TREMPEALEAU, WI - 33 Walleye Anglers Trail(W.A.T.) teams trekked north to Trempealeu, WI for the 4th tournament of the 2003 Season. This event concludes the qualifying events to set the field for the Season Championship to be held October 4th and 5th, 2003 in Dubuque, IA. The top 25 teams earn their way to the Season Championship event. The teams fished the Mississippi River for a 2-day 2-man tournament, Saturday and Sunday, September 20th & 21st.
33 teams launched each morning from the Lock & Dam #6 boat ramp. Clear early fall skies with temperatures in the mid 40's greeted the participants. The river condition was 65 degrees, good clarity, and two and one half feet below normal pool level due to the lack rain in late summer, contributing to an extremely slow bite. The team of Marty Berns, Dubuque, IA and Jeff Lahr, Dubuque, IA led wire-to-wire, netting 10.86 lbs. on Saturday and 11.36 lbs. on Sunday for a total of 22.22 lbs. to claim the first place check of $1425.00.
Big Fish of the tournament was brought in by the team of Marty Berns, Dubuque, IA & Jeff Lahr, Dubuque, IA on Sunday, a walleye weighing 9.72 lbs. for $260.00.
Complete list of prizewinners:
1st Place: 22.22 lbs. - $1425.00 Marty Berns, Dubuque, IA - Jeff Lahr, Dubuque, IA
2nd Place: 16.81 lbs. - $1000.00 Mike Scarbrough, Waterloo, IA - Tim Ahrens, Waterloo, IA
3rd Place: 15.13 lbs. - $ 580.00 Pete Jopke, Mazomanie, WI - Terry Frey, Black Earth, WI
4th Place: 15.05 lbs. - $ 340.00 Zach Boudreau, LaCrescent, MN - Curt Henderson, LaCrescent, MN
5th Place: 14.91 lbs. - $ 270.00 Art Lehrman, Dubuque, IA - Dale Kruger, Cassville, WI
6th Place: 14.15 lbs. - $ 190.00 Patrick Jensen, Stoddard, WI - Kevin Withey, LaCrosse, WI
Big Fish Awards:
Saturday 1st Big Fish
Mike Scarbrough, Waterloo, IA 5.74 lbs. for $260.00
Tim Ahrens, Waterloo, IA
Sunday 1st Big Fish
Marty Berns, Dubuque, IA 9.72 lbs. for $260.00
Jeff Lahr, Dubuque, IA
According to Executive Tournament Director Harry Miller Jr. and Assistant Tournament Director Robert Schmerbach, all participants displayed excellent sportsmanship and camaraderie even though the pressure was on to catch fish to make the Season Championship. All fish were promptly returned to the water after being weighed at the scale. The W.A.T. is extremely proud of our fisherman and their ability to return over 99% of the fish caught back to the water.
The Walleye Anglers Trail and the top 25 teams now head to the Schmidt Harbor Boat Ramp, Dubuque, IA for the Season Championship on October 4th and 5th, 2003. The Dubuque event will determine the teams that will earn invitations to fish in the 2004 Cabela's National Team Walleye Championship to be held in the June of 2004.
The Walleye Anglers Trail is sponsored by: The Dubuque Advertiser, Miller Electric Supply Inc., Dubuque Electric Motor, Inc., Burnett-Thiel Ford, Walleyecentral.com, Walleyefirst.com.
All Walleye Anglers Trail events are qualifying events for the Cabela's National Team Walleye Championship event. 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 e-mail at [email protected]. |
