Mr. April Could be Mr. August if
PWT Lead Holds at Bay de Noc
Escanaba, Michigan…..The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail(PWT)pro known as Mr. April is in position to also grab the Mr. August title. Tommy Skarlis, Walker, Minn., with two big catches in a row, leads the Outdoor Channel Pro-Am at Escanaba, Mich. He weighed eight walleyes in two days for a total of 43.66 pounds, with one day to go.
Skarlis won a PWT tournament in Wisconsin this April, his third PWT win in that month. He could become the first double winner in the same season, and he would claim a fifth PWT victory to tie pro Ron Seelhoff, Burlington, Col., who also has five first-place trophies.
The Pro-Am on Bay de Noc followed a record cold period for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, cooling water temperatures and negatively impacting the walleyes. But, by tournament-time, Aug. 26-28, warmer weather and smoother seas allowed the PWT pros to prove their skills. Skarlis and many pro anglers searched the waters south of Escanaba for big walleyes by trolling. They fished a combination of spinners and nightcrawlers for suspended walleyes. Some pros preferred crankbaits. Live bait rigs were used for smaller fish in Little Bay de Noc.
Moving into second place on day two was Ron Gazvoda, Lakewood, Col., with 39 pounds. Five pounds back is Charlie Johnson, Merrifield, Minn. Day one leader, Danny Plautz, Muskego, Wis., slid to fourth place with 33 pounds. Two-time PWT winner Scott Fairbairn, Hager City, Wis., is in fifth. On the amateur side, Aaron Martin, Warren, Mich., leads.
Big fish of the Pro-Am weighed 11.49 pounds, and boosted Larry Smith,Berlin, Wis. all the way to 57th place with one fish. It could be worth $2,500. A total of nearly $300,000 will be awarded Saturday, immediately following the weigh-in at Escanaba Municipal Marina. The top amateur wins a $17,000 Lund boat with a Mercury outboard on an E-Z Loader trailer. The top pro wins $64,000 including a Lund/Mercury boat.
A host of year-end awards will be made, including the $25,000 Angler of the Year honors, currently led by Skarlis. The qualifiers for the Sept.17-19 Mercury Championship will be announced Saturday, also. That event will be held on the Keweenaw Waterway in Houghton, Mich.