Chad Morgenthaler Team Tournament For Special Olympics 08/28/2010

5 Saluki Bassers took time off the water to help with a charity tournament on Rend Lake which was the Chad Morgenthaler 5th Annual Special Olympics Bass Tournament. The tournament was a buddy tournament with the proceeds going towards the Special Olympics. This year’s tournament raised more than $32,000 for Special Olympics Illinois, bringing the five-year total to $133,000. If you don't know about the tournament or haven't fished it I recommend it. This tournament is about helping out a good cause and there is a free dinner the night before with a goodie bag and a action with fishing stuff. FLW pro Chad Morgenthaler and Guido Hibdon were there fishing in the contest as well, with each team trying to prove that they have what it takes to beat a team of professional fishermen. Vice President of the club Bryan Partak participated in this tournament for the cause that the money was going towards the Special Olympics. Bryan a Special Education major said that he felt obliged to fish this tournament because it dealt with his major in school and would help with what he believes in. Bryan finished 12 out of a 82 boat field beating the pros, he weighed in a 5 fish limit for a weight of 12.01 pounds. Although his goal was to catch a limit of 5 bass with a total weight of 13lbs they came just shy of it. But great job Bryan and keep chasing those dreams. Dominick DiNovo, Nate Bochniak, Clayton Black, Joe Fleischauer and Ian Fryers sacrificed their free weekend by volunteering at a tournament instead of spending it on the water. The group arrived at the Rend Lake Marina with the intension of working and seeing big bags of bass brought to the scale. The work consisted of putting together the goodie bags of tackle if you beat the team of pros, handing out weigh in bags, releasing the caught fish, checking in boats, and taking down the weigh in station. The group had fun they got to check out a new Phoniex bass boat that was brought to the event, that offered free test rides. They also got to meet and talk to both Chad and Guido and ask question related to the fishing field. They finished the day off by stopping by McDonalds to get something to eat and talk about the stories at the tournament. All in all the group had fun minus some of the members who had their hands cut up pretty bad by handling the fish while releasing them. The group said that they were glad that they decided to take the day off and volunteer at the event and that they would do it again next year.