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| Bay de Noc Giving Up Dandy Walleyes at PWT |
The leaders changed spots, with big walleyes ruling day two of the Outdoor Channel/Optima Batteries Pro-Am in Escanaba, Mich. Taking the prestigious leader's role was In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro Greg Yarbrough, Port Clinton, Ohio.
Yarbrough weighed the Dow Chemical Company heavyweight catch of the tournament with five walleyes for 25.25 pounds. His trolling program will be explained in detail when he crosses the stage at the Escanaba Municipal Marina Friday afternoon. The pros will talk about their winning tactics and hotspots and share details with walleye fans. The weigh-in begins at 4 p.m., and concludes with the awards ceremonies.
Yarbrough is no stranger to PWT events, with second and third place finishes previously. He holds a seven-pound lead over second place pro Bill Hall, Algona, Iowa. Hometown favorite Kim "Chief" Papineau, Escanaba, is in third, one pound behind Hall. Pros Barry Walker, Big Springs, Neb., and Scott Glorvigen, Grand Rapids, Minn., are fourth and fifth, within a pound of Papineau. The top five weights range from 37.06 to 45.77 pounds.
The Pro-Am format pairs one amateur with one pro each day of the PWT event. Amateurs learn about tactics and all the details necessary to improve their fishing. Leading on the amateur side is Tony Berube, Mundelein, Ill.
Pro Mark Martin, Twin Lake, Mich., and amateur Don Alimenti, Escanaba, took over the Coleman Big Fish lead with a 29 � inch walleye that weighed 10.59 pounds. Many walleyes in the seven to nine pound range came to the scales. Under the state regulations, each boat could bring in two walleyes in excess of 23 inches and three from 15 to 23 inches.
In addition to watching the stage show, walleye fans climbed the rock wall and caught catfish. The Outdoor Channel sponsored these free family events. Those activities will be open Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Complete scores are listed on the PWT website, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com Mercury Real-Time Leader board as anglers cross the stage. Check this site for photos, news, rankings, Regional series (presented by Motor Guide) standings, and more.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, and InterMedia, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, Optima Batteries, Minn Kota, Realtree, Motor Guide, Johnsonville Brats, Outdoor Channel, Coleman, Northland Fishing Tackle, The Dow Chemical Company, StowMaster, Reef Runner, Yo-Zuri Quality Lures, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps, Yellow Bird Planer Boards, Allstar Graphics, Ram Mounts, Element Edge, Pflueger, Plano Tackle Systems, Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, Do-It Molds, Delta Chamber of Commerce, 888.335.8264 and Bays de Noc Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800.533.4386. |
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| Wisconsin Pro Wins PWT Squeaker at Bay de Noc |
The weather was perfect; the fish were big; the Bays de Noc were fairly calm; the Escanaba, Michigan crowds were huge; and the pros brought the fans to their feet with big catches. Leading the way was winning pro John Schneider, Shawano, Wis. He pocketed a Lund/Mercury 1900 walleye boat worth $41,000 and $24,716 cash and a special In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail watch from Escanaba's Richardson Jewelers.
Schneider trolled rock humps in 13 to 20 feet of water with number five Northland bluegill fish pattern blades with nine purple beads for his big fish, along with a chunky, well-conditioned night crawler. His best speeds were 1.2 to 1.5 mph. For his "slot" fish from 15 to 23 inches (each boat could only bring two walleyes over 23 inches to the scales daily), he ran the same combination, but with a size four blade and only five beads and a crawler that was pinched off. He continuously varied speeds on his Minn Kota engine mounted trolling motor. "Without my Lowrance Electronics on the dash, I would not be on this stage," he said.
The second place pro was Steve Bohn, Unionville, Mich. He missed winning by one-tenth of a pound, but collected $17,638. Schneider weighed 60.22 pounds while Bohn had 60.11 pounds in the Outdoor Channel/Optima Batteries Pro-Am, part of the MotorGuide Regional series. Pros fished with a different amateur daily, and the winning amateur was Warren Kuhl, Sr., Frankenmuth, Mich. He won a $19,000 Lund/Mercury walleye boat.
Pro Tom Gatzke, Merrill, Wis., finished third with 58.73 pounds to win $12,738. He also earned the Dow Chemical Company Heavyweight $1,000 award, with a 25.94 pound limit on the final day. Greg Yarbrough, day two leader, Port Clinton, Ohio, was fourth with 57.30 pounds to win $9,799. Hometown favorite Kim "Chief" Papineau, Escanaba, was fifth with 55.65 pounds and won $9,309.
Pro Mark Martin, Twin Lake, Mich. and amateur Don Alimenti, Escanaba, won Coleman Big Fish honors with a 10.59-pounder. Martin netted $1,500 and Alimenti got $500. Pro Doug Coley, McHenry, Ill., won the Coleman Cool under Pressure award, and amateur Ken Bundy, Pulaski, NY advanced 100 places to win on the amateur side. The second thru sixth place amateurs received rebate gift certificates from Mercury in addition to their PWT merchandise and prizes.
Under great weather and mild conditions, pros were able to fish both Big and Little Bay de Noc, and the Michigan waters of Green Bay. Interesting statistics of the tournament: three 10 pound walleyes came to the scales; nine pros caught limits all three days; water temperatures were in the mid-70's; anglers actually were searching for "smaller" walleyes to round-out their limits, and had better luck with those over 23 inches. The average fish to the scales was 3.41 pounds. A record 810 youngsters climbed the Outdoor Channel rock wall and kids also had fun at the catfish pond.
Complete scores are listed on the PWT website, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. Check this site for photos, news, rankings, Regional series standings, and more.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, and InterMedia, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, Optima Batteries, Minn Kota, Realtree, Motor Guide, Johnsonville Brats, Outdoor Channel, Coleman, Northland Fishing Tackle, The Dow Chemical Company, StowMaster, Reef Runner, Yo-Zuri Quality Lures, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps, Yellow Bird Planer Boards, Allstar Graphics, Ram Mounts, Element Edge, Pflueger, Plano Tackle Systems, Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, Do-It Molds, Delta Chamber of Commerce, 888.335.8264 and Bays de Noc Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800.533.4386.
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| Schneider On Top at Bay de Noc |
Weather was not a factor for travel at the 2007 In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Regional on Bay de Noc, but three days of light and shifting winds had anglers scrambling for a consistent bite in the waters of Northern Green Bay.
Shawano, WI Pro John Schneider found a consistent pattern, and weighed 23.43 pounds on the final day to eek out victory by a mere one-tenth of a pound, with a total weight of 60.22 lbs of walleyes for three days.
In what has become standard operating procedure on Bay de Noc, the tournament became a battle of the big slots. Schneider was able to bring his two big "overs" to the scales each day, and three good slot fish under 23 inches on the first and final days of the event to secure the win. Schneider was fishing crawler harnesses in areas several miles north of the southern tournament boundaries, as were several other pros including Day Two leader Greg Yarbrough.
Schneider had the fend off Steve Bohn, who weighed 24.93 lbs (60.11 lbs total) on the final day to climb into second, and second-year pro Tom Gatzke, whose 25.94 lbs (58.73 total) launched him into third.
Day Two leader Greg Yarbrough had his two fish over 23 inches early, but was unable to get his slot fish, and fell to fourth.
Local Escanaba, MI pro Kim "Chief" Papineau finished fifth, weighing 117.95 lbs (55.95 total) with 38.00 total pounds.
Chase Parsons finished sixth with 19.03 lbs on day three (55.50 lbs total). Parsons caught his fish all three days trolling crankbaits all alone in an area with his dad, Gary Parsons.
Jim Carroll (6th, 18.65 lbs, 54.96 total), Chad Schilling (8th, 18.05 lbs, 53.64 total), Gary Parsons (9th, 20.46 lbs, 50.59 total), and Ernie Olson (10th, 22.26 lbs, 50.13 total) rounded out the top ten. |
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| Near Perfect Limit Puts Yarbrough On Top |
Greg Yarbrough weighed the heaviest basket of the tournament thus far, 25.25 lbs of Lake Michigan walleyes, to take almost a seven pound lead on Day Two of the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Regional in Escanaba, MI. Yarbrough's limit is about as good as it gets, considering three of those walleyes are under the 23" slot limit.
Two pros with Day-One weights in the high teens, Bill Hall, (second with 39.96 total) and Kim "Chief" Papineau, (third with 38.00 total) also pulled bags over twenty pounds, weighing in 21.04 lbs 20.72 lbs respectively.
Barry Walker weighed 18.80 lbs (37.84 total) to slide into fourth.
Scott Glorvigen, fifth, matched his Day One weight of 18.75 lbs with a 18.13 limit (37.06 total) on Day Two.
Day One Leader John Schneider weighed two fish for 15.16 lbs (36.79 total) and fell to sixth.
Chase Parsons holds seventh with a five fish limit weighing 18.84 lbs (36.47 total). Jim Carroll (8th, 22.07 lbs, 36.31 total), Chad Schilling (9th, 20.28 lbs, 35.59 total), and Steve Bohn (10th, 19.97 lbs, 35.18 total) complete the top ten.
The majority of the field trolled crawler harnesses in the Michigan waters of Northern Green Bay and Big Bay de Noc, in areas up to 40 miles away from the launch site at Escanaba harbor.
The day's big walleye was caught by Mark Martin, and weighed 10.59 lbs. |
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| PWT Pros Return to Bay de Noc, Michigan |
The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail anglers are in Escanaba, Michigan. They're searching both Little and Big Bay de Noc and the nearby Michigan waters for the monster walleyes living in the Bays.
The Outdoor Channel/Optima Batteries Pro-Am gets underway Wednesday, Aug. 8, with daily weigh-in and stage shows at 5 p.m. each day through Friday Aug. 10. On Friday, during the awards ceremony, the top anglers in the regional series presented by Motor Guide will be announced, with the top 20 qualifying for the prestigious Mercury Championship.
All activities, including opening ceremonies, weigh-ins and the PWT Outdoor Festival presented by the Outdoor Channel, occur at the Escanaba Municipal Marina. The Festival with a free rock climbing wall and a free fishing pond for youngsters opens daily at 2 p.m. Walleye fans learn from the pros as they cross the stage and talk about their experiences on the Bays. On Friday, pros share their winning tactics and secrets.
Previous Regional series tournaments were held on the Missouri River in Chamberlain, SD, with pro Bob Propst, Jr., Bode, Iowa, winning for the second year in a row. Then, the tour moved to central Wisconsin, out of Winneconne, on the fabled Lake Winnebago system and the Fox and Wolf Rivers, where pro Gary Parsons, Glidden, Wis., won. The third leg of the Motor Guide Regional series occurred on Minnesota's Mille Lacs with rookie pro Steve Bradt, Hudson, Wis., claiming the $66,000 victory. The Regional pro wins a Mercury-powered Lund boat worth $41,000, plus $25,000 cash. The top 30 places win cash.
The Pro-Am format allows amateurs/co-anglers to fish with the pros (a different pro each day) and use the pro's gear, tackle boat, and knowledge. The pros make all decisions on where to fish, how to fish and when to change directions or spots. Amateurs learn by being within 20 feet of them all day. The top amateur wins a Lund/Mercury boat valued at $19,000. The top 30 amateurs all win merchandise prizes provided by PWT sponsor-partners.
Pro Pat Neu, Forestville, Wis., last year's PWT Rookie of the Year, will defend his Bay de Noc title, knowing that a system as dynamic as Bay de Noc does not guarantee anything, even to a past winner. "It will take more work this year, and you can bet I'll be looking for more of the big fish that gave me the victory last season," Neu said.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, and InterMedia, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, Optima Batteries, Minn Kota, Realtree, MotorGuide, Johnsonville Brats, Outdoor Channel, Coleman, Northland Fishing Tackle, The Dow Chemical Company, StowMaster, Reef Runner, Yo-Zuri Quality Lures, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps, Yellow Bird Planer Boards, Allstar Graphics, Ram Mounts, Element Edge, Pflueger, Plano Tackle Systems, Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, Do-It Molds, Delta Chamber of Commerce, 888.335.8264 and Bays de Noc Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800.533.4386. |
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| PWT Day One Highlights, Bay de Noc |
 |  |  | John Schneider on Day One |
John Schneider, Shawano WI did what few others could on PWT Day One; catch big fish in a north wind. The prevailing winds shifted on the morning of the PWT launch out of Escanaba, MI, shutting down what had been hot patterns for many anglers.
Schneider, the runner-up of last year's FLW Walleye League Championship held on Bay de Noc, and co angler Ron Gordon kept four fish weighing 21.63 lbs. Their weight was one-half pound better that second place Bob Propst Jr's five fish limit weighing 21.10 lbs. Propst was the Day One leader at last year's PWT event at the same location.
Pro Greg Yarbrough holds third with a five fish limit weighing 20.52 lbs. Bobby Crow (4th, 20.16 lbs), Danny Plautz (5th, 19.52 lbs), Rick Olson (6th, 19.13 lbs), Barry Walker (7th, 19.04 lbs), Scott Glorvigen (8th, 18.75 lbs), Tom Kemos (9th, 18.62 lbs, ), and Nate Seiferlein (10th, 18.37 lbs) complete the top ten.
The majority of the field trolled crawler harnesses in the Michigan waters of Northern Green Bay and Big Bay de Noc, in areas up to 40 miles away from the launch site at Escanaba harbor.
The day's big walleye was caught by Tom Kemos, and weighed 10.14 lbs. Nate Provost weighed the day's second largest walleye at 9.99 lbs. |
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| Wisconsin Rookie Takes PWT Lead at Escanaba |
In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail anglers had a leisurely troll on Bay de Noc Wednesday, Aug. 8. They completed day one of the Outdoor Channel/Optima Batteries Pro-Am under sunny skies and modest breezes.
Leading the final regional series (presented by MotorGuide) tournament of the season is rookie pro John Schneider, Shawano, Wis., and amateur Ron Gordon, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. They weighed four walleyes for 21.63 pounds. Pro Bob Propst, Jr., Bode, Iowa and amateur Bruce Frevert, Centerville, Iowa fished together in the random draw event, for second place, 21.10 pounds. The race is tight, with 16 pros and amateurs within four pounds of second place.
The PWT daily limit is five walleyes to the scales. Two of those may exceed 23 inches, and the other three must be between 15 and 23 inches. The Coleman Big Fish of the day was 10.14 pounds caught by Tom Kemos, Oconomowoc, Wis. and amateur Barry Kuhl, Flushing, Mich. They are in ninth place with two walleyes that weighed 18.62 pounds.
Most anglers trolled spinners and night crawlers from just under the surface to the bottom. Some anglers preferred trolling crank baits. However, some pros ventured into Little Bay de Noc, and fished with jigs around the rock reefs, docks, pilings and structure.
In addition to fine walleye fishing, the fans climbed the rock wall and caught catfish in the events sponsored by the Outdoor Channel. Those activities open Thursday and Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Weigh-in ceremonies and stage excitement begins at 4 p.m. daily, at Escanaba's Municipal Marina.
Photos and complete scores are featured on the PWT website, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. Scores are also posted on the Mercury Real-Time Leader board as anglers cross the stage.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, and InterMedia, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, Optima Batteries, Minn Kota, Realtree, MotorGuide, Johnsonville Brats, Outdoor Channel, Coleman, Northland Fishing Tackle, The Dow Chemical Company, StowMaster, Reef Runner, Yo-Zuri Quality Lures, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps, Yellow Bird Planer Boards, Allstar Graphics, Ram Mounts, Element Edge, Pflueger, Plano Tackle Systems, Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, Do-It Molds, Delta Chamber of Commerce, 888.335.8264 and Bays de Noc Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800.533.4386. |
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