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| North Dakota Pro Takes PWT Tournament Lead on Kentucky's Lake Cumberland |
Lake Cumberland's reputation as a striped bass factory is taking a back seat to walleyes this week. The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) pro anglers moved into Kentucky for the Realtree Pro-Am.
Pro leader Myron Sylte, Williston, ND, weighed the heaviest 5-fish basket of the tournament, 17.94 pounds today, to take the lead with 27.11 pounds. He eclipsed day one leader Marty Glorvigen, Grand Rapids, Minn., who holds second place with 26.32 pounds. Shannon Kehl, Menoken, ND moved into third place with a total of 25.41 pounds.
This is Sylte's fifth season on tour. His best finish to date is ninth in 2003, when he qualified for the Championship. This season, he is fishing all six PWT qualifiers. Lake Cumberland is the third tournament, with two events in Michigan (Saginaw Bay, June 29-July 1 and Sault Ste. Marie, Aug. 24-26), and a tournament July 27-29 at Mobridge, SD, remaining. The Mercury Championship takes place on Milford Lake near Junction City, Kansas, Sept. 16-18.
Pros and their amateur/co-angler partners fished from Burnside downstream to Wolf Point Dam, and many of the creek arms in the 70- mile stretch of Lake Cumberland, which is surrounded by scenic and wild country. They caught 204 walleyes on day two, compared to 184 on day one. The 2-day average is 2.35 pounds. Through the first two days, the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife biologists released all but six walleyes. Pro John Weston, Syracuse, NY and amateur Terry Richerson, Campbellsville, KY, caught the Coleman Big Fish of day two. It weighed 5.71 pounds and was worth $1,000.
The final day weigh-in activities Friday, June 3, take place at the KOA Campground just up from Alligator Dock # 2, and east of Russell Springs. The first boat will roll through about 3:30 p.m., with approximately $300,000 to be awarded to the top 40 pros and 40 amateurs/co-anglers.
The PWT works closely with the Russell County Tourist Commission (888-833-4220) and these business partners: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, E-Z Loader, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Save Phace, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Access Roll-up Cover, Yellow Bird, DOW Chemical, Dave's Lures, The State Bank Group, Yo-Zuri and Reef Runner. 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.
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| PWT Pros Explore and Find Kentucky's Lake Cumberland Walleyes; Shannon Kehl Wins |
The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro anglers tackled Kentucky's Lake Cumberland June 1-3. They searched the main lake and dozens of creek arms for walleyes. Locating a limit each day won the $63,550 first prize of the Realtree Pro-Am for pro Shannon Kehl, Menoken, ND.
This is his second PWT victory in nine seasons. Back in 1996, Kehl won a tournament at Saginaw Bay, Mich. He also won Rookie of the Year honors and was named the Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year that season. He has qualified for the Mercury Championship each of the nine seasons he fished. This win places him in the elite Championship field set for Milford Lake, Junction City, Kansas in September.
Pro anglers enjoyed the scenery of Lake Cumberland, and complimented the Russell County Tourist Commission and volunteers at Alligator Dock # 2 and # 1, and their many new friends and walleye fans. Kehl said, "This place holds lots of walleyes and thousands of spots to catch them." Winning PWT Special Achievement honors were James Flatt, general manager of Alligator # 2 and his employees; Portia Gosser, executive director of the Tourist Commission and Larry Gillock who was instrumental in bringing the PWT to Lake Cumberland.
The winning amateur, Mike Johnson, Niagara, Wis., towed home a $17,000 Lund/Mercury walleye boat on an E-Z Loader trailer.
Most contestants ran spinners with either PowerBait, Gulp! or night crawlers in 10 to 20 feet of water. Pro Myron Sylte, Williston, ND finished second and won $19,550. Some anglers like pro Daryl Christensen, Montello, Wis. (finished third and won $12,550), cast crankbaits at the limestone banks.
The pros shared their tactics with the fans. They also personally instructed their amateur/co-angler partners. More than half the field of amateurs and co-anglers was from Kentucky. The Kentucky PWT State Walleye Champion went to the top-ranking amateur/co-angler from the state. The winner, Dan Kolczak, Somerset, was second in the Realtree Pro-Am ($4,500). For winning the State Walleye Champion award, he received a Fenwick walleye rod and reel from 2004 Mercury Champion Scott Glorvigen and 2004 Angler of the Year Tommy Skarlis.
Special awards went to Chuck Emery, Dana Point, Cal., for the Gerbing's Hot Pro award of a new electric heated suit and $500. This award recognizes the pro making a move to the top and "hot" at the moment. The Navionics Spot on the Spot $500 award went to Marty Glorvigen for fishing only special rubble "chunk-rock" piles along the limestone shorelines. He concentrated on those key, but tiny areas.
The Coleman Big Fish award of $1,000 on day three went to rookie pro Chase Parsons, Appleton, Wis., and amateur partner Tim Wilson, Lexington, KY. Their walleye weighed 5.50 pounds. Parsons also won the Dave's Ka-Boom Close Call Award of $500 for finishing 41st, and three one-hundredths of a pound out of the "money."
Holding the lead in the 2005 Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year race is pro Todd Frank, Pulaski, NY. Pro Bill Ortiz, Richland Center, Wis., and Mark Brumbaugh, Arcanum, Ohio trail him closely. During the awards ceremony, Mike Gofron, Antioch, Ill, placed sixth. This was his 30th top-10 PWT finish, establishing another new record. Pro Tom Backer, Fargo, ND won the Coleman Cool Under Pressure award for advancing the most places. Mike Dever, Bargersville, Ind., won on the amateur/co-angler side.
The next PWT tour stop is in Bay City, Mich., June 29-July 1. Information about entering or viewing more walleye news is available on the PWT web, www.professionalwalleyetrial.com.
The PWT works closely with the Russell County Tourist Commission(888-833-4220) and these business partners: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, E-Z Loader, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Save Phace, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Access Roll-up Cover, Yellow Bird, DOW Chemical, Dave's Lures, The State Bank Group, Yo-Zuri and Reef Runner. 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. |
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| Interview With Jim Kalkofen, Executive Director of the In Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail |
In Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Realtree Pro-Am, Lake Cumberland, KY
Prefishing:
WF: The fishing has been reported to be slow, what have you hear?
Jim: There are quite a few Pros on the fish. It is part of the process to not talk a lot about fishing success during pre-fishing, some anglers actually sandbag to put others off the mark, mess with their potential game-plans. I know of one 12# fish that was caught, and many of Pros who are on good limits.
WF: How are conditions on Cumberland for the event?
Jim: The water is cool, so there is no thermocline set up yet. The fish are scattered, and water temps from what I saw yesterday were 68 to 73 degrees.
Day One:
WF: How many total fish were caught today, Jim?
Jim: 184. The Kentucky Fish and Game tell us that all but one were returned alive! The total is better than we did at Bull Shoals, but the average fish weight is a little lower because of the 15 inch PWT minimum.
WF: It seems from the conversation on stage that many of the anglers did well today in areas they had pre-fished, found fish, but did not catch many before Day one. What do you attribute the better bite to?
Jim: Overcast, the rain and cloudy conditions today. That might have helped! There were 184 caught today, and all were released alive but one with help from the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service.
Day Two:
WF: Jim, this is a very interesting fishery. The Kentucky Fisheries folks say Cumberland has the best population of Walleyes it has ever supported. Of course, it is a huge body of water, so there is a lot to learn during pre-fish. How does the In Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail select Tournament sites; what are the parameters followed?
Jim: The PWT selects Tournament locations by location, the fishery, and the schedule. The schedule is reviewed with our PWT Pro Angler Advisory Council, and this year, our Saginaw Bay Advisory Council meeting is dedicated to looking at the 2006 schedule, locations, and individual event dates.
The PWT goal in site selection for both the 3 event each East and West divisions is to assist in spreading the Walleye gospel throughout the Country. The PWT Pros fish waters that might traditionally be considered on the fringe of the well known Walleye world. We have taken the PWT to New York, Arkansas, Montana, Kentucky, Illinois, North Dakota, and many other states, occasionally even challenging the traditional timing in some of those locations. A good example would be Winneconne in April during 2004 and the Fox Chain this April, and the event we held on Lake St. Claire.
Location requirements also include enough room for parking, power at the weigh-in site, plenty of room for the stage, enough volunteers from the local community, and in-kind services. The PWT brings a tournament to the community with the goal of promoting the fishery, the area, encouraging mutual promotion of the tournament site and the PWT.
The In Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail does not request any fees from the communities we select to host a PWT event.
WF: How many fish were caught today, Jim?
Jim: 204 were brought to the scale, and all but five were successfully released back into Lake Cumberland. There was some serious movement on the Leaderboard today! Tomorrow is going to be interesting; this tournament is very close right now.
WF: Jim, thanks for the interview!
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| Lake Cumberland High Water Challenge |
DNR Biologist John Williams gave the anglers a rundown on the fishery. Lake Cumberland's walleye average 17 - 22 inches and weigh two to four pounds. Those sizes are typically two and three year old fish. The statistics indicate a 5-fish limit would weigh 10 - 15 pounds.
Because of unusually high water, the rivers feeding into Lake Cumberland are carrying with them a huge amount of trash. Apparently, there is some sort of a local dump that is washing into the fishery. Some of the items spotted so far include 30 basketballs, 40 - 50 tires with rims, a hot water heater, a refrigerator, and railroad ties.
All that junk makes for treacherous travel for the anglers.
Top that off with very few fish being caught, and we have the makings for what one angler called, "the worst conditions in 22 years."
For some, catching 10 pounds of fish in one day will be a pipe dream. Many guys have been here for a week to ten days and have only caught three fish in that time.
As with every tournament, no matter the conditions, the cream always rises to the top and a handful of talented anglers may bring in a limit. Look for a possible repeat of the FLW event on Bull Shoals, with a lot of long faces and only a few smiling ones.
 |  |  | Pro Mark Martin feels a couple of fish per day will get you far at Cumberland (WalleyeFIRST Photo) |
Martin Confident
Sure, Lund/Mercury pro Mark Martin has been at the tournament game for many years. His confidence spills over after numerous high finishes and a couple of wins on the PWT. This week, any angler with even marginal confidence is something to behold.
"I've had some good practice days," he said. "I feel like I can weigh a fish or two a day and have shot at doing well. Realistically, any angler who weighs a couple of 2-pounders per day is going to be in the money. I think I can do that."
He's using his Lowrance electronics and Navionics chips to zero in on productive stretches he's visually picked out.
"I've used my electronics to confirm my suspicions about certain areas," he said. "I see an area of shoreline that looks good and I use my Navionics and Lowrance gear to zero in on the structure. It's about a 50/50 chance that a walleye will be there."
One-two punch combo working for Martin
"It's going to be weird out there," he said. "It's been taking a one-two punch to make the fish go. I search with one technique and get them to go with another."
|  | | PolarKraft Pro Kevin Schweder believes limits will be scarce at Lake Cumberland (WalleyeFIRST Photo) |
Martin's call is for the winner to have a total weight in the 20-pound range.
Schweder Doubtful
With just a few fish to show for a week of practice, Polar Kraft pro Kevin Schweder is a big believer in Lake Cumberland's walleye population.
"A fish per day will cash a check," he said. "If someone comes in with a decent limit tomorrow, I don't doubt that they will win the event. It's that bad out here.
"There aren't many active fish," he said. "I'll just go trolling and cover water. It's gonna be a crapshoot."
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| Quick Bites- 2005 PWT Lake Cumberland |
Dean Miller knows there are big fish in the system. "I didn't catch it, but someone who I work with caught a 31-inch walleye in practice. Maybe if the PWT fished here at night it might be a good tournament. Somebody somewhere will catch them."
The weigh-in will feature a drive-up format. This means the anglers will have their rigs driven to the stage to take the fish directly from the live well to the scales. |
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| PWT Pro Marty Glorvigen leads Realtree Pro-Am in Kentucky |
This week the big news from Kentucky's Lake Cumberland is walleyes.
Traditionally, this massive reservoir is known for striped bass, but when the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) arrives, walleyes become the talk of the town.
Mercury Verado pro Marty Glorvigen, Grand Rapids, Minn, leads the pro field. He weighed 14.11 pounds with amateur partner Dennis Anderson, Lexington, KY. In second and third place are past Championship winners, Mike Gofron, Antioch, Ill with 13.75 pounds, and Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis. with 12.61 pounds.
The fourth place pro with 12.12 pounds is David Andersen, Amery, Wis. Past Johnsonville Brats Anglers of the Year hold fifth and sixth places. Shannon Kehl is in fifth with 11.82 pounds. He's from North Dakota. Rick Olson, Mina, SD holds sixth with 11.73 pounds.
Anglers fished from Alligator Dock # 2 in Wolf Creek, upstream to Burnside. Some ventured west towards the dam. They fished Lake Cumberland's creeks and main lake points, primarily with Berkley PowerBait and night crawlers on spinner rigs. A total of 11 limits came to the scale, and the total of 184 fish averaged 2.34 pounds. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife fisheries department released all but one walleye. The Coleman Big Fish, 7.06 pounds, was worth $1,000 for pro Barry Walker, Big Springs, Neb. and amateur Floyd Flanagan, Jamestown, KY.
Pros found fish despite a late spring, high water, spawning shad and no established thermocline. "Wait until next month," said Glorvigen, who has 31 money finishes in 68 PWT events. His highest finish was a second place at Saginaw Bay, which is the next stop on tour. A handful of amateur/co-angler spots remain at that event. Amateurs fish with a different top-rated pro daily over the 3-day tournament.
The final two days of the Realtree Pro-Am take place Thursday and Friday, June 2-3, with awards following Friday's weigh-in. The festivities take place at the KOA Campground, just out of Russell Springs, starting about 3 p.m. Walleye fans are invited to attend the free festivities, and on Friday, they will learn where and how to catch Lake Cumberland walleyes.
The PWT works closely with the Russell County Tourist Commission (888-833-4220) and these business partners: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, E-Z Loader, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Save Phace, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Access Roll-up Cover, Yellow Bird, DOW Chemical, Dave's Lures, The State Bank Group, Yo-Zuri and Reef Runner. 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. |
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