Calendar of events	Important information	Calendar of Events	Lodging Information
Pre tournament tips and tactics	1999 tournament sponsors	Pictures	Big fish of the tournament Award

Day 1	Professional  Results	Amateur  Results	Bio Data &  Totals	Big Fish Award	Press Release Tournament Journal
Day 2	Professional  Results	Amateur  Results	Bio Data &  Totals	Big Fish Award	Press Release Tournament Journal
Day 3	Professional  Results	Amateur  Results	Bio Data &  Totals	Big Fish Award	Press Release Tournament Journal

Heavy weight  Award Professional

Heavy Weight Award  Amateur

Coleman Cool Under Pressure  Award Amateur

Coleman Cool Under Pressure  Award Professional

T-H Marine Live Release Award

Press Release Day 1

Fishing the first nice weather-day of the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) season, anglers basked in 75-degrees under a clear and calm sky. This followed a blustery 5-day pre-fishing period on the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin.
Leading after the opening day of the PowerBait/LubriMatic Midwest Pro-Am are pro Dan Glucky, Bismarck, ND and amateur David Pratico, Henderson Harbor, NY. They scored 16.81 pounds with five walleyes/saugers. In second are pro David Blow, Fargo, ND and amateur Roy Littlegeorge, Black River Falls, WI with 15.69 pounds. Both Glucky and Blow are rookie pros, fishing their first PWT season. Pros and amateurs fish together for the maximum boat weight and educational experience. Of the 510 walleyes and saugers weighed, 472 were released, 92.5 percent.   Mike Gofron Antioch Illinois, with a 15.32-pound catch, currently third place, vaulted into the In-Fisherman Angler of the Year lead.  Pool four of the Mississippi River at Red Wing rose approximately six feet after heavy rain in mid-May. Ralph Diercks, PWT committee chairman and long-time area sport shop owner said, “The river is higher now than in the spring floods.” The river crested Sunday and has been slowly dropping since. Some anglers found good fish in the back channels and tributaries, but most fishing was throughout Lake Pepin. Trolling tactics were best producers, although riggers and jiggers accounted for several nice catches.
The PowerBait/LubriMatic Midwest Pro-Am held at scenic Colvill Park will conclude after Thursday and Friday’s fishing action. A total of $204,000 will be distributed Friday. Weigh-in festivities (and a chance to meet the pros and fishing legends like Al Lindner) begin at 3 p.m. daily.
Many walleyes and saugers in excess of four pounds came to the scale. The Bass Pro Shops Big Fish first place award of $1,800 went to pro John Gross, Racine, WI, with an 8.01 pound walleye. Amateur Bruce Nelson, Erskine, MN, caught a 6.44-pounder for $1,100. Third prize of $925 went to amateur Jeff Sterriker, Staples, MN for a 4.95-pound sauger, while $850 and fourth went to amateur David Pratico, Henderson, NY, with a 4.93 pound sauger.
e Red Wing Visitors and Convention Bureau (800-498-3444). Two In-Fisherman Drive  Brainerd MN 56425 218/829-0620  FAX: 218/829-3091 

Big Fish Award Day 1
 

Name and Hometown	Weight	Winnings
John Gross Racine Wisconsin  (Pro)	8.01 lbs	$1800
Bruce Nelson, Erskine, MN, (amateur)	6.44 lbs.	$1100
Jeff Sterriker, Staples, MN, (amateur)  Shorewood Illinois	4.95 lbs	$925
David Pratico, Henderson, NY, (amateur)	4.93 lbs	$850

May 27, 1999

Red Wing, MN . . .
On the second consecutive “summer” day, In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) anglers found willing walleyes in the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin at Red Wing, MN. With quality catches, a father and son hold first and third spots. With light breezes and balmy 75-degree temperatures, the leader of the LubriMatic/PowerBait Midwest Pro-Am is pro Sam Anderson Eagan, MN.  He landed 22.15 pounds today, for a total two-day weight of 36.19 pounds. A number of 20-plus pound weights (6 walleyes and/or saugers) came to the scales.
In second is pro Pete Parkinson, Ankeny, IA, with 35.07 pounds, while Sam’s father David, Apple Valley, MN is in third with 34.19 pounds. Kirk Mitzel, Bismarck, ND is leading the amateur field. Amateurs receive the same weight as the pro they fish with each day. Mitzel fished with David Anderson today. Amateurs are rotated among the pro fields, fishing with a new pro daily.
The second day catch of 538 fish exceeded the first day by 28 fish. Again, more than 90 percent were released alive. Contestants attributed a slowly receding water level and steady weather to the improved catch.
The Bass Pro Shops big fish of the day, and the tournament, was a 10.86 pound walleye caught by amateur Mitzel. It anchored his and pro Dave Anderson’s big catch of 24.94 pounds. Mitzel won $1,800. The second largest Bass Pro Shops big fish was 7.45 pounds. It paid $1,100 to pro Pete Harsh, Sauk Centre, MN. Winning third and $925 was amateur James Weiss, Racine, WI, with a 6.39-pounder. Fourth went to amateur Chris Haley, Bemidji, MN, for a 5.99-pounder. He won $850.
The final competition day will be exciting due to the tight race and quality fishery at Red Wing. Weigh-in festivities and opportunities to talk with pros and learn their river fishing tactics take place at Red Wing’s Colvill Park at 3 p.m. Friday.

Day 2 Amateur Results
 

Big Fish Award Day 2
 

Name and Hometown	Weight	Winnings
Kris Mitzel Bismark North Dakota (Amateur)	10.86 lbs	$1800
Pete Harsh Sauk Centre Minnesota (Pro)	7.45 lbs.	$1100
James Weiss Racine Wisconsin (amateur)	6.39 lbs	$925
Chris Haley Bemidji Minnesota (amateur)	5.99 lbs	$850

Change was the order of the week at the LubriMatic/PowerBait Midwest Pro-Am. The Mississippi River at Red Wing, MN rose six feet as the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) contestants arrived.
Despite falling water levels (2-feet during the event), pro  Pete Harsh, Sauk Centre, MN, captured the $50,000 first prize with 48.93 pounds. The third day start was delayed two hours due to dense fog; just another “change” overcome by the pros.
Harsh fished 2 1/2 minutes from tournament headquarters near the Wisconsin channel. He ran 3-way rigs with a 4-foot leader and  Phelps floater baited with leeches. To keep the rigs on bottom, he used two ounce sinkers at the 7 to 21 foot depths with 11 - 12 feet being most productive. This is his second PWT $50,000 victory in as many years. Harsh has a total of five top 10 PWT finishes in five years.
Second place was a tie between pro Pete Parkinson, Ankeny, Iowa, and rookie pro Dean Miller, Stevens Point, WI, with 44.40 pounds. Each won a $12,500 check.  Ted Takasaki Brainerd Minnesota, 1998 PWT Champion, was in last place after two days, but drew the leading amateur on the final day. With 10.47 pounds and plenty of hard work, Takasaki helped Kirk Mitzel, Bismarck, ND win the $12,500 first place amateur prize. A total of $204,000 was paid out.
Special awards went to Red Wing tournament committee chairman and long-time area sportsman Ralph Diercks. He received the “Key Award.” Lenny Strusz, Red Wing parks manager was recognized with a special award for the scenic site at Colvill Park.
The Bass Pro Shops largest walleye of the tournament paid $2,300 to amateur Mitzel. He weighed a 10.86 pound fish. Final day Bass Pro Shops big fish awards went to pro Gregg LaMere, Gwinn, MI, with a 8.48 pound walleye. He won $1,800. Second paid $1,100 to pro Harsh for a 7.40-pounder. And, amateur Kerry Harvey, Brownsdale, MN won $925 for the third largest, 6.19 pounds. Fourth, $850, went to amateur Tom Phillips, Tulsa, OK with 5.12-pounder.
The heaviest one-day weight, the $500  Heavyweight award, went to pro Dave Anderson, Apple Valley, MN, for his 24.94-pound catch. Amateur Mitzel fishing with him that day won $300. The Coleman Cool Under Pressure award for advancing 70 places went to pro LaMere. He won $1,000. Amateur Harvey won $500 for advancing 75 places.
The $500 T-H Marine Live Release award went to pro Bruce Samson, Cambridge, MN. During the tournament, PWT officials released more than 90 percent of the walleyes and saugers back into the river. Pros fished the channels as well as Lake Pepin, with trolling a favorite lake tactic. Jigs and rigs with  PowerBait and live bait accounted for many of the river fish.
Leading the In-Fisherman Angler of the Year race is pro  Mike Gofron of Antioch Illinois. Gofron and pro   Scott Fairburn Walker Minnesota have cashed checks in each PWT tournament this year. In the DeeZee Western division, pro Dean Miller is on top, while Bill St. Peter, Bay City, MI leads in the DeeZee eastern division. The next PWT stop is in Fond du Lac, WI, with tournament action on Lake Winnebago, June 23 - 25, for the Pinnacle Central Pro-Am. A total of $1,400,000 will

Big Fish Award Day 3
Total Three day pot worth $4,675
 

Name and Hometown	Weight	Winnings
Greg LaMere (pro) Gwinn Michigan	8.48 lbs	$1800
Pete Harsh Sauk Centre Minnesota (Pro)	7.40 lbs.	$1100
Ken Harvey Brownsdale Minnesota (amateur)	6.19 lbs	$925
Tom Phillips Tulsa Oklahoma (amateur)	5.12 lbs	$850

The  big fish of the tournament  wins $2,300 and a graphite replica of his trophy. A duplicate will be enschrined in the Bass Pro Shops Gurnee, IL, store. 

.

Name	City	State	Weight	Winnings
Kirk Mitzel (amateur)	Bismark	North Dakota	10.86 lbs	$2300

1999 Sponsors

Bomber Lures
Coleman	Guest	DODGE TRUCKS
DEE ZEE	T-H MARINE	Lubrimatic