FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEU, HOLDEN LAND WAL-MART RCL WALLEYE TOUR LEAD
SPRING VALLEY, Ill. (April 2, 2003) – Anglers fishing the $3.07 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour started the season with a solid catch of 767 fish weighing 1,403 ponds, 14 ounces Wednesday, as 158 of 165 teams brought saugers to the scale.
Patrick Neu of Forestville, Wis., and his opening-day teammate, Dean Holden of Red Wing, Minn., set the pace, but only by a 2-ounce margin. The duo caught a six-fish limit weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces compared to the 18-pound, 6-ounce limit produced by Jeff Manz of Vanderbilt, Mich., and co-angler Dan Miller of Madison, Wis. Ron Gazvoda of Lakewood, Colo., and co-angler Troy Walwood of Grand Haven, Mich., are slightly more than a pound off the lead with a limit weighing 17 pounds, 6 ounces.
“We had a good first day,” said Neu, who has earned two top 10 RCL Tour finishes since the circuit’s debut in 2001. “But I only have a 2-ounce lead, so I have to catch five or six fish weighing about 7 pounds to safely make the cut. My game plan will stay the same, but the river can change daily.”
Calmer than expected southwest winds accompanied by mild temperatures blanketed the area as large schools of sauger, accompanied by the occasional walleye, headed upstream. Top-producing techniques for the day included jigging and trolling with crankbaits, which were the tactics employed by Neu and Holden. As is typical of most river systems, however, water conditions and productive techniques could change drastically as the tournament wears on.
“The bite is pretty tough,” Neu said. “The fish are close to spawning, and patterns are changing. Two days ago the high was 35 degrees, now it’s in the 70s, so the fish don’t know which way to go.”
If Neu can maintain his lead through Saturday, he will collect $90,000 in cash and prizes, including a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha. Holden is fishing for a top co-angler award of $15,000 cash. Pros and co-anglers fish for a combined boat weight and are randomly paired each day.
Rounding out the top five teams were Keith Eshbaugh of West Alexander, Pa., and co-angler James Kraft of Eau Claire, Wis., with six saugers weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce and Mike Schaefer of Fond du Lac, Wis., and co-angler Paul Komp of Shawano, Wis., with six saugers weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces.
Daily takeoffs start at 7 a.m. at Spring Valley Boat Club in Spring Valley. Thursday’s weigh-in starts at 3 p.m. at the boat club, and Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins start at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 1650 38th St. in Peru.
Anglers from 22 states and Canada are competing in the lucrative tournament, which will award $386,000 in cash and prizes to the top 50 anglers. The top 20 pros and top 20 co-anglers advance to the one-day semifinal round Friday based on their two-day opening-round catch. Weights are cleared Friday, and only the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers advance to Saturday’s final round where anglers again start from zero.
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour anglers compete in four regular-season tournaments in their quest to qualify for the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship Oct. 1-4 at Treasure Island Casino and Resort on the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minn. With a total purse of $3.07 million for the season, the RCL Tour is the world’s most lucrative walleye-tournament series.
The tour is administered by FLW Outdoors and named after boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund. FLW Outdoors, the world’s leading marketer of competitive fishing, is named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood. Other FLW Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League for weekend anglers; the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world’s most lucrative bass-tournament series; the EverStart Series, designed as a pathway to the FLW Tour; the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League for weekend anglers; and the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com.
For more information about the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
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