LaCrosse, Wi-Dale Kruger, Cassville, WI and Art Lehrman, Sherrill, IA weighed a basket of 4 Walleyes each day for a total weight of 38.60 lbs. to win the Dubuque Advertiser/Burnett Thiel Ford Walleye Challenge a W.A.T. Qualifying Tournament held Saturday and Sunday June 21-22, 2003.
36 teams made the trip to LaCrosse, WI and the Mississippi River. The 7th Street ramp was the official launch site for this 2-day event. Teams blasted off each morning to early summer conditions and a slow bite. Air temperatures warmed each day into the 80's under bright sunshine. The river conditions were a river temperature of 76 degrees, good water clarity and a falling pool level. W.A.T. teams prevailed despite a slow bite due to the extremely warm water temperatures. Executive Tournament Director Harry Miller Jr. working with local DNR officials limited the size of the limit to 4 fish per day.
Kruger & Lehrman lead wire-to-wire as they were the first day leaders with a four fish limit weighing 14.52 lbs.
Complete list of prizewinners:
1st place: 38.60lbs. $1450.00 Dale Kruger, Cassville, WI
Art Lehrman, Sherrill, IA
2nd place: 30.10lbs. $1040.00 Ken Kramer, Holmen, WI
Larry Erickson, LaCrosse, WI
3rd place: 27.74lbs. $ 625.00 Larry Schlueter, Garber, IA
Jerry Manning, Maquoketa, IA
4th place: 23.83lbs. $ 370.00 Jerry Boardmen, DeSotoa, WI
Jeff Redman, Senaca, WI
5th place: 20.99lbs. $ 290.00 Steve Tauscher, Holmen, WI
Scott Strngstalien, Coon Valley, WI
6th place: 20.31lbs. $ 215.00 Robert McKinnon, LaCrescent, MN
Denver McKinnon, Crestview Hills, KY
1st Big Fish-Sat. 6.33 lbs. $180.00 Tim Ahrens, Waterloo, IA
Mike Scarbrough, Waterloo, IA
2nd Big Fish-Sat. 5.81 lbs. $110.00 Steve Tauscher, Holmen, WI
Scott Strngstalien, Coon Valley, WI
1st Big Fish-Sun. 9.76 lbs. $180.00 Dan Kwak, Hickory Hills, IL
Thomas Gemmell, McHenry, IL
2nd Big Fish-Sun. 8.40lbs. $110.00 Dale Kruger, Cassville, WI
Art Lehrman, Sherrill, IA
The W.A.T. now heads to the Mississippi River at Trempealeau, WI for our final W.A.T. Qualifying Tournament, on September 20-21, 2003. Entry is still open with an expected field of 50 boats. In 2002, 33 teams participated in the Trempealeau event.
The Walleye Anglers Trail teams will compete over 4 tournaments for 25 spots in the Walleye Anglers Trail Season Championship to be held on October 4-5, 2003. The top 25 teams in points will earn the right to compete in the year-end event. The entry fee for qualified teams for the Season Championship will be waived. All teams participating will be guaranteed a cash payout.
Official sponsors of the Walleye Anglers Trail are: Miller Electric Supply, Inc., Dubuque Electric Motor, Inc., The Dubuque Advertiser, Burnett-Thiel Ford, Walleyefirst.com, and Walleyecentral.com.
Entry fee for all 2003 events will be $180.00 per team, plus an optional big fish pot of $20.00 per team.
Membership is required to fish in Walleye Angler s Trail events. Membership is $20.00 per person per year. Membership and Tournament information can be obtained by writing to Walleye Angler s Trail at P.O. Box 145, Bellevue, IA 52031 or on the web at Walleyecentral.com or Walleyefirst.com or e-mail at [email protected] |
