Day Three Bio Data Air Temperature:  57 degrees @ 7 am 72 degrees @ 5 pm Winds: calm all day Skies: clear @ 7 a.m. partly cloudy by noon Water Temperature:  51 degrees-river 63 degrees in back bays

Day One Bass Pro Shops Big Walleye $2,000; Mark Vink, Sault Ste Marie, MI, amateur, 7.78# $1,200; Larry Lambert, Marblehead, OH, pro, 7.15# $1,025; Pete Harsh, Sauk Centre, MN, pro, 7.07# $ 950; Derek Wilkes, Kentwood, MI, amateur, 6.38# Day Two Bass Pro Shops Big Walleye $2,000; Mark Vink, Sault Ste Marie, MI, amateur, 7.78# $1,200; Perry Good, Eagan, MN, pro, 7.98# $1,025; Steve Cannello, Sault Ste Marie, MI, amateur, 7.54# $ 950; Steve Fellegy, Aitkin, MN, pro, 6.49# Day Three Bass Pro Shops Big Walleye $2,000; Pete Harsh, Sauk Centre, MN, pro, 6.30# $1,200; Larry Lambert, Marblehead, OH, pro, 6.13# $1,025; Rob Mazzuca, Sudbury, Ontario, amateur, 5.71# $ 475; Mark Fike, Farmington, PA, amateur, 5.43# $ 475; Keith Krych, St Clair Shores, MI, pro, 5.43#

Mike Gofron Claims First PWT Victory

Sault Ste. Marie, MI... With 20 top 10 place finishes in the toughest walleye competition in the world, Mike Gofron, Antioch, IL, claimed his first-ever top prize. He won $50,000 at the MinnKota/Stren Northeast Pro-Am at Sault Ste. Marie, MI Friday, June 23, leading every day.

Gofron, one of the most intense pro anglers on the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail tour, specializes in finesse fishing under all conditions. The St. Mary’s River was “new” water for the anglers, and coupled with three severe cold fronts in eight days during the event, walleyes proved elusive.

Gofron attacked the system by locating the warmest back bays (10 to 13 degrees warmer than the main river). Then, he slowed his presentation of a Northland firetiger or copper #3 Indiana spinner blade and chartreuse beads coupled with a nightcrawler. Running at the 8 to 11 foot depths, concentrating on areas where weeds were starting to emerge, he triggered walleyes by slowly moving and tantalizing them by keeping the bait “in their faces.” A 1 1/2 ounce Northland Rock Runner bottom bouncer kept his bait in the zone. He landed 14 walleyes for 38.38 pounds. The victory pushed his total PWT winnings to $194,000. It also kept him in first place in the In-Fisherman Angler of the Year race, a title he currently holds from 1999.

The top amateur, winning a $12,000 Lund boat, Mercury outboard on an Eagle trailer, was William Needles, Necedah, WI. He collected another $300 as the Storm Heavyweight award winner. In second place was the highest placing female amateur angler in PWT history, Jennifer Pawinski, Brookfield, WI. She won $4,500 of PWT merchandise. On the pro side, Gary Parsons, Glidden, WI, claimed second place on the strength of the Storm Heavyweight catch of the tournament on day three, 22.89 pounds. He won $15,500. Chris Gilman, Chisago City, MN, a 3-time PWT winner finished in third and netted $10,000. For using Berkley PowerBait as part of his presentation, Gilman also won $200 of PowerBait.

As amateur and pro contestants crossed the stage, they echoed how much they enjoyed the area, the scenery, the activities for spouses and the potential for a future event. Greg George, executive director of the Sault Convention and Visitors Bureau received the PWT Key Award for coordinating the hundreds of volunteers, the site and the great welcome from the community. PWT Championship winner Mark Martin, Twin Lake, MI, said, “This city opened its doors and I want to come back here again.” Of the 441 walleyes weighed, 95 percent were returned to the St. Mary’s River.

The overall Bass Pro Shops big fish winner of $2,500 was Kyle Morgan, Horicon, WI. His walleye weighed 8.06 pounds. On the final day, Pete Harsh, Sauk Centre, MN earned $2,000 for a 6.30-pounder. Larry Lambert won $1,200 for a 6.13 pound fish. Both Harsh and Lambert also won big fish prizes on day one. Third place and $1,025 went to Rob Mazzuca, Sudbury, Ontario. Fourth place was a tie. Mark Fike, Farmington, PA, and Keith Krych, St. Clair Shores, MI caught 5.43 pound fish and each won $475.

Pro Vaughn Cornelius, St. Cloud, MN advanced 56 places to win the $1,000 Coleman Cool Under Pressure award.Fred Goodrow, AuGres, MI moved up 58 places to collect $600. He is a former PWT amateur big fish record holder. Barry Walker, Big Springs, NE, is leading the Energizer Rookie of the Year race with 12th and 27th place finishes in the Dee Zee Western Division. Andy Kuffer, Fair Haven, MI, leads the Dee Zee eastern division.

The next tour stop is Bay City, MI, July 12 - 14, with fishing on Saginaw Bay. PWT results and news can be found at the PWT web site, www.in-fisherman.com; then go to the tournament link. The PWT television show featuring Sault Ste. Marie will be shown on TNN on Aug. 14 and 17 and Sept. 4 and 7.