PWT Pros Kemos, Kavajecz, Muzynoski Hold Top 3 Mercury Championship
Spots
With only one day remaining, the top In-Fisherman Professional
Walleye Trail
competitor in the 2006 Mercury Championship is Tom Kemos. His
weights for
the first two days were nearly identical, 12.95 and 13.05 pounds,
for 26
total pounds.
Kemos, from Oconomowoc, Wis., ran down the Missouri River about
70 miles,
and jigged a tiny spot. Interestingly, he was only a few yards
from the
second-place pro Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., who has 24.19
pounds.
Third place pro Jim Muzynoski, Bozeman, Montana, fished about
six miles
above them, for 23.63 pounds. All three were vertical jigging,
as were
fourth and fifth place pros Scott Fairbairn, Hager City, Wis.,
and Dan
Stier, Pierre, SD. The Scheel's Top Five and the next four anglers
already
racked up more weight than the 2002 Merc Championship winning
weight when
the PWT last visited Bismarck, ND in 2002. Kavajecz won that
title.
Troy Walwood, Grand Haven, Mich. landed the Coleman Big Fish
of the
Championship, 6.64 pounds. The E-Cell Heavyweight leader through
two days
is pro Todd Riley, Amery, Wis., who weighed a PWT 4-walleye
limit at 13.39
pounds.
The Chevy Top 25 final day field will head out at 8 a.m. Sunday
with the
temperature forecast at 22 degrees, but see the Mercury rise
to the mid-60's
by weigh-in time. That field includes North Dakota pros Tom
Backer, Fargo,
and Sheldon Meidinger, Bismarck. Last year's Champion Dave Andersen,
Amery,
Wis., is 25th.
The elite Chevy Top 25 include five past Champions, 24 PWT
tournament
winners, six Johnsonville Anglers of the Year, the youngest
Championship
qualifier, Chase Parsons, Brillion, Wis., 23, and the oldest
at 56, Daryl
Christensen, Montello, Wis. One of these men will win the first
place prize
of $100,000.
At Sunday's weigh-in ceremonies inside the Bismarck Civic Center,
the Chevy
Top 25 will return in order, starting with 25th place. Festivities
begin at
5 p.m. with the Bismarck High School New Generation Jazz Choir,
and the
boat/pro/walleye parade at 6 p.m. The adjacent Sport Show opens
at noon.
At 4 p.m., the Lure 'em for Life Sport Show booth is the place
to be for
youngsters. They will pick up gift certificates for Shakespeare
rods and
reels and redeem them after the ceremonies.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications
Network
headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's
leading
producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include:
Mercury
Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries,
Realtree,
MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait,
Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary
Fishing
Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat
Mounts,
E-Village, Kwik Pfyt, Raymarine, Mack's Lures, Rapala, Pflueger,
Ram rod
holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net,
Navionics, Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport
Marketing,
Yo-Zuri , Reef Runner, Bismarck/Mandan CVB, 701.222.4308 and
North Dakota
Tourism, 701435.5663. |