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Big haul at Logan Luft Memorial Fishing Tournament

  • Press photos by John Burbridge NICE CATCH: Silas Cleveland, center, stands in the boat he landed after winning the grand prize at from the Logan Luft Memorial Fishing Tournament, Saturday at the Charles City Elks pond. Pictured with Silas is Logan’s surviving immediate family, from left, mother Wendy, sister Lilly, brother Landon, and father Leonard.

  • Cael Rahnavardi, center, placed second in the Logan Luft Memorial Fishing Tournament and won a fishing guide tour. Also pictured are the surviving members of Logan’s family, from left, sister Lilly, mother Wendy, brother Landon, and father Leonard.

  • Jacob Winters casts a line with 10 minutes left on the clock during the tailend of the Logan Luft Memorial Fishing Tournament.

  • Jacob Winters casts a line with 10 minutes left on the clock during the tailend of the Logan Luft Memorial Fishing Tournament.

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — For an avid fisherman like Jon Linde, the photo would have likely caught his undivided attention anyway.

It was a snapshot of Logan Luft displaying a trophy-size bass he caught. It ran in numerous publications and online sites shortly after the Charles City 15-year-old died in an ATV accident during the Fourth of the July.

“It hit home for me,” Linde said. “I love to fish. I have four kids who — like Logan — love to fish, too.

“Seeing that photo just made me feel the pain his family must be going through.”

Linde knew the Luft family. Wendy, Logan’s mother, is Linde’s realtor and both of their families attend the same church.

“I decided to approach the family about doing a memorial fishing tournament,” Linde said. “They agreed so we put this together.”

The Logan Luft Memorial Fishing Tournament took place Saturday at the Charles City Elks Lodge pond. The turnout of nearly 200 anglers throughout the day was a pleasant surprise to the organizers.

“When Jon came up with this, I thought, ‘Well, it will be a nice get together with a few family and friends’,” Wendy Luft said. “I didn’t expect this outpouring of people and support … we met someone who drove three hours to be here.

“We met so many new people. I saw new friendships being made. I saw a lot of amazing things today.”

Wendy’s husband, Leonard, saw a somewhat amazing thing himself when he just so happened to be in the right spot to witness 9-year-old Silas Cleveland haul in what would be the winning catch.

“I was just talking to his dad and I turned to see this big fish flopping on the surface and this little guy reeling it in,” Leonard said.

It was a 3-and-a-half pound bass that was good enough for the grand prize — an aluminum fishing boat fitted with an outboard motor, a trolling motor and a trailer to boot.

For Silas, though, it was just another day at the pond.

“Nah, I caught much bigger,” Silas said. “My biggest is a 21-pound bass.”

Coming in second was Osage 14-year-old Cael Rahnavardi, who won a Kevan Paul’s Fishing Guide tour package.

“Yeah, I’m a wrestler, too,” said Rahnavardi, who was a good friend of Logan’s as they both were aspiring club wrestlers. “You must have known from my ears.”

All the prizes, including the raffle prizes, were donated from local businesses and individuals.

“There was just an outpouring of support once we decided to put this together,” Linde said. “The Elk’s were great for letting us use their pound.

“About the only thing we had to pay for was the food.”

At the end of the tournament, Wendy addressed the participants and volunteers.

“People have told us that we must be the strongest family in the world,” she said, “but we couldn’t have gotten through this without the help of people like you.”

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