For More Information Contact:
Kristine Houtman, 612-710-5584
Russell & Shimota’s Perfect Strategy Pays Off Big at the
Cabela’s MWC Bays de Noc tournament–
presented by Mercury Motors
Gladstone, MI – The dominant strategy for the 197 teams in the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit tournament on the Bays de Noc was to get two super-sized fish allowable over 23 inches, and then three additional, as big as possible, but still under the 23” slot limit established by Michigan regulations. Jeff Russell of Grand Haven, Michigan and Bill Shimota of Montgomery, Minnesota pulled it off, with their ten-fish two day total of 45.58 pounds. The win was Russell’s second circuit victory and netted the team $25,532 for the first place prize.
The young team adjusted their strategy for the different size fish that they needed to affect the win. “Big fish die of old age on Big Bay, they are completely under-fished,” explained Russell. “We felt confident we could get the big ones with our ½ ounce in-line spinner baits with crawler harnesses. The key was, could we get the three nice slot fish, and we did.” Shimota, more of a crank bait troller, suggested that they adjust their strategy, trolling a little differently for the smaller slot fish.
On day two the winning team caught their two twenty-eight inch kicker fish on the same spot in the Northeast end of Big Bay de Noc that produced their previous day’s pair of thirty-inch fish. The big fish seemed to prefer chartreuse and orange or any combination of the two. They trolled slowly, .8 to 1.3 miles per hour in an “S” pattern. The baits were presented between 15 and 45 feet back, in the upper part of the water column. Gold, chrome and copper worked with No. 4 deep cup Colorado blades. They left their Big Bay spot by Noon on Saturday, and by 2:30 on Sunday. Then they went in a 44-mile run to their second spot on the Northeast end of Little Bay for their slot fish. Their stick baits were chrome and pink as well as chrome and purple, 45 to 125 feet back in 24 to 35 feet depth, with a little faster presentation at 1.3 to 2.0 miles per hour.
“Our season really took a turn on the second day of the Detroit River/Lake Erie tournament,” shared Shimota. “We had a couple of mishaps in the beginning of the season, but went on to tie for the comeback award at the last Michigan stop…and now this. It is really coming together for us.” Russell and Shimota met through mutual tournament fishing friends in the circuit, but had never met let alone fished together until this year. Both were looking for a partner to fish the team format of the Cabela’s MWC and their friends encouraged them to team up.
The Wisconsin team of Mark Kordus of Mosinee, WI & Shawn Hettinga of Schofield, WI took big fish cash of $2704, with a 10.72 pound walleye on day one and a 10.1 pound walleye on day two. The two big fish were caught within 100 yards of each other each day in the Kate’s Bay area of Big Bay, trolling spinners with silver No. 8 blades. Bead color didn’t seem to matter, but the fish were located higher in the water column, 6 to 8 feet down in 20 feet of water, 50 feet back. The key, according to Kordus and Hettinga, and seconded by most of the other teams that did well in this tournament, was to get out of the pack and get into your own location. Kordus and Hettinga won the Ranger Cup $1000 bonus for finishing as the top Ranger Cup team in the tournament. The biggest fish of the tournament was 11.23 pounds and caught by Jeff Manz of Vanderbilt, MI and Greg Yarbrough of Port Clinton, OH. First place big fish paid out $1527 each day. Second day big fish honors went to the father and son team of Patrick and thirteen year-old Alex Neu, of Forestville, WI with their 10.34 pound walleye.
In the race for Team of the Year points, David Kolb of Ada, MI and Dan Byers of Cedar Springs, MI are in the lead with their two wins in the first two tournaments of MWC East, and now their 3rd place finish at this MWC Challenge tournament. Central division Team of the Year points leaders are reigning World Walleye Champions Scott Aydelotte of Garner, IA and Jim Trow of Ames, IA. Kolb and Byers are also in first place for MWC East.
Tournament Statistics
Number of Teams: 197 Number of Fish: 928
Total cash and prizes: $104,908 Total Weight: 2874.11 pounds
Water Temp: 67-70 degrees preferred Big Fish: 11.23 pounds
Water Clarity: Greener tinted water preferred Average Weight: 3.09 pounds
Winning Pattern: trolling spinners crawler harnesses for big fish, and trolling stick baits for the slot fish
Inside Tip: orange and chartreuse spinner baits and chrome/pink and chrome/purple stick baits
The $500 Tommy Docks Comeback Award was given to Paul Curmi of Belleville, MI and Mike Jurik of Saginaw, MI for moving up 83 places; from 130th on day one to 47th on day two. The Delta County Chamber of Commerce added a “comeback” award of their own to the team, with $750 in gift certificate dollars to be used on their next trip to the Escanaba/Gladstone area.
Two hundred dollars plus two Lindy Drift Control socks were awarded to David Kolb and Dan Byers for using a drift control product to maximize boat control during the tournament.
The Inhibitor “Tough Times” Award of $100 was paid to Dan Stickley and Ben Jordan of Urbana, Ohio.
A $100 Panther Marine Tech bonus was awarded to Tom Hoinacki of Waupon, WI and David Palacek of Green Bay, WI.
Food Source Lures paid out cash and “real food” in a game for the anglers awarding $50 to Peter Bowan of Owen, WI and Doug Johnsen of Rothschild, WI.
Edward Michniewicz of Fox Lake, IL and Bill Damron of Antioch, IL each received new two-piece cold weather outerwear from Ice Armor.
Title sponsor for this tournament was Mercury Motors, the world leader in recreational marine propulsion. Mercury Motors provided onsite field service technical support to the anglers.
The tournament was hosted by the Delta County Chamber of Commerce and the Bays de Noc Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with the Great Lakes Sport Fishing Association. A check for $2955 was given to the local community for their continued efforts with rearing ponds and other stocking programs that benefit the Bays de Noc fishery on behalf of the Cabela’s MWC anglers.
Openings exist in future MWC tournaments. For more information go to http://www.masterswalleyecircuit.com or call the MWC office at 877-893-7947.
Remaining 2006 Schedule
Central Division
Sept 16/17 – Lake City, MN — Mississippi River
East Division
August 19/20 – Linwood, MI – Saginaw Bay
Exhibition Tournament
July 15/16 – Spirit Lake, ND – Devils Lake
World Walleye Championship
October 4-7 – Prairie du Chien, WI – Mississippi River
Cabela’s is the title sponsor for the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official Sponsors are Mercury Motors, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, Lindy Legendary Tackle, Lowrance Electronics and the North American Fishing Club. Associate sponsors are Salmo Performance Lures, Panther Marine-Tech Products, Tommy Docks, The Inhibitor, Food Source Lures, Ice Armor, Pennzoil Marine, Farm and City Insurance Services and Walleye Central.
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