Mumm, Voigts Take Clear Lake Title
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
Battling the effects of a strong cold front, the team of Randy Mumm from
Clear Lake, IA and Jason Voigts from Hanlontown, IA, used a 4.97-pound
kicker fish to outdistance the other 54 teams on the Grand National Walleye
Cup’s (GNWC) Iowa Region held at Clear Lake, Sunday, April 24.
Mumm and Voigts, who brought a five-fish limit weight of 13.15 pounds to
the scales, pocketed $2000 for first place. The win was especially emotional
for Mumm as his 2004 partner Jim Juhlin, who had been sidelined earlier in
the year with a heart attack, watched from the crowd.
Second place and a check for $1000 went to the team of Jesse Roush from
Clive, IA and Cory Batterson from Pleasant Hill, IA with a five-fish limit
weight of 12.84 pounds. They also brought home the Cabela’s Big Fish Award
and a $200 Cabela’s shopping spree for their 7.64-pound walleye. They also
pocketed $420 in cash for winning the optional Big Fish pot.
Kevin Kuiper from Dayton, IA and Steve Hansen from Ft. Dodge, IA also
weighed a five-fish limit tipping the scales at 10.69 pounds, giving them
third place and a check of $610.
Jack Davis and Rob Funk from Mason City, IA matched their 4th place
finish at the first tournament on the Mississippi River two weeks ago with
another 4th place finish at Clear Lake. Their 5-fish weight of 9.96 pounds
was worth $460 and earned them the lead in the race for the “Yamaha Team of
the Year Award”, which goes to the team in each of the seven regions that
finishes with the fewest points after completing all four qualifiers.
A similar strategy emerged as the top three teams talked of their day on
the water. Instead of fishing the big lake, the top teams stayed on the
little lake and trolled crankbaits. For the Iowa teams, the recently passed
“no cull” rule has changed the traditional strategy of upgrading. Now, once
a walleye is in the livewell, it stays in the livewell. For Mum and Voigts
that meant their day was over by noon! Using orange colored stick baits,
they varied their speed from 2.2 to 2.5 mph. Their two big fish, one a 4.97
pounder came using boards to help get the plugs away from the boat. “We
found a pod of fish straight off the dock in front of the weigh-in,” Mumm
noted. “We found quality fish during pre-fishing, and they were still there
today.”
Roush and Batterson also worked cranks but, according to Batterson, with
a slightly different twist. “We didn’t mess with boards. Instead, we used
12′ rods for the outside lines.” They found firetiger jointed Rapalas to be
their key bait. With a laugh, Roush added that even though they finished in
second place, “We stubbed our toe today, because we lost a 20-inch walleye
at the boat. We had it right at the boat and fumbled around and lost it.”
Kuiper and Hansen also pulled firetiger crankbaits in the same area but
caught three of their fish toward the end of the day.
The Yo So Close Award, provided by AMFYOYO, manufacturer of the
innovative stowable folding landing net, went to the three teams just
finishing out of the money. They include Ron Mason and Arnold Zerke from
Estherville, IA in 14th place; Bryan Paul from Buffalo Center, IA and Kevan
Paul from Clear Lake, IA in 15th place; and Roger Murray and Paula Griggs
from Milo, IA in 16th place.
GNWC Executive Director Bernie Barringer felt the teams did well
considering the cold front and wind conditions. “The weather definitely made
things tougher. However, we still had 16 teams weigh limits. Clear Lake
proved again that it is a quality fishery. Things will really get exciting
now as we head into the second half of the season with the third tournament
at Lake Rathbun.”
The Lake Rathbun tournament is scheduled for Sunday, May 22. For those
interested in entering this or any of the remaining qualifiers, call
1-800-890-FISH (3474), or email the GNWC at [email protected].
“Now that the tournaments are underway, I encourage people to check out
our website at http://www.walleyecup.com. I think they will find it extremely
interesting to see how the teams do in each of the seven regions,” added
Barringer.
Major national sponsors for the GNWC include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
Outboards, Lowrance Electronics, YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU,
Aqua Innovations, Cabela’s and UpNorthOutdoors.com. National championship
sponsors are Towtector Shield and the VIB”E” Lure Company, while Iowa Region
sponsors include Carlson-Sanderson Real Estate, Motor Inn, Inc., and Triggs
Bay Resort.