Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2014 - 29

Team ice fishing

Mike Kuna, Pittsburgh, and his cousin Bob
Griffith entered the team ice fishing tournament
scene about ten years ago. Today, the two-person
team ice fishing competition, which offers the
largest cash prize (over $20,000), is the Midwest
Open Ice Fishing Contest held in Brooklyn,
Michigan. This event uses total combined fish
weight, with each two-person team being allowed
to turn in a maximum of 16 fish (no more than
eight crappies and eight Bluegills). Contestants can
only fish one rod at a time, and they must be no
more than 30 paces apart on the ice and cannot get
within 10 feet of another team.
Kuna and Griffith also enter competitions in
Pennsylvania including Ice Fishing Pennsylvania and
North East Ice Tour, where the combined weight of
up to 15 panfish (any combination of crappies, perch
or Bluegills) determines the winners who receive
cash prizes, which are a percentage of the event
registration fees. Two of their favorite Pennsylvania
waters for ice fishing competitions are Beechwood
Lake, Tioga County, and Lily Lake, Luzerne
County. Kuna feels that competition just adds to the
excitement. He believes that anyone can win on any
given day, and it's a great way to learn new methods
or learn a new lake.

photo-Darl Black

hours prior to the event start, contestants were
not allowed on Pymatuning Reservoir. Successful
contestants brought their single longest Walleye,
crappie and/or perch to the measuring station,
making sure to be in the check-in line no later than
3:30 p.m. Only dead fish were measured. With
100 contestants of mixed ages, the prizes for the
longest fish were Walleye ($350), crappie ($250)
and perch ($150). In the case of a tie, the two
contestants could either agree to split the prize, or
the judges would determine the winner by a flip of
a coin. Net proceeds benefit the Pymatuning Lake
Association's Habitat Fund. For more information,
contact www.PymatuningLake.com or call
tournament director Joel Brown at 724-927-9493.

Mike Kuna with a crappie that he caught through the ice on Conneaut
Lake, Crawford County.
photo-courtesy of Jerry Van Tassel

Tips for all ice anglers

The biggest lesson Kuna has learned from ice
fishing competitions is that you have to stay mobile,
not waiting for active fish to come to where you've set
up your gear. He also encourages not sticking to just
one method. If it's not working for you, try upsizing,
downsizing, changing colors, changing presentations
or changing depth. "Don't just automatically drop to
the bottom and start to jig. Start working your bait
from the bottom of the hole all the way down and
back up," said Kuna. These are great tips for all ice
anglers, not just those involved in contests.
PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com

At the 2014 Conneaut Lake Ice Fishing Tournament, Jerry Van Tassel and
Mike Kozalla with his winning 33.25-inch Northern Pike.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * November/December 2014

29
http://www.PymatuningLake.com http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2014
