A look back at 2008 -
Our 2008 tournament started Friday night at The Ridges, sponsored by Mepps. We had 69 teams (138 contestants) verify all paper work and reviewed the weekend schedule. All teams are competing for a total payout of $8,000.

Saturday’s fishing was 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Weather was cloudy and cool with a north, northwest wind. Water temps started out at 57 and warmed to 60 degrees. We see assortment of approaches from trolling to casting. All areas were being covered, creek inlets, river and our back bays. Our first fish report came in around 9:30 that morning and our last report was with five minutes left in day one. At the end of day one we had seven tournament fish registered. Largest fish of the day was 40 ¾-inches.

Tournament banquet was back at The Ridges. Following our tournament dinner we held our annual stocking fund raiser. I’m proud to announce, you helped us raise about $3,500 for stocking. Some of our new sponsors this year were Shiver's Lures, Wisconsin Valley Concrete, Road Rules School, Firestone, Zientara Fleet Equip., Just Add Water Tackle Co., Cochran Tackle, Monster Lures, Paul's Repair, S & S Auto, CIB in Rhinelander, WI.

Dunwright Tackle Company donated a tackle box and T-N-T Tackle Company donated three Musky Coat racks and we were able to raised $550 to help fund Operation Musky.

Sunday’s fishing hours was 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Morning water temps started a little warmer at 60 degrees and warmed to 62 degrees, our winds were stronger during day two. Today’s tactics were pretty much a repeat of yesterday, fish and fish hard. No reports till after one o’clock when we got a report of a 38 ½-incher and like yesterday we had our last fish registered just before the end of the day. Two tournament legal fish were caught. Sunday's largest fish was 38 1/2-inches.

A total of nine tournament legal (minimum of 34-inches) muskies were caught. Also, 16 undersize muskies were caught giving us a good sign that our stocked fish are growing. I’m also proud to report NO fish mortality due to our no-transport format.

Last fall I was contacted by Rob Jost from Minnesota Musky Farm in Alexandria, MN. He informed me they had some muskies left over and was looking to get rid of them before ice. We made arrangements and on December 17, 2007 we stocked 430 muskies in the Petenwell Flowage, which went towards our 2008 stocking. We asked for assistance from the city of Nekoosa in breaking up the ice so we could place these fish in the river.

We now have $1000 left over and will look to stock again this fall. We’re also working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on a matching grant. If all goes well we’ll be adding to our fall stocking.

I’d like to take this time and thank each and every one of our sponsors and contestants for your continuing your support and believing in what we’re doing. Without you this wouldn’t happen!

On behalf of all of us at the Petenwell Musky Challenge “thank you” again for your support.


Our 2008 Petenwell Musky Challenge Winners

5th Place team of Steve Weyers & Jake Thompson
38-inch musky, 46 points, winning $600

3rd Place teams (tie) of Greg Prewitt & Laird Dickinson and
Cliff Bembeneck & Rollie Vallin
Each team caught a 38 1/2-inch musky, 48 points, both teams winning $1,200

2nd Place Team of Bob & Randy Poenitsch
40 3/4-inch musky, 57 points, winning $2,000

1st Place Team of Travis Plantico & James Ostrum Jr.
39 1/2  and a 34 1/2-inch muskies, 84 points, winning $3,000

Saturday's big fish winners- Bob & Randy Poenitsch, 40 3/4-inch musky.
Sunday's big fish winners- Greg Prewitt & Laird Dickinson, 38 1/2-inch musky.

Saturday's On the Water Raffle Winners - Chris & Jennifer Weber.
Sunday's On the Water Raffle Winners- Mark Saemisch & Gary Malinonski.
Both teams won a Lure Retreiver from Frabill and Lures from T-N-T Tackle Company.

Nine legal (tournament minimal size of 34-inches) and 16 under size muskies caught in the two days.