Published: June 21, 2009 12:12 am      

Eisenhuth tops Que anglers

Gary Eisenhuth of Johnstown proved the most versatile angler at Saturday’s fourth annual Quemahoning Classic fishing tournament, capturing the Cameron Rozier Memorial Award for catching the most different species of fish during the event.

Eisenhuth caught a mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth bass totaling 571/4 inches.

A total of 44 fishermen participated in the tournament, including 10 youth and four shore fishermen.

Eighteen boats participated.

This was the first year the tournament organizer, the Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project, allowed shore fishing.

“I thought more people would have taken advantage of the shore-fishing opportunity,” SCRIP secretary Melissa Reckner said.

Robert Eisenhuth of Johnstown caught the most total inches of fish with five smallmouth bass measured at

681/4 inches. That carried him to the top of the smallmouth bass division.

Ted Polawowski Jr. of West Mifflin caught four largemouth bass totaling 483/4 inches while Ken Fetterman of South Fork was the only angler to produce a walleye. He caught two, which combined stretched to 32 inches.

Two pike were caught during the tournament. Ben Pastorek had the longest at 20 inches to claim the prize in that category.

Hunter Kish of Colver caught two largemouth bass totaling 251/2 inches to take the youth division.

Reckner said fewer fish were caught this year than in the past, but pointed to the weather, which varied from bright sunshine to heavy rain showers during the course of the five-hour event.

Wind gusts also plagued the competitors.

Sixteen volunteers helped judge the catches while four others played other roles in the event.