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Updated: 08/10/04
FATHER/SON VANDERWEIDES TEAM WINS CABELA'S MWC EAST FINALE AS
KEMERY &
BAMGARDNER EARN FIRST
MWC EAST DIVISION TEAM OF THE YEAR
Linwood, MI-In a most improbable finish, the father/son team of Tom
and Josh
VanderWeide of Jenison, MI skyrocketed from 111th place to first, to
win the
Cabela's Masters Walleye Circuit East Division finale, held August
7-8 on
Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay.
After weighing one walleye at 1.41 lbs. the first day, the VanderWeides
tipped the scales on day two with the heaviest weight of the tournament,
a
five fish team limit totaling 37.05 lbs. Emcee, Bob "Kaz" Kaczkowski
declared, "This must be the MWC's all-time comeback." The winners
total of
38.46 lbs. earned them $20,000. They pocketed an additional $1,000
for the
highest placing Ranger boat owner in the Ranger Cup series and $918.75
from
the big fish pot for a 9.22 lb. lunker.
"It's warm out, but I was really shaking when I weighed-in today."
beamed
proud papa Tom. He continued, "This is a great feeling, doing
something
like this with your son. Josh needs a new car and this will work
out just
fine."
The pair fished an area approximately 14 miles northeast of tournament
headquarters, Hoyles Marina. According to Josh, "We trolled nightcrawler
spinner rigs from in-line planer boards in 20 to 25 feet of water.
The
boards were set from 50 to 100 feet from the sides of the boat, with
leads
30 to 60 feet behind the boards. We used several colors of number
five and
six Colorado blades-chartreuse, silver and gold. We went through
about 200
crawlers."
Tom added that the heavy basket of fish came from a spot that didn't
produce
the first day. He explained, "The wind blew hard for a while
and clouded-up
the water, so we went back there and landed two nine pounders back
to back.
We fished hard and stuck with our game plan. It really paid off."
Second place finishers were Mike Kelly (Freeland, MI) and Pete Studders
(Sault Saint Marie, MI) with nine fish weighing 36.73 lbs. worth $10,000.
They trolled crawler spinner rigs from one-ounce in-line keel weights
at
depths of 28 feet between buoys one and two near Point Au Gres.
Third place also went to a Michigan team, Bert Murlick and Bill Shovar
of
Saginaw. Their eight fish weighed 36.24 lbs., earning them $7,500.
They
also trolled crawler rigs in the Au Grie area.
The top 26 teams shared the $72,700 cash purse. An additional
$5,400 was
paid to the top five point accumulating teams in the MWC East Division
Team
of the Year race and $5,250 was awarded in tournament big fish prize
money.
Michigan anglers Don Solis (Perronville) and Bert Wilson (Gladstone)
took
day one big fish honors and $1,050 for their 11.42 lb.walleye, while
Jerrod
Gillman (Freeland) and David Kolb (Riverview) collected the same amount
on
day two with a 10.0 lb. walleye. Tournament teams donated $2,265 to
the MWC
Conservation Fund which will be used for fishery related projects in
states
where MWC tournaments are held.
Staff from Hoyles Marina and the Saginaw Bay Area Convention and Visitors
Bureau assisted the MWC in tournament operations.
New East Division crowns first Team of the Year
Paul Kemery of Russell, PA and Alan Baumgardner
of White Hall, MD
earned the most tournament points to take top honors in the new Cabela's
MWC
East Division. 180 teams entered the race competing for World
Walleye
Championship advancement and various Team of the Year honors and cash
bonuses.
"We are thrilled for the anglers of Pennsylvania,
New York, Ohio,
Michigan and surrounding states that a premiere tournament format has
been
established for them to compete in," stated Kristine Houtman, Director
of
Events & Sponsorships for the MWC. "Paul and Alan worked
hard in these
three tournaments to get the job done - as did the 18 teams, or 10%
that
will advance to the Championship next fall." The no entry
fee tournament
pays out $100,000 in purse with a guarantee payout for all invitees.
Tim
Fields of Clarendon, PA and Charlie Brant of Russell, PA and Mike Kelley
of
Freeland, MI and Pete Studders of Sault Saint Marie, MI took 1st and
4th
Runners Up respectively. Second Runners Up William and Linda
Greczyn of
Tully, New York clinched the Husband/Wife Team of the Year Honors;
while
winners of the Saginaw Bay tournament, the VanderWeides, gained enough
points to grab the 3rd Runner Up spot along with Father & Son Team
of the
Year honors. A $3510 cash bonus was presented to Kemery and Baumgardner
while the following four teams each received at $472 cash bonus.
Tournament Statistics
Number of teams: 151
Number of fish: 546
Total cash and prizes: $84,350
Total weight:
1,834.08 lbs.
Water temp: 69 to 71 degrees
Big fish:
11.42 lbs.
Water level: Two feet low
Winning pattern:
Trolling crawler rigs
Water clarity: Four feet
Inside tip:
Fishing murky water
Openings exist in the final 2004 MWC tournament. Entry fee is
$600 per
team. Further tournament information can be obtained at
www.masterswalleyecircuit.com, or by calling the MWC toll-free at
877-893-7947.
2004 Cabela's MWC Remaining Schedule
MWC Central
Walker, MN, Leech Lake September 18-19
MWC World Walleye Championship
Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien, WI October 13-16, qualifying teams
from
2003.
In addition to Cabela's, MWC sponsors include-Lindy Legendary Tackle,
Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, North American Fishing Club,
Ranger
Boats, Smithwick Lures, Cotton Cordell, The Outdoor Channel, MotorGuide,
Daiichi Hooks, Panther Marine, Lure Eyes, Xtreme Sports and Walleye
Central.Com
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