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| Fishing Pro Tommy Skarlis Nets $72,000 With 3rd PWT April Victory in 3 Years |
Winneconne, Wis. - Tommy "Mr. April" Skarlis, won his third In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) tournament in three years, all in April. Skarlis, from Walker, Minn., won $64,000 for the victory, including a Lund boat and Mercury outboard. He scored more walleye weight than the best 120 walleye anglers in North America fishing the Optima/Gulp! Pro-Am. This was his fourth PWT victory.
Skarlis and the field of professional and amateur anglers fished the Wolf River and Lakes Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Mortes from the Winneconne Village Park. Over three days, Skarlis and his three daily partners weighed 30.42 pounds. He also won the $1,000 Gander Mountain Heavyweight award for a 13. 27-pound catch on the final day, April 23.
Another $10,000 special "Artificial Challenge" award from Pure Fishing was paid to Skarlis and his three amateur partners, Randy VandeZande, Waupun, Wis., John Loudon, Moses Lake, Wash., and Matt Ioder, Oregon, Wis. Each amateur won $1,000 and Skarlis won $7,000 because he used Berkley Powerbait on his Lindy Little-Joe MaxGap jigs. He fished mostly on the Wolf River from the Rat River downstream in 10 to 14 feet of water. He also caught some fish trolling in three feet of water on the northeast corner of Lake Poygan.
John Kolinski, Greenville, Wis., was second, only six-tenths of a pound back. He won $20,000. Most of his fish were caught vertical jigging with Lindy Techni-Glo jigs and minnows on clam beds in the Wolf River. Jay Janny, Eagle, Wis., placed third while trolling #5 Shad Raps in blue and white as well as blue and chrome. He ran them 40 feet behind boards in 7-feet of water on Lake Poygan. Janny won $13,000.
Towing home a new 17-foot Lund boat and Mercury outboard was amateur winner Mark Conrad, Wellington, Kansas. His walleye boat package was worth $17,000. A total of nearly $250,000 in cash and merchandise prizes were awarded at the first PWT event of the season. Three special PWT Key Awards recognized the valuable contributions of the Winneconne tournament committee, including Joan Fleischer, Doug Nelson and the entire Village of Winneconne.
The big fish finally showed up with many 5-pound plus fish on the final day, including the largest of the tournament, 6.57 pounds, caught by pro Ken Van Oss, Oshkosh, Wis., and amateur partner Larry Oleson, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. They split $3,000. The Coleman Cool Under Pressure award was won by pro Andy Kuffer for advancing 58 places. He won $1,000. Amateur Earle Edwards, Madison, Wis., won a Gander Mountain $500 gift certificate for advancing 76 places, as the Coleman winner.
Working closely with the local fish-handling and release committee, a new PWT record was set, with 99.99 percent of the 1,168 walleyes released. Another record was set by the pro anglers for their numerous stage compliments about the area residents, businesses and the great time they experienced during tournament-week.
The PWT tour heads west to Chamberlain, SD May 12-14, where a handful of amateur openings remain. To enter, contact the PWT web site at www.professionalwalleyetrail.com, or call PWT headquarters in Brainerd, Minn., 218-824-2542. Other tour stops include Cass Lake, Minn., Bull Shoals, Ark., Cleveland, Ohio, Escanaba, Mich. and the Mercury Championship in Houghton, Mich.
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, Rejuvenade, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Beckman and Stowmaster.net. |
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| Jay Janny Takes Lead in PWT Tournament at Winneconne |
Winneconne, Wis. - "Sticking with a plan is what I do best," said In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro angler Jay Janny, Eagle, Wis. With four fish on day two of the Optima/Gulp! Pro-Am, he took a 2-pound lead, proving that his trolling tactics might push him to his first PWT $64,000 victory.
Janny, one of the most dedicated trollers on tour, found big fish during the practice period, chased those fish and caught the largest walleye of the tournament, 5.73 pounds on day one, and four fish on day two. "After the big blows that turned everything to mud, I was nervous, but I figured things would straighten out," he said. Of the top 32 anglers, he is the only troller.
Another big trolling catch came to the Winneconne Village Park by Andy Kuffer, Fair Haven, Mich., and vaulted him from 100th place to 33rd. He weighed four fish for 12.35 pounds, and won the big fish $1,000 award on day two for a 5.31-pounder.
Second place pro Dan Johnson, Fayetteville, Ohio, was vertical jigging, and found that a combination of a glo-jig with rattles and maribou (orange and yellow) with a jumbo leech worked best. He fished the Wolf River upstream from Lake Poygan, as did third place pro Bill St. Peter, Bay City, Mich. Three Wisconsin pro anglers rank fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, Jeff Taege, Rhinelander, Larry Smith, Berlin, and Gary Gray, Oshkosh.
The PWT is a Pro-Am, and amateurs fish with three pro anglers, who provide the gear, tackle, boat and knowledge. The partners fish together and score their catches together over each three day tournament. The final weigh-in occurs Friday, April 23, in Winneconne, starting at 3 p.m. A total of $250,000 in cash and merchandise will be awarded.
The top amateur will tow home a 17-foot Lund boat with a Mercury outboard on an Eagle trailer. This prize package is valued at $16,000. The top 40 amateurs and top 40 pros win prizes. Leading the amateur division of the Optima/Gulp! Pro-Am is Paul Schaeffer, Waterford, Mich.
The first tournament of the MotorGuide East Division is also an Artificial Challenge, with $10,000 awarded to the winning pro if Berkley PowerBait or Gulp! or Frenzy crankbaits contributed to 50 percent of the catch.
Through two days, the Pro-Am partners weighed 742 walleyes, and 99.99 percent were successfully released with the cooperation of the local volunteer committee.
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, Rejuvenade, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Beckman and Stowmaster.net. |
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| Winneconne Walleyes Tight-Lipped, But PWT Anglers Manage to Score |
Winneconne, Wisconsin.....Facing severe cold-front conditions at the Optima/Gulp! Pro-Am tournament, PWT anglers found the going tough, but not impossible. The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail anglers thought they were in walleye-heaven early in the week with 80-degree temperatures, waters that were ranging more than 60-degrees, and fish biting everywhere.
Then, a Wisconsin cold-front kicked into high gear (50 mph winds, rain, cold, muddy water) just before the first day of competition. Muddy, cool water meant finding post-spawn walleyes migrating or staging, and making precise presentations. Most anglers found numbers of fish in the Wolf River, upstream from Lake Poygan. The water was somewhat cleaner, and the fish were returning from their spawning rituals.
Leading pro John Kolinski, Greenville, Wis., and his amateur partner Paul Schaeffer, Waterford, Mich., caught their six-fish limit by slowly vertically jigging. They weighed 12.76 pounds. Pro Les Vietz, Bismarck, ND, and amateur partner Tony Kolodzik, Omro, Wis., brought a limit of 11.41 pounds to the scales. After trolling with no success, they moved into the river and jigs proved the perfect combination. Holding third place are pro Dan Johnson, Fayetteville, Ohio, and amateur partner Erwin Schuette, Manitowoc, Wis., with 11.09 pounds.
The largest walleye of the day was caught trolling by Wisconsin pro Jay Janny. It weighed 5.73 pounds, and was one of two fish he caught with amateur partner Jerry Osterday, Omaha, Neb. Their fish will be worth at least $1,000. The PWT Pro-Am format allows amateurs to fish in pro's boats, using pro's gear, and fishing for a combined boat-weight.
The event was held in Winneconne Park, just south of the bridge. Despite the blustery day, walleye fans showed up in strong numbers. With improving weather for Thursday and Friday, larger crowds are anticipated. The PWT is conducting its first-ever event at Winneconne, and making many new friends, like tournament coordinator Doug Nelson and Chamber of Commerce representative Joan Fleischer, along with the entire village administration and businesses.
With many able bodies and willing volunteers, the release of all 344 walleyes that crossed the stage was successfully accomplished. "This is our goal, and with so many great people working behind the stage, we hit 100 percent today," said Jim Kalkofen, PWT executive director.
Days two and three take place on the entire Fox River and Wolf River systems and lakes, with daily weigh-in beginning at 3 p.m. The free stage show and festivities are open to the public. The PWT and NPAA youth activities catered to youngsters all week, and many attended the weigh-in. On Friday, April 23, a total of $250,000 in cash and merchandise will be awarded.
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, 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, Rejuvenade, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Beckman and Stowmaster.net. |
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| PWT Top ranked Pros in the month of April |
With the PWT season opener, the Optima/Gulp! Pro-Am, April 21-23 in Winneconne, the attached information may be of interest. Veteran Gary Parsons heads The 10 PWT pro anglers who've scored best in April tournaments. Take a look.
The PWT is a Pro-Am, and a few openings remain at Chamberlain, SD May 12-14; at Bull Shoals Lake bordering Arkansas and Missouri, June 23-25; and on Lake Erie's central basin in Cleveland, Ohio, July 21-23. Entry blanks and other pertinent information are on the PWT web site, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com.
To follow the daily and immediate results, follow along on the Mercury Real-Time Scoreboard at the PWT web site. Scores are posted as soon as pros and their amateur partners weigh their walleyes.
P W T Top-Ranked Pros in April *
From In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Tournament Files
1st : Gary Parsons, Glidden Wis., 22.38 average place finish
(9 top 20�s; including a pair of third place finishes in 13 tournaments)
2nd : Mike Gofron. Antioch, Ill., 23.10 average place finish
(5 top 20�s; in the money 8 of 10 tournaments)
3rd : Kim Papineau, Escanaba, Mich., 31.82 average place fisnish
(5 top 20�s in 11 tournaments)
4th: Mark Brumbaugh, Pitsburg, Ohio, 32.00 average place finish
(6 top 20�s; best Walleye Super Pro average - 6th - of any pro)
5th : Ted Takasaki, Brainerd, Minn., 32.17 average place finish
(6 top 20�s in 12 tournaments)
6th : Ron Seelhoff, Burlington, Col., 34.31 average place finish
7th : Rick Olson, Mina, SD, 35.50 average place finish
8th : Tommy Skarlis, Wa l k e r, Minn., 36.29 average place finish
(two victories in 7 April tournaments)
9th : Perry Good, Brainerd, Minn., 36.69 average place finish
(6 top 20�s; only pro who has fished every PWT e v e n t )
10th : Gary Gray, Oshkosh, Wis., 40.38 average place finish
(5 top 20�s in 13 tournaments)
* with 7 or more tournaments fished (total number of April events-13)
April Tournaments have taken place on Lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake Ouachita, Lake Norfork and Lake Stockton |
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