Oceana County Farm Bureau’s inaugural fishing tournament Feb. 20 saw 35 teams hitting the ice on lakes across sunny western Michigan to compete for prizes sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance-Klotz Agency of Hart.
Almost 20 teams convened that afternoon at Hart Lake for the weigh-in that determined the winners in each category: heaviest pike and heaviest five panfish.
George Shriver of Trufant hauled in the biggest pike, a 10.15-pound fish that earned him the $250 price. In second place was Ludington’s Steve Meyers with a 7.7-pound catch that netted him $100 in cash.
In the panfish category, Eian and Blane Sawdy of Hart weighed in five crappie totaling 7.25 pounds for the $250 prize. Aric Miller of Scottville and Mark Malkowski of Freesoil brought 5.97 pounds of panfish to weigh-in and went home with $100.
![George Shriver’s 10.15-pound winning pike won him $250.](/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_scale_and_crop_600_x_600/public/2021-03/OCEANA-fishing-George-Shriver_MFB%20%281%29.jpg?h=7c2430a4&itok=lx4Bv0Qg)
After the weigh-in all the contestantsenjoyed a hot meal, learned a lot about the value of Farm Bureau membership, and some took home some raffle prizes.
Altogether the raffle brought in $235 in donations to benefit the local food pantry.
Members were allowed to enter at no cost and just $10 for non-members.
To that the county Farm Bureau board added $265 of the registration to round the donation up to an even $500, then used that amount in its application for the Agent Charitable Fund’s Double-Up Donation Program in hopes of double the pantry’s money.
The tournament was the brainchild of Oceana’s new Young Farmer chair, Lane Stotler.
“It was a great day enjoying one of Michigan’s favorite winter activities!” Stotler enthused when all was said and done. “Our contestants put a lot of fish on the ice and together we raised a lot of money for our local food banks. All in all that’s a pretty great day!”
![Mary Sheppard’s bass had to go back in the drink (out of season) but still lifted spirits in the middle of a long, COVID winter.](/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_scale_and_crop_600_x_600/public/2021-03/OCEANA-fishing-Mary-Sheppard_MFB%20%281%29.jpg?h=d483e6bd&itok=lZ2lr74m)
![Newaygo County’s Ryan Silvernail had good luck with perch and bluegill, but not enough to haul in a cash prize.](/sites/default/files/2021-03/OCEANA-fishing-Ryan-Silvernail-perch_MFB%20%281%29.jpg)
Jenn Marfio is administrative manager for Oceana, Osceola and Mecosta County Farm Bureaus.