LAST UPDATE 07/10/01
In Fisherman
Professional Walleye Trail

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Saulte Ste Marie July 18-20
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North East Pro/Am

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    Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan....From the famous Soo Locks 
downstream, the top  anglers in the world will be searching for the 
$250,000 prize walleyes.  They will fish a maze of St. Mary's River 
channels, islands and bays in the Mercury/Trilene Northeast Pro-Am, 
July 18-20.

    This will be the second year in a row for the In-Fisherman 
Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) tournament in Sault Ste. Marie. 
Last year's winner  Mike Gofron, Antioch, IL, said, "I'm looking 
forward to coming back.  The crowds were enthusiastic and everywhere 
I went, people were friendly and interested in fishing.  It's a nice 
place to take the family."

    When Gofron, a PWT Championship qualifier every year he's 
fished the tour, speaks, walleye anglers listen.  He has more top 10 
place finishes, 23, than any other pro.  He has won Angler of the 
Year titles and Remington Top Gun honors.  He said, "I expect a 
consistent bite, with the deeper river patterns probably most 
productive."  Gofron, known as a master jig fisherman, will probe the 
river's many rock humps.

    All activities take place at river front Aune Osborn Park 
about a mile east of the Locks.  Weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. daily, 
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, which is a great opportunity to meet 
and greet pro anglers.  Following Friday's weigh-in, nearly $250,000 
will be awarded, including $50,000 to the pro winner and a $12,500 
Lund/Mercury boat package to the winning amateur.

    The PWT is a Pro-Am format, with the pros providing all gear 
and tackle.  Each amateur joins a different pro daily for the world's 
best educational fishing seminar.  Together the pro and amateur try 
to catch six walleyes large enough to win any of the top 30 prizes, 
plus the $5,000 daily Bass Pro Shops big fish awards.

    This is the fifth PWT tour stop of 2001, with the final 
destination, Lake Erie at Dunkirk, NY, in August.  A few amateur 
openings exist in both tournaments, and interested anglers should 
contact PWT Headquarters at 218-829-0620, or check these web sites, 
www.in-fisherman.com or www.professionalwalleyetrail.com for details.

    Leading the In-Fisherman Angler of the Year race is  Kim 
Papineau, Escanaba, MI, one of several Upper Peninsula Michigan 
anglers attempting to keep the Northeast Pro-Am title in the UP. 
Other area anglers with intentions on the top prize include Mike 
McMaken, Cedarville, Rick Erickson and John Hohense, Iron River, and 
Dee Ransom, Sault Ste. Marie.  McMaken, a rookie pro this year, 
considers the tournament as "home waters."

    He said, "I'd like to the the one with the big catch, and 
feel it will take a 4 1/2 pound average to win.  So many spots can 
produce, and if I stay focused on a limit each day and fish my best, 
maybe this will be my chance."

    The PWT is part of PRIMEDIA, Inc., America's leading producer of targeted media headquartered in New York City. PWT sponsors include:  Sault Convention & Visitors Bureau:  800-647-2858

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