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Ron Seelhoff Maintains PWT Lead on Mille Lacs
Could Ron Seelhoff be the first $600,000 winner on the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail? If the Colorado Super Pro keeps catching limits of Mille Lacs walleyes, he will be the winningest PWT pro with six victories. He would also win his second Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year title.
Seelhoff is among the top-performers in PWT history. The 60-person field has been touring the country, and the Optima Pro-Am on Minnesota’s best-known walleye lake is the final Super Pro series event of the season. The series, presented by MinnKota, is a 3-day event. Pros fish with different amateurs/co-anglers daily, and may bring four walleyes to the scales each day.
Under the special lake regulations, each pair of boat partners may keep walleyes from 14 to 22 inches, with a maximum of two over 28-inches each day. Ron Gazvoda, Lakewood, Col., and amateur Jeff Morris, Bloomington, Minn, caught the Coleman Big Fish of the tournament. Their fish weighed 9.02 pounds, and could be worth $2,000.
Moving into second place was pro Sheldon Meidinger, Bismarck, ND. His 25-pound catch is about five pounds shy of Seelhoff’s leading weight. Larry Snow, Kenora, Ontario, is in third, with 23 pounds. Fourth and fifth place Super Pros both have 21 ½ pounds. Fourth is Andy Kuffer, Sterling Heights, Mich., and Jeff Taege, Rhinelander, Wis., is fifth.
On day one, anglers brought 165 fish to the scales, and in the windy, wavy conditions on day two, they weighed 206 fish. All fish are being donated to the “Pike for Vets” organization, and the fillets will be served at state veteran’s homes.
Walleye tactics included trolling and slip-bobbering. Pros and their co-anglers talked long and often about how many nice fish they caught in the 22 to 27 ¾ inch “protected” slot. Super Pro Marty Glorvigen, Grand Rapids, Mich. caught six walleyes between 27 and 27 7/8 inches. Amateurs/co-anglers thought their fishing experiences catching nearly two dozen walleyes (even though they all had to be released) was a great day on the water. The leading amateur/co-angler after two days is Eric Vogel, Stuart, Neb.
The third and final day takes place Friday, Aug. 11, with weigh-in ceremonies at Hunter’s Point Resort, on Mille Lacs east shore. A large crowd attended the PWT Outdoor Festival with many free activities for kids (opens at noon), and the weigh-in festivities. For the final day weigh-in ceremonies, plan to arrive by 4 p.m. The awards occur immediately after weigh-in, with $66,000 to first place. Second through fifth win $17,000, $12,000, $11,000 and $10,000. From sixth through 30th, Super Pros win $9,500 to $2,000.
Photos and standings are posted on the PWT website, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com.
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 promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, E-Village, Kwik Pfyt, Raymarine, Rapala, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing’s Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport Marketing, Yo-Zuri , Reef Runner and Hunter’s Point Resort, 320.676.3227.
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