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Ted Takasaki Leads Top Ten into Final Day Tomorrow
Ted Takasaki of Brainerd, MN is no stranger to the Top Ten in an FLW Walleye Tour event. Ted has placed second at Green Bay and Lake Erie, and was second last year in the "Angler of the Year" race. He said he doesn't mind the second place finishes at the individual events, but he was sorry to have missed the AOY title last year. "I dont' want that to happen again this year", said Ted.
Ted brought in 29.6 pounds this afternoon to catapult him to the top spot on the leader board with a three day total weight of 72.10 pounds. That's just over 7 pounds ahead of second place right now.
Ted: "I was scrambling at about 12:oo or 12:30 today and only had three...two 20 inchers and a 19 incher. I caught a 15 and put him in the livewell, and at that point I really started to worry about what's going to happen the rest of the day. I decided to hit one little spot that I hadn't been to since prefishing, and thought well, maybe they're up there, and I got up there and there was another guy on the point. He got a 6 pounder and I said, "Alright, they're here." I started working the point and I got that 30 incher, which is probably about 11 pounds, and another 7 or 8 pounder and a 6! That was it. So, I'm very fortunate. It was kind of a lucky day, but I guess it's my day to have a lucky day!
For more of Ted's interview you can watch it on video here:
http://www.walleyecentral.com/wcvideo/myvideo.php?action=view_video&uploadvideoID=196
Ted will be paired up with the number one Co Angler, Gary Speicher of Cedar Rapids, IA who has a total weight of 60.5 pounds after three days of fishing.
In second place is local favorite, Pro Nick Johnson, of Elmwood, WI. Nick caught a nice sack of fish that weighed in at 20.8 pounds to give him a total weight of 65.3 pounds. "This is great! The weights are close. It's going to make for a great competition tomorrow and a fun weigh in. Usually there is one person who just runs away with it, and there's no chance anyone can catch him... you know they're going to win. This time it's different. This is still anyone's game to win tomorrow", said Nick.
Nick is paired up with the second place Co Angler, Chad Niemann of Rochester, MN for tomorrow. Chad's total weight is 59.2 pounds.
In third place is the day one and two leader, Rick Zachowski of Milwaukee, WI with a total weight of 63.11. After a 40 pound bag on day one, Rick only weighed in 12.5 pounds of fish on day 2, and 11.6 pounds today.
Rick is paired up with Co Angler, Todd Dankert, of Anoka, MN tomorrow. Todd's weight after this afternoon's weigh in stands at 56.3 pounds.
Going out in fourth place tomorrow is Pro Barry Walker of Big Springs, NE with a total weight of 62.4 pounds. Each day his weights increased by a few pounds. Barry's Co Angler tomorrow will be Larry Oleson of Wisconsin Rapids, WI, who's sitting on 56.1 pounds right now.
Rounding out the top five are Pro, Perry Good of Brainerd, MN and Co Angler, Jerry Miller of Lowell, IN. Perry Good stands at an even 61 pounds, while Jerry stands at 54.5 pounds right now.
The "Rest of the Best" are:
6th place: Pro, Randy Stevens of Hagar City, WI and Co, Steve Berg of Hudson, WI
7th place: Pro, Chris Gilman of Chisago City, MN and Co, Darrell Martin of Forrest Lake, MN
8th place: Pro, Pat Byle of Colgate, WI and Co, Robert Brunz of Madison Lake, MN
9th place: Pro, Scott Fairbairn of Hagar City and Co, Del Ringling of Valley, NE
10th place: Pro, Brian Bjorkman of Fargo, ND and Co, David Hosek of White Bear Lake, MN
For a full list of results please see the Live Leader Board at http://www.liveleaderboard.com
The top ten Pros and top ten Co Anglers will carry their weights over from the previous three days into the final round tomorrow. The anglers with the highest accumulative weights at then end of weigh in tomorrow will win up to
Heros and Angels Among Us!
 Pro, Steve Vandermark of Linwood, MI saved the life of his Co Angler today, and was himself saved by Pro, Alan Szoke of Grosse Isle, MI.
"I heard my Co Angler say, "Fish", and when I turned around I saw him starting to slump. They say he's got a condition that causes him to have a seizure whenever he gets excited. This fish definitely got him excited, and then next thing I know, he's going overboard!", said Steve. "He was just gone! I freaked out and called over to Al who was fishing nearby and told him, "We've got a problem...we've got a REAL problem here...get over here! I need your help!", he added.
(He goes on to finish the story)
"The guy finally pops back up a short distance from the boat (he was wearing his life jacket), but he was face down in the water. He looked like he was dead.
As soon as I saw him, I just dove in and got to him, and turned him over. I was scared, he just looked like he was dead. I thought, "this guy needs mouth to mouth", but I was in the water and couldn't do it there, so I just wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big bear hug and he just kind of urpped up some water.
At least he was breathing again.(Rolls his eyes as he sighs a big relief) Then, I looked and saw how far from shore I was. With the current ripping the way it is...it was going to be impossible to swim to shore. If Al hadn't been there, (shakes his head at the thought of it) we both would be dead right now. I couldn't have fought the current that long in those water temps to get us both to shore. When I got to shore I just puked. I was so exhausted."
The forecast for tonight and tomorrow is:
Tonight: Showers. Low around 41. North northwest wind between 10 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North northwest wind around 16 mph.
Tomorrow's Top Ten will take off at 7AM at Bay Point Marina/Park and will weigh in at the local Wal-Mart at approximately 4PM Central Time.
If you can't be there, please feel free to join us here on Walleye Central. WC will have a chatroom set up on the Live Leader Board, so you can chat with your friends as you cheer on your favorite Pros and Co Anglers.
Hope to see you all there!
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