Geneva, Ohio -The Ohio Walleye Federation hosted the much anticipated 2^nd Annual Vic’s Challenge sponsored by Vic’s Sports Center in Kent, Ohio.   The event, held on Saturday July 16^th, attracted fisherman from Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan.  A sold out field of 50 boats, competing in 2 to 5 person teams, looked for active schools of walleye from Fairport, Ohio to Conneaut, Ohio hoping to win a share of the $13,000 in prize money.

The trio of Paul Holzheimer, Dave Weightman and Mark Wilmot, earned the victory with 5 fish weighing in at 35.57 lbs.   The winning team ran 24 miles north of Geneva, Ohio, an hour and half run on choppy water, to grind out 9 walleye bites all day.  Paul Holzheimer of Grafton, Ohio stated, “There were many good marks and a lot of bait, but you were not getting the bites you would expect to.  We were able to hook up and we were lucky enough to get everything into the back of the boat.”  Running a combination of Dipsy and Magnum Dipsy Divers with spoon harnesses targeting suspended fish at 50-55 feet in 65 feet of water proved to be the winning the ticket.  Bites came in short flurries.

The team reported catching 3 fish at the start of the morning within 20 minutes, and then 5 fish from 12:30 to 1:00 pm, trolling outside the pack of boats.  The hot color of the day was “anger management”.  Their efforts earned them $5000 for 1^st place plus an additional $250 for the Vic’s Ranger/ Starcraft Bonus.  The victory also earns team members Mark Wilmot of Tallmadge, Ohio and Dave Weightman of Stow, Ohio, an automatic entry into the 2017 Cabela’s NTC Championship (details can be found at walleyefederation.com) being held in Lorain, Ohio June 8^th thru June 11^th.  19 teams competed in this side pot for this opportunity.  Continue reading