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Classic time of year
Every year as the Saturday after Memorial Day draws near, bass anglers throughout the region begin sketching out their game plan for the annual United Way fundraiser at Aqua Ohio’s Evans and Pine lakes.
Today known as the Muransky Companies Bass Classic, benefiting the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, the pro-am tournament has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars that are used by help agencies throughout our community.
The Bass Classic also has served as a rally for anglers and volunteers who want to give back, and it always happens that the event produces pots of gold at the ends of rainbows spanning both lakes.
Altogether June 3, a field of 61 boats with 183 people aboard will cruise Aqua Ohio water supply reservoirs Pine and Evans in search of the winning haul of largemouth bass. Each boat features a pro and amateur angler, as well as a volunteer judge to supervise weighing and tabulating all bass caught.
For the second year, the tournament will be scored under the Major League Fishing scoring system in which every bass caught is relevant in the score, rather than just the five largest.
This year, the pro-am teams will seek to shatter the 65-pound record that Bill Orr and Dave Rankin set in 2016 on Evans Lake and the 40-pound mark set by Joe Discerni and Sean David on Pine.
The Muransky Companies Bass Classic has grown considerably since the inaugural event in 2000, thanks to great support from sponsors. In addition to Youngstown businessman and retired NFL player Ed Muransky’s suite of companies, sponsors include Aqua Ohio, Century 21 Lakeside Realty, Vineyards at Pine Lake, AFL-CIO Union Counselors, Wedgewood Pizza, Fin Feather Fur, Superior Beverage, Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods, St. Croix and Sleep Hollow Sleep Shop.
A variety of groups and individuals step forward to volunteer. Their services are essential to the event’s success, especially in judging and scoring. Groups who helped bolster the judges corps this year include the Upper Ohio Valley Student Angler League, East Liverpool; PrimeTime Youth Fishing Club out of Cleveland and the Mahoning Valley Flight Crew, craft beer aficionados.
United Way Marketing Director Roxann Sebest expects this year’s event will push the total raised by the annual Bass Classic closer to $400,000. Plus, she’s excited about the great new venue for the pre-tournament dinner party.
“We are thrilled to be guests this year of the Vineyards at Pine Lake and look forward to the great hospitality they are already becoming known for,” she said. “All of our anglers, judges, volunteers and guests are excited about the party being at a beautiful location right on the shore of Pine Lake, where they will be fishing the next day.”
The competition is in two divisions, Evans and Pine. Winners and big bass awards will be given for each lake. The biggest winners, of course, are the people in need throughout the Mahoning Valley who rely on United Way-funded agencies.
Austintowners snag second
Anthony J. Marcello and Gary Gaca of Austintown fished through rainy weather and a highly competitive field of anglers to finish second in the Walleye Madness Tournament May 22 at Mosquito Creek Reservoir.
The winning team boated fish weighing 11.80 pounds, while Marcello and Gaca were just ounces behind at 11.53 pounds. They both brought five-walleye limits to the scales.
Marcello also earned runner-up honors in the big fish competition with a 3.74-pound ’eye.
According to Marcello’s father, Tony Sr., the successful tactic was jigging in 4 to 6 feet of water.