On Tuesday July 18th, 2006, Benzie County Charter Captain Dave Rusch, who’s Boat, the Family Feud, had one heck of a Great Day Fishing off of Frankfort! BIG FISH…BIG FISH ON…was the word of the day!!!

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The Family Feud Captain and one of his Charter Customers, Max Griffith, caught a 2006 “Goliath” sized King (Chinook) Salmon!  The Family Feud landed a huge male Chinook Salmon that tipped the scale at 32# lb.- 12 ounces, and was 43” inches in length.  While the average size of Lake Michigan Chinook (King) Salmon is up this season, this Department of Natural Resources “Master Angler” Qualifying Fish was huge, by all current standards.  Current minimum DNR Master Angler requirements for a Chinook Salmon are 27# lbs. (or 41” inches in length) both of which Captain Rusch’s Monster King exceeded. 

To put this into perspective…only 6 total Michigan Master Angler Awards were applied for during the 2005 Michigan Fishing Season, for the King (Chinook) Salmon category!

Locally, news’s of this catch brought this comment from Brian Murphy, Owner of the Frankfort Tackle Box, “It's been a long time since a fish that size has been caught in these waters. This monster was taken on one of Frankfort’s favorite spoons, the Magnum size Wolverine Silver Streak Glo-Screwball”. 

A Reporter’s call to Tom Rozich, Michigan Central Lake Michigan Unit Manager (Muskegon North to Mackinaw responsibility) for the DNR Fisheries Division, Mr. Rozich suggested “that this fish potentially was the biggest salmon yet caught this season” and a huge trophy, based on the size of this years King Salmon and those over the last several years”.

Mr. Rozich said “ Last year, the largest King Salmon caught in Lake Michigan was 32# lb.- 8 ounces, a fish caught in late August.  This fish, the Griffith fish, weighing in at 32# lb.- 12 ounces in mid-July, surely could have outpaced last years largest King.  These fish can put on a pound a week, weight-wise and potentially, the Griffith fish could have been a 36# pound +plus fish a month from now!  With the catch of this Griffith King Salmon, we feel it is an excellent indication that we will have multiple 30# +plus pound class fish and multiple Master Angler Award Winners this year, once again.  This years Class of King’s are Fat and Sassy…which is a very good thing!!!”

When called, Jay Wesley, the Southern Lake Michigan Unit Manager (Area’s South of Muskegon responsibility) for the DNR Fisheries Division confirmed that “the Family Feud fish is the biggest Fish I have heard being caught on Lake Michigan this Summer, or possibly in the last couple years for that matter, and he stated “that a 28# lb. King, out of the Port of Ludington, was the largest he had heard of so far this year”.  Mr. Wesley went on to say that “the good news is that the average “Chinook Weight’s” are up from the last year, which is great news, and due to a dramatic increase in their food source”. 

Captain Rusch said that “Our Charter Trip was already going very well (11 beautiful Salmon in the Cooler), when we hooked into this monster.  One of my Customers, young Max Griffith of Haslett, Michigan, was on the rod and did a great job battling this huge fish to the Boat.  Congratulations once again Max!”

Max’s Dad, Dale Griffith, was still excited when called at Home one week later.  “Oh, we had such a great time.  Max loves Fishing and this catch was a real thrill, a lifetime memory.  This fish just would not come in.  While Max had his huge fish on, for what seemed like an hour or so, we had other fish hitting our baits.  At one point, we had a “triple header” going, including Max’s monster.  We finally cleared all of the lines and had to begin to try and chase this fish down, in order to land Max’s trophy!  The Family Feud Captain and his Mate did a great job!”

Max, a recent High School graduate from Haslett, will be starting College at Western Michigan University this Fall.  The Griffith Family was in Frankfort Area, with many “Out of State (Iowa)” Family Members, for a Family 50th Wedding Anniversary Party.  Said Mr. Griffith, “All of us were elated with our Charter on the Family Feud, a beautiful 40' Silverton, and with the event of Max’s huge King Salmon conquest.  Frankfort/Elberta and Benzie County are two of our most favorite places on the Great Lakes, and when it comes to Great Lakes Fishing…Frankfort is second to none!!!”