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| South Dakota Angler Mike Kulm Wins $64,000 at Missouri River PWT Tournament |
Chamberlain, SD - Claiming his first In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) victory and $64,000, was pro Mike Kulm, Rapid City, SD. He did it over the course of three days, May 12-14, with 30.40 pounds. Those 15 walleyes paid about $4,300 each at the Trilene/PowerBait Pro-Am Artificial Challenge. Competition took place on the Missouri River at Chamberlain, SD.
The top placing amateur was Paul Kampfe, Sidney, Neb., who towed home a $17,000 Lund boat and Mercury outboard on an Eagle trailer. He also split the big fish $3,000 cash honors with pro Leon Houle, Lino Lakes, Minn. They caught a 9.40 pounder on day one. And, Kampfe and Houle won the Gander Mountain Heavyweight Award of $300 and $500 gift cards.
Kulm, fishing his sixth PWT season, has placed third in 2001, and 10th in 2000, on two Missouri River systems. He currently leads the MotorGuide Western Division. The top 10 divisional anglers at the end of the season qualify for the Mercury Championship. Kulm fished the first two days near the dam, about 20 miles upstream from Chamberlain. He ran three ounce bottom bouncers with crankbaits in the heavy current. On day three this pattern did not work for him, and he jigged the bluffs about three miles south of the dam with Northland FireBall jigs and minnows.
Taking second was pro Jim Randash, also from Rapid City, and a close friend and fishing buddy of Kulm�s. He employed similar tactics for his $20,000 paycheck. Randash is a past Mercury Championship winner. The third place pro, Dave Andersen, Amery, Wis., won $13,000. Gerrick McComsey, Pierre, SD, placed fourth for $11,000, and Mike Gofron, Antioch, Ill, placed fifth, to extend his PWT record with the most top 10 place finishes, 26, of any PWT pro. He won $10,000.
Johnnie Candle won the Coleman Cool Under Pressure $1,000 award for advancing 62 places. He also placed 34th for $2,000. Rookie pro Dan Swanson, Fort Collins, Col., finished 13th and won $4,000, and leads the Stowmaster Rookie of the Year race. Tommy Skarlis, with a $5,000 10th place finish following a win in Wisconsin last month, leads the PWT Angler of the year race.
The PWT Key Award was bestowed on Jessica Schoenhard, Chamberlain/Oacoma Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, for the great treatment shown the anglers and their volunteer efforts. "Chamberlain is one of our favorite sites, with Cedar Shore Resort and marina the perfect location for a tournament. The fishery is the best it�s been, and I want to come back," said winner Kulm. His sentiments were echoed by most pros as they crossed the stage.The tour next stops at Cass Lake, Minn., June 2-4, with headquarters at Stony Point Resort. A total of $280,000 in cash and merchandise is paid out at each stop. For photos, schedules, details and more, check the PWT web site at www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. Pros fish with amateur partners every day of the three day tournaments, and a handful of amateur spots remain at Bull Shoals, Ark., June 23-25.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, The Outdoor Channel, Trilene, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Mr. Clean, PowerBait, Lowrance, MinnKota, Frenzy, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, Beckman, Rejuvenade, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net. and Chamberlain/Oacoma Chamber (605-734-4416). |
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| John Peterson Takes Slim PWT Lead With Consistent Catches |
Chamberlain, SD - Veteran pro John Peterson, Bemidji, Minn., leads the $280,000 Trilene/PowerBait Pro-Am Artificial Challenge in Chamberlain, SD. Fishing the Missouri River proved "interesting" in the steady 20 mph north winds, with temperatures barely edging out of the 30-degree range all day, Thursday, May 13.
Peterson, a past PWT winner and owner of Northland Tackle, fished near the dam, about 20 miles upstream from Chamberlain. On day one, he fished heavy bottom bouncers and floating Rapalas. Today, that pattern didn't work for him, and he switched tactics to 1/4th ounce FireBall jigs, casting them slightly upstream and across current. As they swept down, they fell into small eddies, where the waiting walleyes grabbed the jig and minnow combination.
His total two-day weight of 21.98 pounds is slightly ahead of pro Mike Kulm, Rapid City, SD, with 21.96 pounds. Day one leader Leon Houle, Lino Lakes, Minn., missed a limit, and holds third place with 21.39 pounds. Dale Gilbert, Ulm, Mont., and Mike Gofron, Antioch, IL, are tied for fourth with 19.21 pounds. Winner of the PWT Wisconsin tournament last month, Tommy Skarlis, Walker, Minn., is in sixth place with 19.05 pounds.
Amateur Paul Kampfe, Sidney, Neb., still leads all amateurs, with Jeff Quist, Blair, Neb., close behind. Amateurs fish with different pro anglers each day, for the maximum boat weight, which counts for both. The top 40 amateurs win merchandise prizes, starting with the first place Lund/Mercury/Eagle 17-foot walleye boat worth $17,000. On the pro side, the winner takes home $64,000, with second netting $20,000. The top 40 pros win cash prizes. A total of $280,000 will be distributed immediately following the final day weigh-in, Friday, at Cedar Shore Resort.
The weigh-in begins at 3 p.m., with awards ceremonies starting about 5:30 p.m. Additionally, if the winning pro used Berkley Gulp!, PowerBait or Frenzy crankbaits to catch at least half of the fish weighed, it�s an extra $10,000. Skarlis cashed this bonus check last month.
Big fish went to pro John Bergsma, Walker, Mich., and amateur partner Cody Bohl, Gering, Neb. Their 6.35 pound walleye helped anchor the heaviest day two catch, 12.14 pounds, which vaulted him from 107th place to 53rd place. He has never won the Coleman Cool Under Pressure award, but said he wanted to move even higher in the standings.
The weather remained cold and windy following a severe cold front. Anglers and walleye fans are anxious for day three. The forecast calls for take-off temperatures in the 27-degree range, but with winds blowing themselves out at 10 mph. Afternoon temperatures on Friday will be in the 60's, with plenty of sun. "From long-johns and Gore-Tex to sun-screen, this must be South Dakota," said leader Peterson. "No matter what we wake-up to, I love this river."
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, The Outdoor Channel, Trilene, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Mr. Clean, PowerBait, Lowrance, MinnKota, Frenzy, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, Beckman, Rejuvenade, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net. and Chamberlain/Oacoma Chamber (605-734-4416). |
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| Leon Houle Lands Mega-Walleye; Takes Day 1 Lead at Chamberlain |
Chamberlain, SD - In the tightest tournament in In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) history, veteran pro Leon Houle, Lino Lakes, Minn., took a commanding lead. He did it with the benefit of the largest walleye caught in Chamberlain, SD, in quite a while, 9.40 pounds.
Houle and amateur partner Paul Kampfe, Sidney, NE, took first place in their respective Pro and Amateur divisions with a total of 15.51 pounds. Houle has fished 11 seasons with the PWT, capturing eight top 10-place finishes. He won on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin in 1990. Houle and Kampfe were three pounds better than second place pro Mike Kulm, Rapid City, SD, and amateur Jeff Quist, Blair, NE. Northland Tackle company owner John Peterson, Bemidji, Minn., is in third with 11.51 pounds. He fished with amateur partner Phil Amundson, Sheridan, WY.
Only two pounds separates fourth place from 45th place, and another two pounds separates 45th place from 92nd place. Fourth place pro Rick Gardner, Greeley, CO, and amateur Neil Hodges, Sturgis, SD, made a terrific come-back with 10.09 pounds. They assisted a pro by bringing in his "wet" amateur at 11 a.m., after the boat was forced to beach. They fished in the Chamberlain vicinity for their limit, after sacrificing four hours of fishing time. Pro Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., was the first pro to weigh-in at 9:30 a.m. A third of the boats were already weighed prior to the time the first flight was due.
The PWT limit at Chamberlain is five walleyes per day per boat. Two persons fish together in the Pro-Am format. The story of the tournament so far has been the dramatic shift in South Dakota weather. Temperatures dropped from the mid-nineties a few days ago to 37 degrees at take-off. North winds howling at 15 to 30 mph from the north muddied many popular fishing spots, forcing PWT pros to adjust. They adjusted well, with 74 percent of the partnerships limiting.
The final two days, Thursday and Friday, May 13 and May 14, take place on the Cedar Shore Resort lawn, adjacent to the marina. Stage festivities begin at 3 p.m. daily. Results are posted on the PWT web site, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com, as soon as anglers cross the stage. This, the Trilene/PowerBait Pro-Am Artificial Challenge, is the first stop on the MotorGuide West Division. The PWT tour of six qualifying tournaments and the Mercury Championship includes payouts of more than $2,000,000 this season. The top 40 pros and top 40 amateurs win cash and merchandise at every tournament. |
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| PWT Tour to Invade Chamberlain, SD For Hot Missouri River Walleye Action |
It's May, and the PWT tournament anglers are headed to Chamberlain, SD, for some hot Missouri River walleye action during the Trilene/PowerBait Pro-Am.
The professional and amateur anglers are participating in the $280,000 In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) tournament, one of six national events culminating in the Mercury Championship. A total of $1,800,000 will be paid to touring pros and their amateur partners this year.
Angler of the Year leader Tommy Skarlis, Walker, Minn., and winner of the season opener in Wisconsin two weeks ago heads the field at the May 12-14 Pro-Am. He netted $72,000 at that event, including the special Artificial Challenge bonus award of $7,000. Constructed to honor the winning pro angler if Gulp! or PowerBait was instrumental in half or more of the fish brought to the scales, Skarlis' three amateur partners also won $1,000 each.
The Trilene/PowerBait Pro-Am in Chamberlain will again offer a $10,000 Artificial Challenge bonus. Following the tournament, a special Saturday event for a dozen pro anglers paired with outdoor writers will take place. Only artificials (Gulp!, PowerBait or Frenzy lures) will be allowed.
The MotorGuide West Division will be headed by pro Ross Grothe, Northfield, Minn., who won that division last year. Also fishing are touring pro anglers with prior PWT victories in Chamberlain, Mark Martin, Twin Lake, Mich. (2001), and Tom Backer, Fargo, ND (2002).
A handful of amateur spots remain. Amateur Anglers experience the thrill of tournament fishing with top-ranked professionals. They use the pro's tackle, bait, boats and go to the pro's top spots. To take advantage of this opportunity, contact the PWT at 218-824-2542, or at the PWT web
site: www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. Amateur Joel Doepke, Conover, Wis. said after the recent PWT tournament, "Thank you for a great experience at the Winneconne tourney. It was my first time entering a PWT event (it will not be my last) and I didn't know what to expect. Your team has a first class operation. I was kind of shocked to place that high (second place) and even more shocked to find out my prize package ($4,500 plus $1,500 Mercury outboard rebate certificate). I hope to enter another event this summer." Pro-am partners weigh their fish together and they count for both. The top 40 amateurs win merchandise and gift certificate prizes, including a $17,000 Lund/Mercury walleye boat package for first place.
During the Chamberlain event, daily stage festivities free to the public, take place 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. May 12-14 (Wednesday-Thursday-Friday) on the Cedar Shore Resort lawn adjacent to the marina.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, The Outdoor Channel, Trilene, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Mr. Clean, PowerBait, Lowrance, MinnKota, Frenzy, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, Beckman, Rejuvenade, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net. and Chamberlain/Oacoma Chamber (605-734-4416). |
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