PWT Pro Mark Brumbaugh Takes Day One Lead in Ontario
Two-time In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail winner Mark
Brumbaugh, Arcanum, Ohio, captured the day one lead at Dryden,
Ontario. The first PWT event north of the border, the Lund/Mercury
Pro-Am, part of the Super Pro series presented by MinnKota,
was held in sweltering 92-degree heat on Lakes Wabigoon and
Dinorwic.
The 52 Super Pros fished in almost every corner of the system,
favoring shallow rock reefs. The walleyes were in two to eight
feet of water, and jigs with bait and jigs with PowerBait or
Gulp! were the preferred tactics. Some anglers cast crankbaits;
others rigged or ran spinners and bottom-bouncers, and a few
like fifth place Super Pro Bruce Samson, Minnetrista, Minn.,
fished with slip bobbers.
Brumbaugh was jigging and casting crankbaits. His two “overs”
were in the mid-20 inch range (each boat could weigh two walleyes
over 18 inches), and gave him a total of 16.55 pounds for five
walleyes – three were 14 to 18 inches. Brumbaugh said,
“I think we caught more than 100 walleyes today. The lake
is loaded with a zillion walleyes. The big ones are here, it’s
just a matter of being shallow enough when they move up to feed.”
The PWT camera crews were on the water taking in the action,
and hook-sets were common; so were 50 to 100 fish a day per
day. Additionally, northern pike exceeding 20 pounds (lots in
the 10 to 15 pound range), giant muskies and big smallmouth
were landed. Several small walleyes ended up in the middle of
tug-of-wars with pike and muskies, with the anglers losing the
battles. The Coleman big fish of the day went to Colorado pro
Ron Seelhoff and amateur Gary Beardsley, Ear Falls, Ontario
with a 7.74-pounder.
Wabigoon Lake borders the community of Dryden, and stretches
east to the narrows leading into Lake Dinorwic. This Canadian
lake of 52,000 acres abounds with islands, shoals, reefs, bays,
but differs significantly from “classic” shield
lakes because water visibility is less than 12 inches.
Super Pro Mark Courts, Harris, Minn., is in second place with
15.24 pounds, while Rick Olson, Mina Lake, SD is in third with
15.16 pounds. Ernie Olson, Oak Park, Minn, is fourth with 14.09
pounds. Pros fish with a different amateur every day, and provide
the gear, tackle, bait and boat. They also go to the pro’s
top spots.
On the amateur/co-angler side, Reid Norine, Oakdale, Minn. fished
with Brumbaugh and leads the amateur race. Neil Michelin, Sioux
Lookout, Ontario is second. Gene LaMere, Amery, Wis., is third,
while Ontario amateurs Rob Brodhagen, Dryden, and Dave Cryderman,
Thunder Bay, are fourth and fifth. The winning amateur will
collect a Lund boat powered by a Mercury outboard, valued at
$20,000. The top pro earns an $81,000 prize, including a Lund/Mercury
boat package and $45,000 cash.
The pros had their boats towed into the Dryden Arena to the
cheers of walleye fans. The weigh-in festivities get under way
Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m., with pros explaining their tactics
and secrets from the stage.
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partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance
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Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, Do-It Molds & Dryden
District Chamber of Commerce, 807.223.2622.
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