Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
Egstad and Withy win Third Qualifier on GNWC¹s Wisconsin Circuit
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
Despite dropping water levels of 6-12 inches the three previous days, Ed
Egstad and Kevin Withy of Lacrosse captured the third qualifier on the
Wisconsin Circuit of the Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) on the
Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien on Saturday with a five-walleye limit
weighing 12.92 pounds.
Egstad and Withy, who cashed a check for $1100 locked up river to the
next pool and found their fish in eight foot of water off a wing dam.
However, the Lacrosse duo had no fish at 10 a.m., but limited out in the
next hour using 3/4 to 1 ounce jigs tipped with leeches.
Second place and a check for $600 went to John Bella from Stevens Point
and Joseph Besieda from Wisconsin Rapids with four fish weighing 11.08
pounds. However, they headed 10 miles down river to a backwater area.
Although they lost lots of jigs to snags, it paid off as they caught their
fish on jigs tipped with either nightcrawlers or leeches.
Clifford Jakusz from Stevens Point and Brad Jakusz from Plover, the
current leaders in the race for the Mercury Team of the Year, not only took
third place with 8.27 pounds, but also captured the Abu Garcia big Fish
Award of two Abu Garcia 6500 Linecounter reels for their 5.51 pound walleye
and the Berkley Family angler Award of $250 in Berkley product for the
highest placing family team.
Instead of livebaiting, the third place team trolled 3/8 ounce
chartreuse Wally Divers in 7-14 feet of water under the Prairie du Chien
bridge. They boated their big fish at around 10 a.m.
According to GNWC Tournament Director Dean Higgins, the competing teams
did well considering the dropping water levels. “Pre-fishing just kept
deteriorating after Tuesday as the water levels dropped. Still these teams
found a way to catch some very nice fish. As for the Mercury Team of the
Year honors, the Jakusz team leads Bella and Besieda by only one point.
Everything will come down to the last tournament at Castle Rock Flowage on
Sunday, July 27.”
Interested anglers can also call 1-800-890-3474 or email the GNWC at
[email protected] for all the latest in GNWC information.
Major sponsoring partners for the GNWC include Ranger Boats, Mercury
Outboards, Berkley, Abu-Garcia, The Sportsman Channel and
UpNorthOutdoors.com.
For those television viewers who do not have The Sportsman Channel and
wish to watch the GNWC’s television series Walleye Wisdom, be sure to call
your cable company or satellite television provider and ask them to include
it in their package.