By Lee Duracz

Ron Fabiszak and John Gipson - 1st Place

As the name suggests, the Polar Bear Opens started their season on a day made just for them.

With winds howling out of the northwest, gusts pushing over 40 mph and falling wind chills into the 20s, there were still nine teams crazy enough to show up and brave the elements on Lake Maxincukee last Sunday.

There were four limits weighed with the top honors going to the Team of Ron Fabiszak and John Gipson with a limit tipping the scales at 11.79 pounds. They were using A-rigs and single Swimbaits to land their mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth. They also took the big critter honors with a 2.36-pound walleye. They were rewarded with $260 for their efforts in the Polar Bear and an additional $600 for also winning the Straight Money tournament that was hosted alongside the Polar Bear tourney.

Second place went to Clint Marler and Phillip Duracz who also reported success on swimbaits with a bag weighing in at 10.44 pounds anchored by the big bass of the tournament which was a 3.14-pound smallmouth. They earned $145 from the Polar Bears and an Additional $200 from the straight money.

Other award winners were Jeremy Bunnell and Lee Duracz who won a custom FishStyx custom fishing Rod in the Pre-Tournament drawing as well as being nudged out of second by .06 pound. Andy Buss with Jim Wheeler earned the Lucky Spot award for 5th Place in the Straight Money tournament getting them $80.

The next Polar Bear open is scheduled for this Saturday from 7:30-2:30 at Diamond Lake in Cassopolis. Another FishStyx custom rod will be given away in a pre-tournament drawing.