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PWT Pros Explore & Find Kentucky's Lake Cumberland Walleyes;
Shannon Kehl Wins
The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro anglers tackled
Kentucky's Lake Cumberland June 1-3. They searched the main
lake and dozens of creek arms for walleyes. Locating a limit
each day won the $63,550 first prize of the Realtree Pro-Am
for pro Shannon Kehl, Menoken, ND. This is his second PWT victory
in nine seasons. Back in 1996, Kehl won a tournament at Saginaw
Bay, Mich. He also won Rookie of the Year honors and was named
the Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year that season. He has
qualified for the Mercury Championship each of the nine seasons
he fished. This win places him in the elite Championship field
set for Milford Lake, Junction City, Kansas in September. Pro
anglers enjoyed the scenery of Lake Cumberland, and complimented
the Russell County Tourist Commission and volunteers at Alligator
Dock # 2 and # 1, and their many new friends and walleye fans.
Kehl said, "This place holds lots of walleyes and thousands
of spots to catch them." Winning PWT Special Achievement honors
were James Flatt, general manager of Alligator # 2 and his employees;
Portia Gosser, executive director of the Tourist Commission
and Larry Gillock who was instrumental in bringing the PWT to
Lake Cumberland. The winning amateur, Mike Johnson, Niagara,
Wis., towed home a $17,000 Lund/Mercury walleye boat on an E-Z
Loader trailer. Most contestants ran spinners with either PowerBait,
Gulp! or night crawlers in 10 to 20 feet of water. Pro Myron
Sylte, Williston, ND finished second and won $19,550. Some anglers
like pro Daryl Christensen, Montello, Wis. (finished third and
won $12,550), cast crankbaits at the limestone banks. The pros
shared their tactics with the fans. They also personally instructed
their amateur/co-angler partners.
More than half the field of amateurs and co-anglers was from
Kentucky. The Kentucky PWT State Walleye Champion went to the
top-ranking amateur/co-angler from the state. The winner, Dan
Kolczak, Somerset, was second in the Realtree Pro-Am ($4,500).
For winning the State Walleye Champion award, he received a
Fenwick walleye rod and reel from 2004 Mercury Champion Scott
Glorvigen and 2004 Angler of the Year Tommy Skarlis. Special
awards went to Chuck Emery, Dana Point, Cal., for the Gerbing's
Hot Pro award of a new electric heated suit and $500. This award
recognizes the pro making a move to the top and "hot" at the
moment. The Navionics Spot on the Spot $500 award went to Marty
Glorvigen for fishing only special rubble "chunk-rock" piles
along the limestone shorelines. He concentrated on those key,
but tiny areas. The Coleman Big Fish award of $1,000 on day
three went to rookie pro Chase Parsons, Appleton, Wis., and
amateur partner Tim Wilson, Lexington, KY. Their walleye weighed
5.50 pounds. Parsons also won the Dave's Ka-Boom Close Call
Award of $500 for finishing 41st, and three one-hundredths of
a pound out of the "money." Holding the lead in the 2005 Johnsonville
Brats Angler of the Year race is pro Todd Frank, Pulaski, NY.
Pro Bill Ortiz, Richland Center, Wis., and Mark Brumbaugh, Arcanum,
Ohio trail him closely.
During the awards ceremony, Mike Gofron, Antioch, Ill, placed
sixth. This was his 30th top-10 PWT finish, establishing another
new record. Pro Tom Backer, Fargo, ND won the Coleman Cool Under
Pressure award for advancing the most places. Mike Dever, Bargersville,
Ind., won on the amateur/co-angler side. The next PWT tour stop
is in Bay City, Mich., June 29-July 1. Information about entering
or viewing more walleye news is available on the PWT web, www.professionalwalleyetrial.com.
The PWT works closely with the Russell County Tourist Commission
(888-833-4220) and these business partners: 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, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves
Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, E-Z Loader, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo,
Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu,
Save Phace, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Access Roll-up
Cover, Yellow Bird, DOW Chemical, Dave's Lures, The State Bank
Group, Yo-Zuri and Reef Runner. 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
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