Canadian Walleyes Responding to PWT Pro Brumbaugh
Ohio Super Pro Mark Brumbaugh retained the lead after two days
in the Lund/Mercury Pro-Am. He added 14.48 pounds in the first
In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail to be held in Canada,
and sits on top of the leader board with 31.03 pounds.
The Super Pro series, presented by MinnKota, is an invitational
for the top performers on the PWT tour. Bill St. Peter, Bay
City, Mich., moved into second place with the Dow Chemical Company
Heavyweight of the tournament, 16.74 pounds. He also took the
lead in the Coleman Big Fish race with a 10.04-pounder. His
two-day total is 27.44 pounds. Bruce “Doc” Samson,
Minnetrista, Minn., holds third place, a pound back of St. Peter.
The Super Pros spread out on Wabigoon Lake and connecting lakes,
mostly fishing shallow rock reefs or casting to the hundreds
of islands scattered throughout the system. Following a 5 a.m.
thundershower, anglers faced cloudy skies and temperatures that
barely eased past the 80-degree mark until 1 p.m., compared
to the mid-nineties of the previous day.
Leader Brumbaugh has two PWT victories to his credit, including
a Mercury Championship a decade ago. He was casting crankbaits
to key reefs and “secret” spots he found in practice.
While the PWT television camera was recording the action in
his boat, a 50-inch musky grabbed on, and after a terrific tussle,
became a TV hero. Anglers reported catching numerous 50-inch
muskies on walleye tackle, and were also landing smallmouth
bass and many northern pike. Brumbaugh said, “I like to
catch big pike, because after I catch a few, the walleyes start
biting; they’re right there with the big pike.”
The weigh-in was held in the Dryden Memorial Arena from 5 p.m.
to 7 p.m., and will again take place Friday. The winners will
be crowned immediately after the final boat weighs. Leading
the amateur/co-angler side is Reid Norine, Oakdale, Minn. Dryden
angler Greg Waites is second, followed by Ontario fishermen
Rick Socholotuk, Ft. Frances, third, and Neil Michelin, Sioux
Lookout, fourth. Waites fished with St. Peter and together,
they caught the big fish. If it holds, Coleman will pay $1,500
to the pro and $500 to amateur Waites.
Dryden Super Pro John Butts came back with 11.43 pounds and
moved from 31st place to 12th place. He said the pros and amateurs
are mighty glad the Lund/Mercury Pro-Am is on Wabigoon, because
they love catching 50 to 100 fish a day. Of the 52 Super Pros,
48 caught limits both days.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications
Network headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, and InterMedia,
America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional
partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance
Electronics, Optima Batteries, Minn Kota, Realtree, MotorGuide,
Johnsonville Brats, Outdoor Channel, Coleman, Northland Fishing
Tackle, The Dow Chemical Company, StowMaster, Reef Runner, Yo-Zuri
Quality Lures, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps,
Yellow Bird Planer Boards, Allstar Graphics, Ram Mounts, Element
Edge, Pflueger, Plano Tackle Systems, Aikens Lake Wilderness
Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, Do-It Molds & Dryden
District Chamber of Commerce, 807.223.2622.
|