Defending champs look to reel in another first place check

The third annual Lions Club Salmon Tournament, the first of several fishing competitions off the shores of Rogers City this summer, will begin Saturday at 5 a.m. The reigning champions, Rhiny Schleben and his crew of Norm Quaine, Jode Paull, and Mark Karsten, who won the inaugural event two years ago and last year?s tournament on ?The Moose River Hummer,? are back and have to be considered the front-runner for first place.

The top 10 placers at the tournament will take home checks ranging from the $2,000 check for first to the $100 prize for 8th through 10th. The three heaviest salmon will determine the top finishers. Last year, Schleben and company had three fish that tipped the scale at 42.70 pounds.

ORGANIZERS ARE hoping poor weather doesn?t alter their plans like the 2003 event, when high winds and rain forced the tournament to start on a Sunday. The tournament is growing in popularity as pre-tournament registrations have surpassed last year. ?I?m sure that we are going to be probably between 40 and 50 boats,? said Claude Vogelheim, Lions Club president. ?There will be a bunch of guys that won?t get in until the captains? meeting.?

The captains? meeting is tomorrow (Friday) at 8 p.m. Last year, more than half of the entries came during the last three days. ?We?ll take entries all the way up to the meeting,? said Vogelheim. The cost to enter the tournament is $150 per boat with a maximum of 60 boats. A total of 42 boats registered for last year?s tournament.

THE ANGLER who brings in the heaviest salmon will win donated rods and reels. Schleben took that honor last year as well with a salmon weighing 22.4 pounds. Rogers City harbor master Ken Rasche said the salmon fishing was less than ideal about 10 days ago. Anglers were bringing in a goo

d amount of lake trout but the salmon count was low. In the last week-and-a-half, that has changed, Rasche said.

?The salmon have been coming in on a consistent basis,? said Rasche. ?I won?t say the fishermen are filling up their coolers, but I would rate the conditions as good.?

THE BEST locations are north of Rogers City between Hoeft State Park and town, as well as near the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse. Payouts are as follows: $1,000, 2nd; $500, 3rd; $400, 4th; $300, 5th; $200, 6th; $150, 7th. The Lions Club will use the proceeds to purchase eyeglasses for the needy and contribute to projects in Rogers City.

?All the money stays local,? said Vogelheim. The Lions Club has contributed to Rogers City High School?s Close Up Washington group and the Little League program, among others. Recently, the Lions pledged $500 toward the construction of the in-line skating rink at Sports Park, when the project finally gets going.