working the tables.

The most essential event volunteers included the weigh-in team (Al Zurawski, Don Merckel and crew) and the computer guru gals, Kathie Merckel, Lucie Katta and Micki Feeney. Their job included printing weigh station slips, running the automatic weigh-station recorder for each team-by-team number, coordinating all the data to a computer software program, and distributing the certified results to the many curious contestants eager to learn how they fared compared to all other anglers. Their dedication and the sense of community they fostered were genuinely heartwarming. The fishing contest was intense, with constantly shifting winds affecting the position of forage schools and predatory walleye.

On the first day, Captain Peter SzKlanka and his Team #88, “Triple Threat,” with members Joe Vaccarella and Bob Wasson led the pack with a three-fish tally of 20.55 pounds. Captain Dave Rajski’s “Double-D” team was close behind with 19.84 lbs and a big fish weighing 8.24 pounds. On the first day, 111 fish were brought in, averaging 5.90 pounds per fish and 17.69 pounds per team.

On the second day, Team “Triple Threat” maintained their lead with a three-fish bag of 20 pounds and a big fish of 7.44 pounds. Their two-day total of 40.55 pounds put them three pounds ahead of Captain Jim Plinzke’s “Fish Hunter” team.

Photo by Forrest Fisher The annual Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club Lake Erie Walleye Derby weigh-in stage events attracted hundreds of anglers and visiting public this weekend. Captain Jim Klein with Eye-Fish Charters shares a picture of one big walleye caught by his team.

On the final day, Captain Tim Kozub’s Team 4 secured the heaviest bag of the day at 20.33 pounds, which included a 7.97-pound big fish kicker. Captain Jared Meyer’s Team 32 followed with 19.39 pounds and a big fish weighing 6.82 pounds, while Captain Sean Korzinski’s Team 8 was third with 19.12 pounds for their three fish bag.

Overall, the competition was fierce, with many teams showing impressive performance and making significant jumps in the ranking. Regular tournament cash was awarded for the total bag and biggest fish each day, as well as for the tournament’s three-day total bag and the three-day listing of the biggest fish.

After the final tally for all three days, the results brought high-fives to many teams and “nice try” from some other teams. In the final score, Captain Peter Szklanka and Team “Triple Threat” hung in there to earn the title and the win, with their Day-3 bag of 18.08 pounds, including a big fish of the day at 8.08 pounds to give them 58.61 pounds total and a wide margin of victory. Second place was earned by Captain Jared Meyer, Team 32, with 55.59 pounds; third place, Captain Dave Rajski of Team “Double-D” with 55.29 pounds; fourth place, Captain Tim Kozub of Team 4 with 54.81 pounds; fifth place, Captain Rob Oram with Team 86 with 53.86 pounds; sixth place, Wayne Ochal with team 50 with 53.67 pounds; seventh place, Craig Kawski with Team 68 with 53.45 pounds; eighth place, Jim Plinzke with Team 90 with 53.03 pounds; ninth place, Ben Slawaticky with Team 75 with 52.64 pounds; and 10th place, Joe Kramer with team 69 with 52.57 pounds.

Captain Peter Szklanka and Team “Triple Threat” mostly ran north-south from 85 to 110 feet of water just east of Dunkirk using mag dipsy diving planes with spoons and worm burners, one downrigger trailing Yaleye Moon-pies, with Long A Bombers in the Northern Lites color on the 7, 8, and 10-color lead core lines.

The biggest fish of the tournament was 8.24 pounds, Dave Rajski, Team 13; the second-place big fish was 8.08 pounds, Peter Szklanka, Team 88; and the third-place big fish went to Scott Spier, Team 102, with their 7.99-pound whopper walleye.

More than $50,000 in prizes were awarded to competitors with complete transparency of total funding for the event. It was a great community and regional fishing competition event and hats off to the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club members and tournament staff.

The remainder of this week will include more details on winning fishing secrets, lure colors, and methods. Gotta love the outdoors!

Aug. 5-Oct. 27: Art that Matters to the Planet: Clarity; on view inside RTPI, partnering with Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy. Regular admission.

Aug. 7: The Lake Erie VIP Experience, charter boat guest learning experience. Chadwick Bay Clarion Hotel Gazebo. By invitation only. Contact Eastern Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, Diane Steel, for info: 716-998-5137.

Aug. 8: WNY Walleye Assoc., monthly meeting, K of C, 36 Pierce Ave., Hamburg, 6:30PM.

Aug. 9-11: Sportsman’s Rendezvous, Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds, 501 Erie St., (route 353), Little Valley, $5 admission, info: 716-474-7251.

Aug. 15: Southtowns Walleye Assoc., monthly meeting and Kids Day event, 5895 Southwestern Blvd., kids crafts and learning stations – 6PM, general meeting – 7PM.

Aug. 16-17: Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge, Dunkirk Harbor from HQ at the Clarion Hotel Gazebo, $500 entry/team; info: Jim Steel, 716-481-5348 or visit https://innovative-outdoors.com.

Aug. 17: Roger’s Bird-Day Bash, noon- 4 p.m., in the Lodge at RTPI, tickets $20; Includes all-day admission to RTPI.