Rod, Gun & Game: Con Club Walleye Contest

By [email protected] | on August 10, 2023

The Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club, locally known as the “Con Club,” conducts an annual walleye derby that has drawn people from near and far since 2004. The contest is affordable at $300 per boat for two to five-man teams and teams are eligible to win one of three cash prizes for the heaviest walleye on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, three of 15 cash prizes for the heaviest walleye during the derby and one of five cash prizes for the heaviest three-day total weight. Plus, there are privately conducted Calcutta contests among the anglers.

Elma resident Tom Slawatycki (center) with teammates Jim Dolly, Jr. (left), and son Ben (right) won prize cash at the Lake Erie Con Club Derby last weekend.

A few days before the derby, I received a call from NCCC Derby Chairman Zen Olow with a request I consider writing up two contest stories for the Dunkirk Observer and Jamestown Journal in place of an old dear friend of mine, Gene Pauszek. Gene was the famed Dunkirk Observer outdoor columnist and an NYS Outdoorsman Hall of Fame member who passed away last year. I have fished this derby with my friend and grandson many times in years past, and it is a fun contest because of the many prizes in the mix of competitions that can be won. So, of course, I accepted. Upon arriving at the event site in Dunkirk, Zen introduced me to the contest team officials, all volunteers trained to conduct a certified scale weigh station process operation with flawless efficiency. Then he walked me over to a spot in the weigh-station tent and pointed to a chair I recognized. Zen called it the Gene Pauszek Memorial Chair and told me that’s my new seat for the derby. Gene was a good, gracious, humble friend whose passing was unexpected. I worked hard to control the lump in my throat but working alongside Al Zurawski – a computer wiz kid, Kathy Murckel and Micki Fenney – administrative scoring officials, and Frank Solares – official weighmaster – I survived those first 20 seconds.

It wasn’t long after that the weigh station opened at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Day 2 of the contest. The first of 89 teams to enter the official weigh station tent entered with sunburned faces and a heavy cooler. I thought I knew a lot about how to fish Lake Erie for walleye, but I learned so much more about details and secrets from willing contestants to share their stories. The competition field each year managed to be 100 teams, but this year, perhaps due to the cost of gas and running a boat on big Lake Erie, six teams dropped out, leaving the field at 94.

Nothing like the first fish ever for Lulu Munich, a sheepshead, but followed by a nice bass caught on Lake Erie.

On Day 1, 89 teams weighed 267 walleye, with a total weight of 1,384 pounds for an average of 5.18 pounds each. One thing to note is that each team is only allowed to weigh in three walleye, but each team caught between 25 and 60 fish each day of the three-day competition. If we average the number caught per boat at a conservative 30 walleye and include the average weight to tally their daily catch, it would be 13,830 pounds of fish per day for the entire field. Each team is allowed to keep only their limit of 6 walleye per man, so while most fish caught were returned to the water, the state of lake health supports this population of incredible-tasting walleye! The average cost of fresh-caught walleye is $21.50 per pound. Each man with a 6-fish limit takes home about $129 of fish. Who said fishing doesn’t pay?! Numbers can be fun, but fishing and catching fish is more fun.

Elma resident Captain Tom Slawatycki and his team, comprised of his son Ben and Jim Dolly Jr., fished the tournament from a Ranger 621 boat rigged for walleye fishing: the 350 HP Verado main engine and 9.9 HP Mercury trolling motor work to manage boat movement very well. Using Trax-Tech rod holders to manage multiple rods for untangled fishing, the trio known as Team #75, caught a nice bag of three walleye (20.54 pounds) on the final day of the contest to finish in second place for the Big Bag cash award of $1000. Their system is simple, running lead core line (seven to 10 colors) with 35-foot leaders to 3D worm harnesses in black/pink and nuclear green, along with natural color Renosky stickbaits for their presentation. Captain Tom said, “There are so many ways to win in this tournament that everybody loves fishing this derby.” Adding, “My son Ben has fished this event with me since he was 12.” Jim Dolly said, “We switched colors now and then, but my dad taught us to fish dark before sunrise and light after sunrise, and it works.” The trio found surface temperature to be 75 degrees with bottom temps of 65 degrees 10 feet off the bottom in 89-93 feet of depth off Dunkirk. I asked Tom if I could share these secrets he provided in conversation and he replied, “Share it with everyone. It’ll make for even better fishermen!”

After conversations with dozens of other competitors, a step back on the analysis of the most effective methods to catch walleye this year indicated that the use of lead-core lines (7, 8 and 10 colors) with short 30-35 foot leaders, and the use of dipsy divers with 6-8 foot leaders, as among most effective deployment tactics. Spinner/worm rigs work by scent and vibration, but anglers using stick bait brands like Yalleye, Bomber Long-A, Thundersticks and similar smelt-like lures, with or without worms on the rear or middle hook, fooled as many fish as worm fisherman.

While we are rapidly approaching the peak of summer, all of us are starting to wonder what we are hearing about the temperature of the oceans around the world. Global ocean temperatures this high are unprecedented. Here on Lake Erie, we have seen high lake surface temperatures before, but at this time of year, it is 75 degrees on the surface off Dunkirk. Why are we not seeing a similar effect on the Great Lakes? The walleye fish population in Lake Erie likes it.

The next WNY Lake Erie walleye contest is set for Aug. 18-19 in Dunkirk. The Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge is another local favorite contest. Call Jim Steel at 716-640-2776 for more info on that one.

Here is a new topic regarding fear among sportsman groups regarding a recent measure that appears to lean toward restricting or eliminating hunting, fishing, trapping and firearm ownership. Sportspeople across the U.S. were stunned to read national reports in the media that the Biden Administration was interpreting language in a newly passed gun-control law to ban federal education funding for hunter safety/education classes held at schools along with funding for the popular National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). According to reports, this decision will pull funding for programs enjoyed by millions of students nationwide at thousands of schools. Not to be confused with hunter education programs provided by state fish and wildlife agencies through the Pittman-Robertson excise tax program, the funds the Biden Administration is canceling are provided directly through the U.S. Department of Education for physical education and other extracurricular activities. The question is, why? These programs teach safety and responsibility, Olympic finesse and much more. My thoughts are that every parent and every hunter in America needs to reach out to their U.S. Congressman and Senator and let them know they want this funding restored. It appears that the Department of Education isn’t going to fix the problem, so Congress must respond to manage this and right the tilting ship.

Share in the peace and fun of the Outdoors. God bless America!

Outdoors Calendar:

Aug. 16 – Sun Life Marina Bass Open, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., $40/boat, best three bass. Meet at the marina.

Aug. 18-19 – Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge, Dunkirk harbor weigh station, 716-640-2776 for info.

NOTE: Submit Calendar items to [email protected] at least 2-weeks in advance.

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