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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Martin Leads Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit Finalists
bay city, Mich. (June 28, 2002) — Mark Martin of Twin Lake, Mich., will lead 10 Pro Division anglers into the final round of the $346,000 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit regular-season finale on Saginaw Bay after landing five walleye weighing 36 pounds, 5 ounces Friday with co-angler Rodney Nutt of Greenville, Mich.
The duo’s catch was the result of trolling with planer boards and crawler harnesses along a primary shipping channel. If Martin can duplicate his performance Saturday, he stands to win more than $90,000 in cash and prizes, including a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha. Nutt will be fishing for a top award of $15,000 cash.
“I feel real confident,” said Martin, who is making his third RCL top-10 appearance in just two seasons. “I have a secondary spot that is just terrific. We made a pass through there [Friday] and hooked three fish in just 15 minutes.”
Pro John Gillman of Freeland, Mich., and co-angler Rock McGilliuary of Watertown, S.D., advanced to the final round in the No. 2 position with five walleye weighing 33 pounds, 11 ounces.
Rounding out the top five qualifiers were pro Terry Wilson of Powell, Wyo., and co-angler Mark Hull of Youngstown, Ohio, with five walleye weighing 32 pounds, 8 ounces; pro Todd Frank of Pulaski, N.Y., and co-angler Art Madajski of Au Gres, Mich., with five walleye weighing 29 pounds, 6 ounces; and pro Dean Arnoldussen of Kaukauna, Wis., and co-angler Jay Ahonen of Ortonville, Mich., with five walleye weighing 29 pounds, 6 ounces.
Competition resumes at 7 a.m. Saturday at Hoyles Marina in Linwood, Mich., followed by a 3:30 p.m. weigh-in at the Bay City Wal-Mart located at 3921 Wilder Road. Catch weights will be cleared with the winners determined by the weight of Saturday’s catch.
Directed by FLW Outdoors and named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world’s most lucrative walleye fishing series. The circuit features four regular season tournaments each with a $346,000 cash purse and a championship with a $1.4 million cash purse. Cash payments are presented through 50th place.
Following this event, 200 pros and 200 co-anglers from the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit and other sanctioned tournament organizations and events will compete in the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship for a top pro award of up to $400,000 cash and a top co-angler award of up to $150,000 cash. The championship will be held on the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minn., Oct. 2-5. Green Bay hosted the Wal-Mart RCL Championship last season when Dean Arnoldussen of Kaukauna, Wis., won $400,000 and instantly joined the sport’s top all-time money winners.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit are Wal-Mart, Castrol, Conseco, Crestliner, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Lund, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Snickers, Stanley, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Berkley, Eagle Claw, Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.
Semifinal Round ResultS — June 28, 2002
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit: Saginaw Bay, Bay City, Mich.
Pro Division
Place
Name
City, State
Caught
Lbs.
Ozs.
Winnings
1
MARK MARTIN
TWIN LAKE, MI
5
36
5
0
2
JOHN GILLMAN
FREELAND, MI
5
33
11
0
3
TERRY WILSON
POWELL, WY
5
32
8
0
4
TODD FRANK
PULASKI, NY
5
29
6
0
5
DEAN J ARNOLDUSSEN
KAUKAUNA, WI
5
29
6
0
6
TODD RILEY
AMERY, WI
5
29
0
0
7
ROBERT LINKEWITZ
NEW BALTIMORE, MI
5
28
14
0
8
JOHN CAMPBELL
WALKER, MN
5
28
8
0
9
SCOTT ALLAR
WELCH, MN
5
27
5
0
10
PATRICK NEU
FORESTVILLE, WI
5
24
9
0
11
TED MERDAN
MAPLE GROVE, MN
4
23
2
5000.00
12
TOM KEENAN
HATLEY, WI
5
21
5
5000.00
13
CHRIS BAHL
SIDNEY, NE
5
20
10
5000.00
14
DAVE SCROPPO
TRAVERSE CITY, MI
5
19
11
5000.00
15
JEFF RUSSELL
GRAND HAVEN, MI
3
18
1
5000.00
16
TIM MINNEMA
MARKESAN, WI
5
16
11
4000.00
17
JASON W KANISZEWSKI
AU GRES, MI
3
15
11
4000.00
18
MIKE GOFRON
ANTIOCH, IL
3
13
1
4000.00
19
RON SEELHOFF
BURLINGTON, CO
2
9
9
4000.00
20
RON GAZVODA
LAKEWOOD, CO
0
0
0
4000.00
Co-angler Division
1
RODNEY NUTT
GREENVILLE, MI
5
36
5
0
2
ROCK MCGILLIUARY
WATERTOWN, SD
5
33
11
0
3
MARK HULL
YOUNGSTOWN, OH
5
32
8
0
4
ART MADAJSKI
AU GRES, MI
5
29
6
0
5
JAY AHONEN
ORTONVILLE, MI
5
29
6
0
6
GREG DARSOW
BILLINGS, MT
5
29
0
0
7
MICHAEL FLOETER
LINDEN, MI
5
28
14
0
8
KENNY HENEXSON
THORNTON, CO
5
28
8
0
9
KELLY KLEMM
WHEATON, MN
5
27
5
0
10
THOMAS NORDYKE
NEWPORT, MI
5
24
9
0
11
BRIAN BLISKE
GREEN BAY, WI
4
23
2
1000.00
12
TRAVIS BUSET
FORT GRATIOT, MI
5
21
5
1000.00
13
MEL REICHLING
WATERTOWN, SD
5
20
10
1000.00
14
MARLIN KROONA JR
CHAMPLIN, MN
5
19
11
1000.00
15
RYAN MISKOVICH
PENGILLY, MN
3
18
1
1000.00
16
KEVIN SCHWEDER
JANESVILLE, WI
5
16
11
900.00
17
KEITH STRAUSS
SYRACUSE, IN
3
15
11
900.00
18
TONY JAWORSKI
CHICAGO, IL
3
13
1
900.00
19
GABE MISKOVICH
PENGILLY, MN
2
9
9
900.00
20
JOHN MAY
FORESTVILLE, WI
0
0
0
900.00
For complete results, visit FLWOutdoors.com.