Bob
06-25-2009, 07:43
http://www.bnd.com/sports/story/820938.html
Bowhunters strike it big on Kaskaskia
Winner of first bowfishing tournament on river haul in over 110 pounds of fish
BY ROD KLOECKNER - News-Democrat
The first big bowfishing tournament on the lower Kaskaskia River was such a hit Saturday, more events of its ilk may be on the way.
Ten boats containing two or three anglers each participated in the first Kaskaskia River Bowfishing Championship, a joint venture between the Bowfishing Association of Illinois and Southern Illinois Outdoors (www.siloutdoors.com (http://www.siloutdoors.com)).
"It was a success and we had a lot of interest from people who didn't know about it who were at the weigh-in, and they wanted more information and wanted to come to the next one," said Bob Rutkowski, who runs the Southern Illinois Outdoors Web site. "I think it's something that could turn into a monthly event down there.
http://media.bnd.com/smedia/2009/06/24/19/14-outdoors_wrestling_gar.embedded.prod_affiliate.98. jpg (http://media.bnd.com/smedia/2009/06/24/19/272-outdoors_wrestling_gar.standalone.prod_affiliate.9 8.jpg)
Bob Rutkowski of New Athens wrestles a gar into the boat. - Provided by Gretchen Mueller-Steele of www.steelephotoservices.com (http://www.steelephotoservices.com)
"It's getting more popular and it's a fun thing to do in the middle of the summer. A lot of people go out on a boat in the river, anyway, so why not take a bow and arrow with you?"
The team of Jason Foster, Brendan Litteken and Bill Dawson, all of New Athens, won first place with a 10-fish stringer weighing in at 111.5 pounds. The trio blew away the field with the team of Bob and Adam Rutkowski taking second with a weight of 27 pounds.
The tournament was a big 10 format, meaning the 10 biggest "trash" fish were weighed. In Illinois, only nonsport fish can be legally taken by bowfishing. That means no bass, bluegill, crappie or catfish, just all species of carp, buffalo, gar and sucker, and bowfin.
The winning stringer contained mostly silver carp, grass carp, common carp and buffalo, Rutkowski said.
"I know those guys took about an hour boat ride south (of New Athens)," Rutkowski said. "It seemed like the guys that went south got a lot of carp. The guys that stayed local mostly got gar.
"If you spend time and figure out the river, you'll learn the places where the carp like to congregate."
Most of the fish Rutkowski shot were gar. He arrowed the biggest gar of the tournament, a 16.5-pounder.
Bob Creel, of Belleville, took Big Fish honors with a grass carp weighing 20.40 pounds.
Rutkowski said another tournament is planned for July. He said the hotter the weather, the better.
"The worse it is for you to be out there, the better it can be," he said. "We're trying to figure out a way to put an umbrella on the boat to keep us cool. The fish really come to the top the hotter it is and you can see them pretty well."
Contact reporter Rod Kloeckner at rkloeckner@bnd.com or 239-2663.
Bowhunters strike it big on Kaskaskia
Winner of first bowfishing tournament on river haul in over 110 pounds of fish
BY ROD KLOECKNER - News-Democrat
The first big bowfishing tournament on the lower Kaskaskia River was such a hit Saturday, more events of its ilk may be on the way.
Ten boats containing two or three anglers each participated in the first Kaskaskia River Bowfishing Championship, a joint venture between the Bowfishing Association of Illinois and Southern Illinois Outdoors (www.siloutdoors.com (http://www.siloutdoors.com)).
"It was a success and we had a lot of interest from people who didn't know about it who were at the weigh-in, and they wanted more information and wanted to come to the next one," said Bob Rutkowski, who runs the Southern Illinois Outdoors Web site. "I think it's something that could turn into a monthly event down there.
http://media.bnd.com/smedia/2009/06/24/19/14-outdoors_wrestling_gar.embedded.prod_affiliate.98. jpg (http://media.bnd.com/smedia/2009/06/24/19/272-outdoors_wrestling_gar.standalone.prod_affiliate.9 8.jpg)
Bob Rutkowski of New Athens wrestles a gar into the boat. - Provided by Gretchen Mueller-Steele of www.steelephotoservices.com (http://www.steelephotoservices.com)
"It's getting more popular and it's a fun thing to do in the middle of the summer. A lot of people go out on a boat in the river, anyway, so why not take a bow and arrow with you?"
The team of Jason Foster, Brendan Litteken and Bill Dawson, all of New Athens, won first place with a 10-fish stringer weighing in at 111.5 pounds. The trio blew away the field with the team of Bob and Adam Rutkowski taking second with a weight of 27 pounds.
The tournament was a big 10 format, meaning the 10 biggest "trash" fish were weighed. In Illinois, only nonsport fish can be legally taken by bowfishing. That means no bass, bluegill, crappie or catfish, just all species of carp, buffalo, gar and sucker, and bowfin.
The winning stringer contained mostly silver carp, grass carp, common carp and buffalo, Rutkowski said.
"I know those guys took about an hour boat ride south (of New Athens)," Rutkowski said. "It seemed like the guys that went south got a lot of carp. The guys that stayed local mostly got gar.
"If you spend time and figure out the river, you'll learn the places where the carp like to congregate."
Most of the fish Rutkowski shot were gar. He arrowed the biggest gar of the tournament, a 16.5-pounder.
Bob Creel, of Belleville, took Big Fish honors with a grass carp weighing 20.40 pounds.
Rutkowski said another tournament is planned for July. He said the hotter the weather, the better.
"The worse it is for you to be out there, the better it can be," he said. "We're trying to figure out a way to put an umbrella on the boat to keep us cool. The fish really come to the top the hotter it is and you can see them pretty well."
Contact reporter Rod Kloeckner at rkloeckner@bnd.com or 239-2663.