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| PWT Crowns Scott Glorvigen 2004 Mercury Champion at Houghton, MI |
Houghton, Michigan - Walleye pro angler Scott Glorvigen won the 2004 In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Mercury Championship. The Grand Rapids, Minn. pro led wire-to-wire, and ended with 32.20 pounds. He limited with four walleyes each day to win the $113,000 first prize. This brings his PWT winnings this year to $139,000, and he is the only angler to win money in every tournament this season.
Glorvigen fished slow with light line, light weights, small hooks and nightcrawlers. "Each time a walleye picked it up, it felt like dead weight; I gave it line, and set the hook. This Championship win is a great feeling," he said. His first place finish included a Lund/Mercury 20-foot walleye boat, $75,000 cash, a diamond and gold ring from Richardson Jewelers and a mud flap from Kwik-Pfyt.
Pushing Glorvigen in a hard charge was pro Gary Parsons, Glidden, Wis. He scored a 6.66 pound walleye, the second largest of the tournament, to nearly eclipse Glorvigen. Parsons finished second with 30.90 pounds, andwon a $44,000 prize. Bozeman, Montana pro Jim Muzynoski claimed a $34,000 third place Lund/Mercury walleye boat prize. He weighed 27.19 pounds.
Muzynoski praised the fishery, saying, "The catch this week doesn1t even come close to what I1ve seen out there. In addition to the big walleyes that kept their mouths closed the past three days, the pike and smallmouth fishing is out of this world." The Mercury Championship contestants fished the Keweenaw Waterway in Michigan1s scenic Upper Peninsula. Several anglers told the cheering fans they would be back this fall.
The Gander Mountain $1,000 Heavyweight award (14.09 pounds) went to Glorvigen. Last year1s Mercury Champion Dan Plautz, Muskego, Wis., won the Coleman Cool Under Pressure $1,000 award for advancing 30 places. The largest walleye of the tournament went to Mike Gofron, Antioch, Ill., with a 7.03-pounder. He won an extra $2,500.
Year-end honors for Glorvigen included the Optima Top Gun $5,000 award for consistency, the highest place average and the Championship victory. The Realtree Sportsman of the Year $500 honors, voted by the Championship contestants went to Ohio pro angler Mark Brumbaugh. The Norb Wallock Memorial Teaching Award of $500, named to honor the late Norb Wallock who died of cancer two years ago went to pro Bruce Samson, Minnetrista, Minn. The Dee Zee VIP award (Very Impressive Pro) of $2,000 went to Ron Gazvoda. He ranked second in the Angler of the Year standings, up from 36 last season.
The Mercury Championship and the entire PWT season will be featured in a 13-week TV series on the Outdoor Channel, starting the last week of September. Shows will air Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. PWT action will also be covered extensively in the Walleye In-Sider magazine and on www.professionalwalleyetrail.
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, E-Z Loader, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net. Copper Country Ford, Moyle Construction, MacInnes Ice Arena and MTU Staff, Best Western Franklin Square Inn & Martineau & Morris Contracting & Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Burreau. |
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| Glorvigen makes history with PWT victory |
 |  |  | Troy Peterson Photo Scott Glorvigen is the only angler to win both the RCL and PWT Championships |
When PWT fans started filling the MacInnes hockey arena on the final day of the 2004 PWT Championship, many were not aware of the sport fishing history they were about to witness. No, not an angler leading all three days of a PWT Championship, although that is a huge feat, but something more impressive.
Yamaha/Lund pro Scott Glorvigen of Grand Rapids, Minn., was on the brink of making walleye tournament fishing history. If Glorvigen won this event he would be the first to win both an RCL Championship, which he did in 2000, and a PWT Championship, which is an unlikely feat in this intense and competitive sport.
As the final day went along, it was obvious there were not going to be any great comebacks. No monster stringers. No Cinderella stories. It was going to come down to Glorvigen and legendary Tracker pro Gary Parsons of Glidden, Wis. who was in second place going into the final day.
The buzz was that Parsons had a big fish and that Glorvigen had a small limit. It would be a squeaker either way.
Both anglers entered the ice rink at the same time. The angler sitting in first place with only two anglers left to weigh-in, Lund pro Jim Muzynoski of Bozeman, Mont., picked a number that decided who would weigh-in first. It would be Gary Parsons.
Parsons lifted one, two and then a third walleye, but that was all. It looked as though Parsons may have just enough since Glorvigen had a small four-fish limit.
Glorvigen then pulled his first fish out of his well, then a second and a third. It was looking grim for Glorvigen, but then he dug out a fat walleye that sealed the deal and catapulted Glorvigen into legendary angler status winning the PWT Championship.
"I am just a Norwegian boy from Minnesota living a dream," said Glorvigen. "I always dreamed of fishing for a living and now I have won this."
Glorvigen credits his Zen-like ability to focus on his surroundings and tune-out outside influences this season.
"I believe in a real process of discovery when I am preparing for a tournament," said Glorvigen. "I like to practice for a tournament by myself. This is not because I am anti-social, but I just feel I can focus better by myself on the water. When you are fishing by yourself, you can focus on everything around you."
"For example, during practice for this event I noticed anglers in a local fishing boat holding up a fish for a photo. I said that is not going to be a bullhead they are photographing and that may be an area to eventually explore. If I was chatting with someone else in my boat I may have missed that opportunity."
Glorvigen, showing a great amount of emotion, credited his brother, Marty, another contestant in the Championship, for his success this year.
"My brother has a lot to do with winning this," said Glorvigen. "If it wasn't for him I would not be here. Marty told me to focus on tournament fishing this season. This has been my best year I have had fishing, beyond a shadow of a doubt and I owe a lot to my brother."
Glorvigen's hot spots were a point on the north side of the ramp in the Boot Jack area and the north bar off Grosse Point.
Finesse fishing proved to be the key for Glorvigen.
"I used pretty light equipment to catch these fish," said Glorvigen. "I was using four and six pound Spider Wire monofilament. I was using a number four or six red hook tied to a 7-foot leader, a number 12 barrel swivel and a 1/16-barrel weight. I would also put a Northland rattle bead on the line to ad sound. I think that was very important in the stained water."
Glorvigen also made sure to use the biggest night crawlers he could find.
"I was using snake-sized crawlers," said Glorvigen. "The big crawlers are what I used in practice and so I stuck with them during the tournament."
With the 2004 PWT Championship completed, Glorvigen reflected on the importance of this victory and his past victory in the RCL.
"When I won the RCL it was the first event where a huge amount of money (Glorvigen won $300,000) was on the line for a pro walleye tournament," said Glorvigen. "That was the start of something very important to pro walleye fishing. Winning the PWT is also huge because it represents all of the anglers that have sacrificed so much to make this sport what it is. Both trophies will be on my mantle place, but the PWT trophy represents all of those who have put so much into this sport." |
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| Scott Glorvigen Holds Top Spot in Mercury Championship after 2 Days |
Houghton, Michigan - In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro angler Scott Glorvigen maintained his lead position at the Mercury Championship. On Saturday, Sept. 18, he landed a PWT limit of four walleyes for 10 pounds, and a combined two-day weight of 24.34 pounds.
The Grand Rapids, Minn. pro fished slowly and played each tick on his nightcrawler as a fish. The walleyes were still �off-bite� following a severe cold front two days ago. However, several anglers began piecing together a game-plan that tightened the race. Pro Gary Parsons, Glidden, Wis., the only two-time PWT Angler of the Year, moved into second place, about two and one-half pounds back.
Pro Brad Davis, Jackson, Wis., and Jim Muzynoski, Bozeman, Mont., hold third and fourth places, with 18 pounds each. Past Championship winner Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., is in fifth with 17.23 pounds. The pros entered the Michigan Tech MacInnes Ice Arena to the cheers of area walleye fans. "The arena should be rockin' on Sunday afternoon," said PWT executive director Jim Kalkofen. "In addition to a great show, the first 1,000 youngsters will receive a free Shakespeare spinning or spincast rod and reel." The show begins at 4 p.m.
The Boat and Sport Show in the adjacent Gates Tennis Center (also free to the public) opens at 10 a.m. Sunday. A wide array of fishing gear and boats will be on display and company reps will be on hand.
Fishing the Keweenaw Waterway and Portage and Torch Lakes had the 52 competitors spread far and wide. They fished for a daily four-fish limit, with a 15-inch minimum. The winner will net a $110,000 prize, and all qualifiers earn at least $2,000.
Big fish of the day was claimed by pro Rick Olson, Mina, SD, with a 5.88 pound walleye, the largest of the Mercury Championship. |
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| No flip-flop at the top, Glorvigen stands firm |
|  | | Troy Peterson Photo PWT Pro Gary Parsons is in perfect position to challenge for the PWT Crown on Day Three |
PWT fans had a feeling early on during the Day Two weigh-in that Yamaha/Lund pro Scott Glorvigen was going to hold onto first place. Glorvigen weighed in a four-fish limit weighing 10.25 pounds today. His closest competitors, Skeeter pro Brad Davis and Lund pro Jim Muzynoski both slipped slightly today going from second and third respectively to third and fourth. Glorvigen's hold looked like it may be in trouble when one of the Dynamic Duo of pro walleye fishing, Tracker pro Gary Parsons, stepped on stage.
The buzz around the docks did not place Parsons in the top five. The talk was of Crestliner pro Dan Plautz bagging a fat limit and a few decent fish being caught by other anglers.
Parsons weighed the day's best bag of walleyes, a four-fish limit tipping the scales at 13.15 pounds, thrusting him into second place. His partner in crime, another legendary Tracker pro, Keith Kavajecz, grabbed the number five spot, putting them within in range of a win.
Evinrude pro Mark Courts and Garmin pro Carl Grunwaldt, both top five placers on Day One, tanked today weighing no fish which opened the door for the current top five to have the best odds of walking away with the PWT Championship title.
Paying attention to the current weather conditions allowed Glorvigen to adjust and keep the lead.
"My first spot did not pan out today," said Glorvigen. "I stayed there for a while, but paying close attention to the weather today I decided to make a run to my second spot. There were variable winds that made fishing tough. The funny thing is that I got to the second spot and my brother Marty was there. He already caught a limit. I caught my limit there within 20 minutes."
Parsons abandoned deep water to find bigger fish.
"After I caught four small keepers yesterday I decided to troll the deeper water in search of one of the 8-to 10-pounders that I thought I would need to win," said Parsons. "I did not have much success. Today I started deep again, but I did not like what I saw. I went shallower and caught four regular fish. That decision made the difference today."
Attention to small details during practice allowed Parsons to move into the number two spot.
"The shallow spot I went to today was an area I found during practice," said Parsons. "I hooked a good fish there during practice. I lost it and never saw it, but it fought like a big walleye, so I just remembered the area. I caught a 26-incher there today and lost a bigger fish."
Both Glorvigen and Parsons want wind for the final day.
"The area I am fishing will be even better if the wind blows," said Glorvigen. "I really hope there is some wind tomorrow."
"Wind will definitely make my area better tomorrow," said Parsons. "Of course, it will also make Scott's area really good."
Muzynoski bags a prehistoric behemoth while trolling cranks.
"I was pulling cranks behind boards today when one of them just got buried," said Muzynoski. "For a minute I hoped for a big walleye, but I just knew there is no walleye powerful enough to pull out 100 or more feet of line and sink the board. When I pulled the fish up it was a huge sturgeon. It measured 60 inches."
Muzynoski did the beefy sturgeon a favor by catching it today after a 20-minute struggle. The powerhouse had a piece of gill net wrapped around its tail. Muzynoski's crankbait snagged the net. After the battle was over the net was removed prior to releasing the fish.
Look for a packed house to rock the final day of the 2004 PWT Championship. Right now, the top five anglers have a real shot at winning the event. Although Glorvigen's lead of just less than 2.5 pounds seems small, the weights tallied so far have been less than monstrous. Look for Parsons and Glorvigen to battle it out to the end. |
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| Slow start for walleye whackers |
|  | | WalleyeFIRST Photo PWT Pro Scott Glorvigen has an early lead on the rest of the field |
Wake up walleye fans, the PWT Championship has begun! This was the longest 52-boat weigh-in in history (just a guess, but it lasted all of three hours). No one set the walleye fishing world on fire with weights, but when Day One of the 2004 PWT Championship was done, Yamaha/Lund pro Scott Glorvigen was solidly in the lead with a four-fish limit weighing 14.09 pounds.
Deer hunting may have helped Glorvigen today.
"I really had to grind them out today," said Glorvigen. "These fish are so fickle. You really have to be patient, like when you are sitting in a deer stand for hours waiting on that buck."
Glorvigen is not using a power presentation to coax his fish.
"I would say I am using a finesse presentation," said Glorvigen. "I am really focusing on specific spots on specific locations."
Evinrude pro Mark Courts is also planning on coaxing less than enthusiastic walleyes to bite.
"These fish are really lethargic, there is an awful lot of enticing I have to do to get them to bite," said Courts. "I am on the right fish, but I only got three bites for 10.67 pounds today. I will definitely have to capitalize on every bite I get."
Lund pro Jim Muzynoski plans on playing things conservatively.
"I am fishing a very conservative approach," said Muzynoski. "I am on a good concentration of fish. I am doing something a little different than the other guys, but I am not ready to tell anyone just yet."
While many anglers are finding plenty of company on the water, Garmin pro Carl Grunwaldt is fishing Huron Bay with only one other angler.
"I am fishing in Huron Bay with only one other guy," said Grunwaldt. "I have located a huge school of fish, I bet there are thousands of them. It is just very tough to get them to bite. I only had four bites all day. I am guessing these fish may be of the night-biting variety. If I can trigger them to bite I think I will catch a heavier weight tomorrow."
No matter how you cut it the weights have been down, but the weather has also been tough. Brutally strong winds blew yesterday, with clear-blue post-frontal skies glowing today. Look for the weights to increase tomorrow when 52 of the top walleye anglers in the world head out for Day Two of the 2004 PWT Championship. |
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| PWT Pro Scott Glorvigen Takes Mercury Championship Lead |
Houghton, Michigan - Day one of the Mercury Championship proved that cold fronts affect even the world1s best walleye anglers. The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) Championship contestants fished the Keweenaw Waterway in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Friday, Sept. 17.
They fished a day after a cold front pushed 55 mph winds through the region and dropped temperatures 20 degrees. Knowing the challenge, most pro anglers slowed down and rigged and jigged nightcrawlers as slow as they could. Leading the way, with an ultra-slow presentation was Grand Rapids, Minnesota pro Scott Glorvigen. His PWT limit of four walleyes weighed 14.09 pounds.
He leads second place pro Brad Davis, Jackson, Wisconsin by nearly three pounds. Montana pro Jim Muzynoski is in third with 10.93 pounds, while Minnesota pro Mark Courts is in fourth with 10.67 pounds. Green Bay, Wisconsin pro Carl Grunwaldt holds fifth place with 10.08 pounds. They are the only pros in double-digits. Half the field had two or fewer fish.
The 51 pro contestants qualified by their success on tour this season. They were joined by the Mercury Top Amateur, Rick Willett-Johnson, Omaha, Nebraska, who blanked on day one. Eighteen pro anglers limited on Portage and Torch Lakes and connecting bays and canals. Keweenaw and Huron Bays were also open.
Glorvigen said, "With stable weather, I expect the fish will get back on their feeding patterns. I feel comfortable in this system; it's a lot like northern Minnesota." Second place Davis said, "My goal is four bites, and get 'em in the boat."
The Mercury Championship includes a Saturday and Sunday Boat & Sport Show presented by Moyle Construction. This will be inside the Gates Tennis Center starting at 10 a.m. each day. The daily weigh-in ceremonies take place at the Michigan Tech MacInnes Ice Arena starting at 4 p.m. All events are free to the public. One youngster was heard to say, "This was like a rock concert, only with fish, and I like fish."
On Saturday, the first 250 youngsters receive free Plano tackle boxes, and Sunday, the first 1,000 kids receive free Shakespeare spinning and rods and reels. |
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| Great Gazvoda ready to rock at PWT Championship |
|  | | WalleyeFIRST Photo 2004 PWT Bay de Noc Champion Ron Gazvoda is on a roll heading into Houghton |
HOUGHTON, Mich.- Last year, nobody thought about Ron Gazvoda of Lakewood Colo., winning the PWT Championship. That is, except, Gazvoda, his wife and his mother. During the 2003 PWT season most folks thought Gazvoda had skills, but was not quite at that breakthrough point.
This year things have changed drastically for Gazvoda. He switched boat companies and now proudly runs a Princecraft. He also focused his efforts on the PWT. These changes led Gazvoda to a run for the prestigious PWT Angler of the Year title, finishing second and won his first pro tournament, the PWT event held in Escanaba.
"I have had a real turn around year," said Gazvoda. "It has been wonderful. I decided to run a Princecraft boat this year and have been very pleased with it and the company. This was a big change from the glass boat I previously ran. Add to this having a chance to win the Angler of the Year title, winning my first tournament and qualifying for the PWT Championship, I have been very fortunate."
Gazvoda is a soft-spoken person who certainly has his fishing priorities in perspective, but he does feel that winning an event going into the PWT Championship will have an impact on his fishing.
"Everything has been kind of fuzzy since winning the event," said Gazvoda. "With all of the interviews I have done, it can give you a big head. I live in Colorado, so when I am on the road I have a lot of time to reflect on what has happened this year. I am trying to approach this championship with blinders on as much as possible and stay focused."
Gazvoda has been impressed with the locals in Houghton.
"These are some of the nicest people you will ever meet," said Gazvoda. "So many of the locals want to help you out and want you to do well. It is great. There are also some Gazvodas who live here. I don't know if I know them, but if they are at the weigh-in, they should stop and say hello."
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| Keeweenaw Cool Down Brings Mixed Predictions From Pros |
|  | | The waterway extends across the Keeweenaw Peninsula from the main waters of Lake Superior to Keeweenaw Bay |
Today's howling winds are pushing clear cold water into the Keeweenaw Waterway system. This has many of the pros fishing the PWT Championship a bit worried. Some feel the colder water may shut the already limited supply of walleyes down, but others don't feel the weather change will have much of an impact.
Evinrude pro Mark Courts of Harris, Minn., feels Thursday's weather will impact the fishing on the Keeweenaw Waterway.
"This wind might just change everything," said Courts. "It really could completely change everything. With the cold clear water that may push into the system, it will make things tough."
Garmin pro Carl Grunwaldt of Green Bay, Wis., feels this year will be tougher for most anglers compared to 2003.
"I just don't feel that the daily weights needed to win will be very high," said Grunwaldt. "I am guessing daily weights of 14 pounds or so might get the job done. The system is tough to fish and the changing weather can make it very tough."
"I am not sure the weather change today will have much of an impact," said Ron Gazvoda. "I feel there is always plenty of current in the open water here and am not sure this will have a big impact. It may shut down the open water bite, but then again it may push fish and bait into smaller more workable areas."
Gazvoda feels most anglers will need to decide their efforts catching the more common 15-to 17-inch keeper walleyes or targeting bigger fish.
"There are quite a few of the smaller keeper fish in this system," said Gazvoda. "But since there is a four-fish limit I do not feel getting a limit of little fish will have the same impact as in other tournaments. I think the person who catches two big fish per day along with a couple of keepers will light it up."
The general feeling is that there are not many fish in the 4-to 6-pound range; instead there are more small fish with the occasional fish in excess of 24 inches.
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