Published: May 02, 2008 08:25 pm            

MARTINO: Mother of All Morels Contest and other news

Dates are set for Kids Fishing Clinic

With reports of morel mushrooms now being found, don’t forget WWKI’s Mother of All Morels contest. If you are lucky enough to find what you think may be the “Mother of all Morels,” take your fantastic fungi to the radio station office, located at 519 N. Main St. any weekday during regular business hours.

In addition to eating your monster mushroom and earning bragging rights for a year, the first place winner will take home an assortment of valuable prizes. The person who finds this year’s mega-mushroom will receive a prize package from morelmania.com which includes a handmade wooden mushroom stick.

The winner will also take home a Mitchell rod, reel and tackle box stuffed with artificial lures, compliments of the Kokomo Tribune, plus a $150 gift certificate from Bass and Bucks Outdoor Store and $50 gift certificate from Foxes Den.

Second place receives a $50 gift certificate from A & J Farm Supply and a bag and book from morelmania.com. Third place wins the prize package from morelmania.com

The Mother of All Morels contest will run until May 15 and is open to anyone 21 years of age and older.

Kids Fishing Clinic

With families in the process of planning summer vacations, the Kokomo Parks and Recreation Department and Kokomo Tribune have received numerous calls regarding the dates for this summer’s 25th annual Jim “Moose” Carden Kids Fishing Clinic.

Class sessions for the popular youth program will take place July, 14, 15, 17, 22 and 24 beginning at 6:30 at Kokomo High School. The graduation tournament will be held July 26 from 7 a.m. to noon at the Kokomo Reservoir.

Registrations will be held on a first-come, first-served basis starting June 9 at the Kokomo Parks Department office beginning at 8 a.m. The Kids clinic is open to the first 130 children between the ages of 6–15 that pre-register. Registration forms and a complete clinic agenda will appear in this column June 8.

Help for Kids Clinic

Adams Auto Group proudly presents its fifth annual Jim “Moose” Carden Kids Fishing Clinic benefit bass tournament. The popular event will be held May 17 on the Kokomo Reservoir. The tourney will begin at 7 a.m. and conclude with the weigh-in at 3 p.m. Registrations will take place at the public boat ramp located on Howard County Road 400 East.

In addition to the monetary pay-back, Adams Auto Group will also provide trophies to the top three finishers. The local business has also pledged $500 to this summer’s Kids Fishing Clinic. Proceeds generated from the tournament will be used to purchase additional fishing equipment and safety related items for the 130 children who will take part in this summer’s popular youth event.

Another tourney benefiting this summer’s Kids Clinic will take place this Saturday. The event will be held on Mississinewa Reservoir from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registrations will take place at the Miami Boat ramp

Tournament results

More than 60 anglers converged on Lake Tippecanoe for the first scheduled event made by members of the Bullseye Team Tournament Trail. After the weigh-in, it was the team of Tad Hepler and Dave Eggers claiming the top spot with seven largemouth bass sporting a total weight of 19.63 pounds. Second place went to Phil Reel and Greg Rude with eight fish weighing 18.26 pounds. Bo Judd and Ron Crawford finished third with 17.43 pounds. A 5.29 pound largemouth gave the team of Josh Weidner and Jake Hovermale the tourney’s “big bass” honor.

The popular tournament trail will make its next stop on Mississinewa Reservoir on May 18. Registrations will take place at the Miami public boat ramp.

Frank Brown came out of the starting gate hard at the first Kokomo Reservoir Wednesday evening open team bass tourney of the season. Brown won the event with three largemouth totaling 5 pounds, 1 ounce. Dennis McKee came in second with three fish dropping the scales at 4 pounds, 13 ounces. Doug Pence captured the tourney’s “big bass” honor with a 2-pound, 8-ounce fish.

Turkey hunting results

With this spring’s wild turkey hunting season in full swing, here is this week’s list of local hunters who have collected birds. This list includes standard turkey measurements which are weight, beard and spur length along with county of harvest:

• Roger Eubank — 14 pounds; four-inch beard; Cass County.

• Stephen Farrington — 16 pounds; 41/2-inch beard; Cass County.

• Bill Brown — 28 pounds; 11-inch beard; 27mm spurs; Fulton County.

• Tony Nutter — 27 pounds; 10-inch beard; 30 mm spurs; Howard County.

• Mark Cade — 16 pounds; 51/2-inch beard; eight mm spurs; Miami County.

• Wes Brust — 27 pounds; 10-inch beard; 26mm spurs; Howard County.

• Darla Cade — 23 pounds; 10-inch beard; 33 mm spurs; Miami County.

Tribune catches of the week

Bryant’s Outdoor Store: Keith Jones pulled in eight crappies with the largest measuring 161/2 inches long, tipping the scales at 2 pounds, 2 ounces. Jones took his fish from Mississinewa Reservoir on an artificial lure.

Jack’s Tackle Center: Les Newton and Tony Jacob cleaned 28 crappies as the result of a recent outing on Salamonie Reservoir. The fish averaged 11 inches in length and were taken on minnows.

Malone’s Nyona Lake Bait and Tackle: Jeff Gaumer caught and released several largemouth bass with the biggest tipping the scales at 4 pounds, 6 ounces. Gaumer was throwing an artificial lure while plying the placid waters of Nyona Lake.

Gale Bender hauled in several crappies with the largest weighing one pound, eight ounces. The fish were from Nyona Lake on minnows.

Springhill Camp Ground and Pay Pit: Reggie White reeled in seven channel catfish sporting a combined weight of 17 pounds. White took his fish from the western Howard County pit using live bait.

John Martino is the Tribune’s outdoors columnist. He may be reached through the sports department.

        

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