BRONCATO/MERAVY WIN CABELA’S MWC
PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AND MERCURY MARINE SEASON OPENER
Spring Valley, IL – Illinois residents John Broncato (Coal City) and
Mark Meravy (Shorewood) topped a field of 220 teams winning the Cabela’s
Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) 2003 season opener.
Beginning the MWC’s 19th year, the Progressive Insurance and Mercury
Marine team walleye tournament took place March 22 – 23 on the Illinois
River at Spring Valley, IL, hosted by over 200 volunteers from the Spring
Valley Walleye Club. Mike Hurless served as tournament director.
The winners who weighed nine fish totaling 31.56 lbs. collected
$30,000, which was the highest first place check in MWC history. They
pocketed an additional $1,665 for the heaviest fish weighed the final day, a
5.60 lb. walleye. They were also presented framed walleye pictures by famed
wildlife artist Scott Zoellick. The National Freshwater Fishing Hall of
Fame donated the artwork. The winning team at each of the four qualifying
tournaments will be awarded these pictures.
Meravy stated, “It was a long time coming. It really hasn’t sunk in
yet. We trolled three-way rigs, using 1 ¼ oz. Jigs tied to an eight-inch
dropper line. Chartreuse and pink/white colors worked best. We also tied
minnow imitating crankbaits on 40-inch leaders above the jigs. Most any
color worked, but we got a couple of big ones on the rainbow trout color.”
Broncato added, “We fished downriver in the clam beds. The best bite
started around eleven in the morning both days.”
Second place went to first day leaders Joseph Fisher (Chisago, MN)
and Chad Swanson (Mahtomedi, MN) who weighed an allowable ten fish MWC limit
totaling 27.54 lbs. worth $13,000. They caught the heaviest first day fish,
which was the largest of the tourney, a 7.05 lb. walleye and received
$1,665.
The runners-up used hand reels and trolled Cotton Cordell red/white
colored Snub Nose lures in depths between 13-15 feet. They trolled up-river
stating that boat speed (1 to 1 ½ M.P.H.) was critical.
Third place and $9,500 went to former MWC World Walleye Champions
Donald Solis (Perronville, MI) and Bert Wilson (Gladstone, MI). Their ten
fish weighed 23.45 lbs. The pair fished the power lines area near the Barto
Landing launch site. They trolled a variety of crankbaits from a spreader
rig with a 6 oz. weight.
The top 35 teams shared the $108,000 purse. An additional $8,324
was paid in big fish prizes. Fisher and Swanson received $1,000 for the
highest finishing Ranger Boats’ team in the Ranger Cup series. This team
will also be awarded $300 of product for the highest placing Cotton Cordell
lure team.
River water levels were four feet below normal with water
temperature in the high forties, which are not ideal conditions for
walleye/sauger fishing. Still, 1,152 fish totaling 2,056.82 lbs. were
brought to the scale. All of the fish were transported to the LaSalle Fish
Hatchery by the Illinois DNR fisheries division where they will be stripped
of their eggs and milt for restocking to the river. The MWC Conservation
Fund donated $3,300 to the river restocking project.
The second stop on the MWC will be May 17-18 on Big Stone Lake at
Ortonville, MN. Openings still exist.
A complete recap of tournament results have been posted on the
bulletin board section of the website, http://www.masterswalleyecircuit.com.
Tournament entry forms can also be found on the site.
The top 35 teams shared the full prize money as follows:
1st Place – $30,000
2nd Place – $13,000
3rd Place – $9,500
4th Place – $7,000
5th Place – $5,500
6th Place – $4,500
7th Place – $3,500
8th Place – $3,000
9th Place – $2,500
10th Place – $2,000
11th – 15th Place – $1,650
16th – 20th Place – $1,350
21st – 25th Place – $1,000
26th – 35th Place – $750
for a total of $108,000
Anglers competed from the following states:
Colorado: 3
Florida: 1
Iowa: 29
Illinois: 150
Indiana: 5
Kansas: 2
Michigan: 18
Minnesota: 74
Missouri: 2
Nebraska: 1
New York: 2
Ohio: 2
Pennsylvania: 4
South Dakota: 2
Wisconsin: 145
This season’s tournaments and Championship will be featured on The
Outdoor Channel television network, allowing teams to receive national media
recognition.
2003 CABELA’S MWC REMAINING SCHEDULE
May 17-18 Big Stone Lake Ortonville,
Minn.
September 13-14 Bays de Noc
Escanaba/Gladstone Mich.
September 27-28 Lake Pepin/Miss.River Lake City,
Minn.
World Walleye Championship: Top 40 teams
from the 2002 MWC season, plus top five teams from the Cabela’s National
Team Championship:
October 16-17-18 Mississippi River
Prairie du Chien, Wis.
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