Donna Kolbus 8th Day Interview about 4th Annual Munising Trout & Salmon Classic

Munising, Michigan – Owner of Shooters Firehouse Brewpub in Munising (408 Mill St, Munising) Donna Kolbus talked about the 4th Annual Munising Trout and Salmon Classic that happened May 19th & 20th this last weekend. The fishing derby supports the Munising City Volunteer Fire Department. Fishermen trolled “Lake Superior’s Big Reef & Stannard Rock, which are the world’s premier Lake Trout Fisheries.”

There was a guaranteed $2,000 cash prize for the winners, with over $10,400 in total prizes. Other prizes included door prize for every registered angler, “a Captain’s Meeting on Friday night, and complimentary dinner at the end of the first fishing day.” While currently in its fourth year run by the Munising Fire Department, the tournament previously had been run through the Vietnam Vets, the Legion, and the Moose clue.  2017 had 65 entries, and this year it was expected to be more (later reported to be 66 entries this year).

Donna Kolbus, whose father was fire chief for more than 30 years in Munising, talked about how they remodeled an old car wash into Shooters Firehouse Brewpub, directly across from the current location of the firehouse. The volunteer fire department uses monies raised from sponsorships and a portion of the entry fees to help maintain and buy new equipment as well as pay for other programs.  About 20% of the entries fees go to the Munising Fire Department with the remainder paid as cash prizes.

Entrants come from all over the Upper Peninsula. The Derby is very popular and helps the local economy. Local businesses on Mill Street even shutdown about noon Saturday to free up parking places to support the event.

All the participants and those that donate participate in the end-of-event dinner, so fresh “it’s still wiggling,” says Ms. Kolbus. Instead of live music this year, they had an unlimited, free jukebox and the Cooking Carberry’s will be making their famous Wood Fired Pizzas.

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