“Final Results of the PWT Tournament!”

Escanaba, Michigan……With winds howling at 25 mph and skies filled with lightening, In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) directors canceled the final tournament day at Escanaba, Mich.
“Waves were building to more than four feet off Portage Point,” said PWT tournament director Charlie Moore, after he ran about five miles into the Bay. He also noted, “The forecast was for 25 mph and stronger southwest winds.” He noted that two-thirds of the field fished the Cedar River vicinity or Big Bay de Noc, a run of 25 to 30 miles from the Escanaba Municipal Marina.

Tournament directors met with the PWT Advisory Council members, advising them of the decision. “Safety is our Number One concern, and being safe means these men and women can fish another day,” Moore said. With the cancellation, pro Andy Kuffer, Fair Haven, Mich., day two leader, was named the winner of the Lowrance/Lund North Central Pro-Am. He won $64,500, for his first PWT victory. This is his fourth top 10 place finish in 21 PWT events. He ran spinners and nightcrawlers in the Big Bay de Noc Round Island area. “After catching two big fish on day two, I went to my ‘small fish’ spot and got all my slots (under 23 inches) and an 8-pounder. It was a good decision,” Kuffer said.

Kuffer also advanced 25 places in the Dee Zee East Division to qualify for the Mercury Championship, set for Sept 12-14, at Houghton, Mich. Dave Kraft, Bismarck, ND, leads the East Division top 10 into the Championship. A total of 51 anglers will compete, with a $1,000,000 prize available from Quantum Performance Tuned rods and reels if the Michigan walleye record, 17.3 pounds, is broken.

Of those fishing the entire PWT tour, pro Bill Ortiz, Dodgeville, Wis., claimed the Angler of the Year title. “With the $25,000 prize from PWT and $10,000 from Mercury Marine and sponsorship contingencies, this is a quarter million dollar payday,” he said. This season he finished in the money at every tournament (2nd, 6th, 15th, 16th, 34th and 36th, for total earnings of $73,700. He has a previous PWT title, and in nine years of PWT competition has won a total of $200,000. If he also wins the Championship, it’s another $250,000 from Mercury. Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., 2002 PWT Champion and Angler of the Year leader going into the Escanaba tournament, finished second. Gary Parsons, Glidden, Wis. was third.

Final tournament results put John Gillman, Freeland, Mich., and Pat Schuette, Manitowoc, Wis., in second and third, for their biggest PWT checks to date, $20,000 and $13,000, respectively. The top three anglers weighed 48.04 pounds, 40.98 pounds and 39.74 pounds. Amateur Bob Kubacki, Eagle River, Wis., won the Lund 17-foot walleye boat with a Mercury outboard on an Eagle trailer, a $15,500 prize.

Many walleyes in excess of seven pounds came to the scales for the Miller Big Fish awards, including a 9.46-pounder, which paid $3,000 to pro Ronnie Rhodes, Lorain, Ohio, and amateur Wally Thiel, Heartland, Wis. Kuffer and amateur John Matchinski, Manistique, Mich., won $1,000 for their 9-pounder on day one. Kuffer and Matchinski won $500 and $300 for their Gander Mountain Heavyweight award caught on day one, 27.36 pounds. Eric Naig, Cylinder, Iowa, won the $1,000 Coleman cool Under Pressure award for advancing 92 places.
Other year-end results included naming the pro Rookie of the Year. Kevin Schweder, Janesville, Wis., won that honor for placing 12th, 20th and 68th this season, winning $7,000. He also qualified for the Championship. Also Championship bound is the Mercury Top amateur Aaron Abaurrea, Fargo, ND, who will represent all amateurs, and compete with the pros. His goal is to turn pro in 2004, but the schedule has been moved up seven months.

The PWT web site, http://www.professionalwalleyetrail.com, contains results and statistics, along with photos and information about the anglers. A Mercury Real-Time Scoreboard posts results as soon as anglers weigh their fish. More details will be posted as the Championship approaches.

Delta County Chamber of Commerce executive director Vickie Micheau and Great Lakes Sportfishermen fishing club representative Tom Polkey received PWT Key Awards for their year-long support and commitment to bringing the tournament to Escanaba. They headed up the local organizing efforts, and directed hundreds of volunteers. Local businessman, Jeff Richardson, owner of Richardson Jewelers, donated PWT Bulova watches to the top five pros and the top amateur. At the Mercury Championship, he will donate a $3,000 diamond and gold ring to the winner.

The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America’s leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, Trilene, PowerBait, Realtree, Miller High-Life, Nissan, Frenzy, Lowrance, MinnKota, Optima Batteries, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, DeeZee, Cotton Cordell, Seal Skinz, Aqua-Vu, IMCO, Plano, KeepAlive, Stowmaster.net, Quantum Performance Tuned rods & reels and the Delta Chamber of Commerce 1-888-335-8264.

Hey is that the Eric Naig we know?