NEWS MAKERS!

   The RCL is the richest walleye tournament to date with the winner’s prize of $400,000 just a part of the $1.4 million purse.  The pro-am format will be televised on ESPN2.

   Valentine plans on Stopper Lures being an important part of his strategy as he prepares for Green Bay.  “Fall is big spinner time on a lot of the Great Lakes and slow is usually the speed.  By using a metal clevis like the Clev’r Clip not only can I change blade style, size and/or color quickly, but a metal quick change clevis spins much better at slower speeds and with smaller blades then a plastic clevis will.”  In 2000 Valentine has used the K & E Big Water Troller spinner for large catches on both Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie.

   “The Fox River may also play an important part in the RCL”, remarked Valentine.  “By far the best river jig I have ever used is the K & E Sticker Jig.  The bullet head cuts through current allowing for a more vertical presentation while the barbed collar holds Powerbait on the hook fish after fish.  Add a live minnow to the razor sharp hooks and you miss very few strikes.  We tested this jig in the Detroit River this spring and our hook-up ratio was the best it has ever been.”

  Conner / Bringedahl Team take home 3rd Place Prize Money at MWC Tournament

     The professional walleye fishing team of Todd Conner of Hopkins and Mike Bringedahl of Fruitport took home the third place prize money of $4,900 with 29.85 pounds of fish at the Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) Tournament held at Ortonville, MN on Big Stone Lake on the Minnesota / South Dakota border. They also won the second day's Big Fish Pool with a 7.45 pound Walleye netting the team an additional $1,425.
     The tournament took place on May 20 & 21 during shifting winds and changing weather conditions that ranged from finger numbing cold to shirt sleeve warmth. Even under tough conditions, 1,317 walleye were caught by more than 200 teams for a total weight of 2,588 pounds during the Catch & Release tournament.
     A strong contingent of local anglers provided heavy competition on a huge body of water that is 26 miles long and very difficult to learn and fish. Of the top 30 money winners, including the #1 and #2 money winners, more than 75% were locals from Minnesota or South Dakota who knew the body of water and fishing conditions well.
     Bringedahl and Conner just recently completed the MWC tournament on Little Bay de Noc in Gladstone, MI on June 17 & 18. They finished a scant 1/2 pound out of the money, but gained enough points to put them in fourth place overall in the standings of more than 400 compitetive anglers.

On Sunday, June 25, N.B.A.A. held its final tournament for the South Division on the Coldwater Chain in Coldwater, Michigan.  Previous Semi-Pro champions, Jack Horning and Jeff Denny, held off a strong field to claim the last spot for the classic in Manistee, Michigan on October 6-7. Congratulations Jack and Jeff.

    RECORD CATCH!!
A July 12 tournament at Pine Lake in Delton, Division 14, Tryce Warner and Don Watts reeled in the largest stringer for a weeknight tournament in N.B.A.A. history. In just three hours of fishing, they came in with an outstanding limit of five fish weighing in at 18.62 pounds. The stringer was anchored by two of the bass going over five pounds each.  Jerkbaits and grubs were a key to their success.  Tryce and Don are sponsored by Ron’s Reel Repair in Gowen, MI and West Michigan Propeller in Grand Rapids, MI.  Congratulations Tryce and Don!