May 09, 2015 by Montana Cats Staff
05/9/15- Huntley, MT– The week leading up to the 2015 Yellowstone Challenge set up beautifully. Pre-fishing was “off the hook”, coupled with 80 degree temps and bright sunny skies. Everything seemed to be setting up well for the fisherman but then came the dreaded cold front. 80 degree temps were replaced with near freezing temperatures and a dash of rain, however, the frigid temps couldn’t hold back these hardcore Montana Catfishermen from competing in the first Montana Cats event of the season. The drastic shift in temps threw many teams for a loop but others adjusted on the fly and put together some nice baskets of Yellowstone kitties.
Leading the charge was veteran anglers Gary and Spencer Cantrell out Billings. This local duo posted an impressive basket of 29.35 lbs, good enough to bring home the top prize. “We’ve never even placed at this tournament before” Gary explained on stage. Their hard work and perseverance paid off big this year. Cut sucker minnow and an early bite blew away the field by almost 2lbs, not a bad way to make your debut on the awards stage. Nipping at their feet was another local duo, Kevin Howie and Travis Kennedy of Billings. Their 27.27 lb basket helped propel them to runner up finish (after a fifth place finish last year) and was helped in large part by hauling in a 10.70 lb pig, which was also good enough for big fish honors.
Randy Franco and Nick Fortier of Billings have been making the rounds on the circuit since last year and it appears their hard work and dedication is paying off. Randy and Nicks basket of 24.64 lbs. was good enough for third place and are early front runners for 2015 B’N’M Angler of the Year. Another veteran crew of Matt and Zac Bushman broke through this year with an impressive basket 23.12 lbs., and a fourth place finish. Rounding out the top 5 were some familiar faces in Blake and Lidsey Gauer of Park City with 22.95 lbs. Blake has two top 5 finishes for Angler of the Year in 13’ and 14’ and doesn’t appear to be letting up one bit. Congrats to all 60 teams that competed in this year’s event. It was truly a battle of will and wits. Once again the 9th Annual Yellowstone Challenge lived up to its name……CHALLENGE.
Pictures for this tournament can be found here.
| Kevin Howie | 10.79 lbs. | Whisker Seeker Rod/plaque/$100 |
| 1. | Gary Cantrell (Billings, MT) / Spencer Cantrell (Billings, MT) | 29.35 lbs |
| 2. | Kevin Howie (Billings, MT) / Travis Kennedy(Billings, MT) | 27.57 lbs |
| 3. | Randy Franco(Billings, MT) / Nick Fortier (Billings, MT) | 24.64 lbs |
| 4. | Matt Bushman(Billings, MT) / Zac Bushman (Billings, MT) | 23.12 lbs |
| 5. | Blake Gauer (Park City, MT) / Lindsey Gauer (Park City, MT) | 22.95 lbs |
| 6. | Nick Christman (Worden, MT) / Tom Ringo (Billings, MT) | 20.37 lbs |
| 7. | Bobby Wise (BIllings, MT) / Robert Wise(BIllings, MT) | 19.81 lbs |
| 8. | Timber Kolodejchuk (Forsyth, MT) / Michael Shumway (Forsyth, MT) | 19.74 lbs |
| 9. | Rick Davis (Billings, MT) / Bobby Srb (Billings, MT) | 19.65 lbs |
| 10. | Trent Emmett(Billings, MT) / Todd Harmon (Laurel, MT) | 19.57 lbs |
| 11. | Eddie White(Billings, MT) / Troy Warburton (Belgrade, MT) | 19.56 lbs |
| 12. | Brenner Flaten(Glasgow, MT) / Chad Dawson (Dickinson, ND) | 19.31 lbs |
| 13. | Paul Waller (Billings, MT) / Perry Jones (Billings, MT) | 18.76 lbs |
| 14. | Paul Leupke (Billings, MT) / Brian Leupkes (Billings, MT) | 18.16 lbs |
| 15. | Todd Dooley(Sidney, MT) / Sam Syth (Sidney, MT) | 18.03 lbs |
| 16. | Robert Tallent(Forsyth, MT) / Gerald Tallent (Forsyth, MT) | 17.84 lbs |
| 17. | Austin Oblander (Billings, MT) Dan Oblander (Ballentine,MT) | 17.80 lbs |
| 18. | Derek Carda(Sidney, MT) / Adam Smith (Sidney, MT) | 17.73 lbs |
| 19. | Jeremiah Hopstad (Billings, MT) / Justin King (Sidney, MT) | 17.52 lbs |
| 20. | Brady Mueller(Sidney, MT) / Brandon Mueller (Sidney, MT) | 17.52 lbs |
| 21. | James Smith (Billings, MT) / John Butler (Billings, MT) | 17.30 lbs |
| 22. | Levi Krehmeyer (Gillette, WY) / T.J. Larsen (Gillette, WY) | 17.26 lbs |
| 23. | Dan Walter (Shepherd, MT) / Levi Walter(Billings, MT) | 13.61 lbs |
| 24. | Charles Ferguson (Big Timber, MT) / Will Grundhauser (Billings, MT) | 13.13 lbs |
| 25. | Eric Wolff (Billings, MT) / Jordan Hoagland (Billings, MT) | 12.85 lbs |
| 26. | Darin Eschenbacher (Savage, MT) / Jim Wenzel (Sidney, MT) | 12.84 lbs |
| 27. | Wes Urbaniak (Billings, MT) / Ramon Dyba (Miles City, MT) | 11.97 lbs |
| 28. | Rod Seder (Billings, MT) / Rob Seder (Hardin, MT) | 11.43 lbs |
| 29. | Dan Dupea(Billings, MT) / Eli Dupea (Billings, MT) | 10.77 lbs |
| 30. | Bryon Armour (Lewistown, MT) / Ty Thomas (Lewistown, MT) | 10.63 lbs |
| 31. | Kent Hagen (Billings, MT) / Nick Pentas (Billings, MT) | 10.56 lbs |
| 32. | Jordan Van Haele (Decker, MT) / Jim Crawford (Sheridan, WY) | 7.73 lbs |
| 33. | Steve Harris Jr. (Sidney,MT) / Steve Harris Sr. (Sidney, MT) | 6.70 lbs |
| 34. | Kyle Knight (Billings, MT) / Brian Kuykendall (Billings, MT) | 5.92 lbs |
| 35. | George Stuckers Jr. (Sidney, MT) / George Stuckers Sr. (Worden, MT) | 4.20 lbs |
| 36. | Robert Bright (Laurel,MT) / Jerry Wallery (Park City, MT) | 4.10 lbs |
| 37. | Blayze Mikkelson (Shepherd, MT) / Kolter Leep (Huntley, MT) | 3.39 lbs |
| 38. | Ben Unterseher (Billings, MT) / Jeff Unterseher (Glendive, MT) | 2.59 lbs |
| 39. | Shawn Wersal (Glasgow, MT) / Jake Aune (Glasgow, MT) | 1.69 lbs |
| 40. | James Decker(Sidney, MT) / Steve Lowrey (Sidney, MT) | 1.47 lbs |
| 41. | Chad Mueller(Sidney, MT) / Kyle Mueller (Sidney, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 42. | Edward Seiders(Billings, MT) / Wade Bomar (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 43. | Donald Lee(Huntley, MT) / Jared Kidwell (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 44. | Mike McCarty(Huntley, MT) / Alex McCarty (Huntley, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 45. | Jake Smith (Ray, ND) / Travis Nebeker(Williston, ND) | 0 lbs |
| 46. | CJ Truesdale(Miles City, MT) / John Brumbach (Miles City, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 47. | Scott Swanson(Laurel, MT) / Bobbie Swanson (Laurel, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 48. | Robbie Seymour (Billings, MT) / Wayne Wilcox (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 49. | Brad Cole(BIllings, MT) / John Sherwood (Columbus, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 50. | Robert Peterson(Billings, MT) / Logan Rogers (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 51. | Roger Kembel(Billings, MT) / Ian Laroche (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 52. | Mark Striegel(Pompeys Pillar, MT) / Wendell Hays (SAME) | 0 lbs |
| 53. | Grant Emery(Billings, MT) / Jack Black (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 54. | Roger Redding (Billings,MT) / Matt Cool (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 55. | Ray Lambrecht (Billings,MT) / Paxton Lamberecht Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 56. | Scott Schmidt(Sidney, MT) / Shane Litten (SIdney, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 57. | Cory Bushman (Billings, MT) / Sammy Bushman (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 58. | Wylie Warneke (Billings, MT) / Andy Bruesch (Absarokee, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 59. | Tyler Mcelvain (Billings, MT) / John Stark (Shepherd, MT) | 0 lbs |
| 60. | Tina Harkness (Billings, MT) / John Stroud (Billings, MT) | 0 lbs |
Posted in: Yellowstone Challenge
