PWT Out of Business

Black Tuesday
PWT To Cease Operations
Monday, 04 August 2008

Photo: PWTInterMedia Outdoors will announce later today that the PWT will cease operations following the conclusion of the 2008 season, WalleyeFan has learned.
The position of executive director, held by Jim Kalkofen for the last 14 years, was eliminated on Aug. 1. Chip Leer, who's served as tournament director this year, will remain in that role for the remaining three events on the schedule. Julie Meister, tournament coordinator, will also stay on.

The next scheduled event is the Wabigoon Lake PWT Can-Am Super Pro in Dryden, Ont. on Aug. 13-15.

After a stop at the St. Marys River on Sept. 11-13, the final PWT tournament will be held Oct. 15-18 at the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers in Hudson, Wis.

The PWT came into this season without heavy underwriting after Mercury and Lund opted to focus on contingency awards in lieu of blanket league sponsorship. After that news broke, speculation persisted throughout the spring and summer about the future viability of the circuit.
The PWT held its first tournament in 1989 at Mille Lacs and stood near the center of the growth of tournament fishing and walleye fishing in general over the last 2 decades.

Through their success on the PWT, tournament anglers like Gary Parsons, Gary Roach, Mike McClelland, Tommy Skarlis, Keith Kavajecz, Perry Good, Bruce Samson and Ron Seelhoff among others became household names in walleye country.

The ramifications are immense. First, several top pros could conceivably not have a place to fish next year (or a profitable place to fish, depending on boat brand). Two, tour-level walleye fishing is now a one-league game, owned by Irwin Jacobs. Three, Brunswick's representation at the tour level will presumably disappear, given its reluctance to support FLW trails. Four, a very important foundation of walleye fishing, and a long, storied history, is now relegated to the attic. Five, this could bend energy toward the newly-formed Anglers Insight Marketing and its quest to develop a viable tour-level trail.

In brief conversations with InterMedia Outdoors representatives, WalleyeFan was told that the company would sell the PWT if buyers come forth.

Watch for further WalleyeFan reporting throughout the week on this breaking news story. Below is the official press release from InterMedia Outdoors about the shuttering of the PWT.

In-Fisherman Discontinues Professional Walleye Trail in 2009
Company Plans Future Investments in Walleye-Focused Media
Baxter, MN (August 5, 2008)-In-Fisherman, a division of InterMedia Outdoors, Inc., today announced that it will discontinue operation of the Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) after the 2008 season. The PWT started with a single event in 1989 and grew to become North America's most prestigious walleye tournament series.

During the past 19 years the PWT served as a proving ground for new tackle and marine equipment and the birthplace for innovative tactics that have made anglers across the country more successful. Along the way the PWT has awarded millions of dollars in cash and prizes to thousands of professional and amateur participants. However, sponsorship support no longer covers event expenses, and angler participation has declined in recent years.

Announcing the decision, In-Fisherman Publisher Steve Hoffman said, "This was a difficult decision for us, but in the end we felt that the PWT was no longer an effective way for us to serve the dedicated angler, which is our core mission at In-Fisherman."

The PWT has three events remaining in its 2008 schedule culminating in the 2008 PWT Championship Shootout on October 16-18 in Hudson, Wisconsin, with a first-place purse of $50,000.

Going forward, InterMedia Outdoors will continue to invest in walleye-focused media including additional editorial content in Walleye In-Sider magazine, content and functionality improvements in WalleyeFan.com, the launch of a new television series "Walleye In-Sider" which will begin shooting in October and will debut in the fourth quarter of next year, and the development and launch of a fully redesigned In-Fisherman website with content devoted to walleyes and virtually every other freshwater fish.

Hoffman added, "We're very excited about our new print, online and television endeavors, and are confident that we will not only teach millions of anglers how to catch more and bigger walleyes, but will continue to help our advertisers sell more product."

It's saddens me to offically read it. Though it was inevitable, given the happenings of the last 24 months.


Can't wait to fish the AIM tourneys next year


And as for who is going to buy the PWT. I got $30 on it. Ten dollars a letter.

[Fish_on]

No surprise, but sad nonetheless.

---Steve Hoffman said, "This was a difficult decision for us, but in the end we felt that the PWT was no longer an effective way for us to serve the dedicated angler, which is our core mission at In-Fisherman."

[hgmeyer]

I guess "weathering the storm"... refocus on core mission and other common business ideas don't exist anymore...

[2Labs]

Sad. I learned a lot from the folks who were on the PWT. It was a center of knowledge and competition that greatly advanced walleye fishing techniques. I would not be a fisherman without having been taught by a member of the PWT who loved the sport and who spent time on the water very patiently teaching newbies through classes and trips organized by Fishing Hot Spots -- an activity also now defunct. I guess I was just lucky as to the timing.

[Jim Ordway]

I, for one mourn its ending. I did four events on the am side last year and others in years past. It was a very well run, class operation. They provided the opportunity for many for great experiences on the water. Actually, after doing the eastern division years ago, the greatest lesson I learned is that even the some of the best, most experienced anglers get skunked now and then. I do not mean that in a condescending fashion, but as enlightenment for myself. I do nto beat myself up as much when I do the same!
Certainly, this will affect many anglers in many ways. Some will have more family time, which may be a blessing and others will move on to other opportunities.
Farwell, PWT. You will be missed by many. Thanks for the memories.
Take care,

[stevefellegy]

Although it's maybe not a surprise to many of us, it surely is a sad day for me, being a pioneer of the PWT beginnings. Many of us surely should be indebted to the likes of In-Fish, the Lindners, JK and all the staff from over the years, for allowing us the opportunity to pursue dreams that very few are lucky enough to achieve. Here's a tearful THANK YOU!!

It's now time to AIM high!

Steve Fellegy
PWT "Inaugural Champ"

Wow, what a bummer. Not shocking, but still a punch in the gut.

Should be a glut of Tritons, Lunds and Crestliners among others hitting the market. Or, perhaps somebody will step forward to give these guys a place to play? Good luck to AIM.

Steve,I do hope you keep fishing tournaments. I will miss seeing you tied up at the dock at 5am(MR.BRIGHT AND EARLY) intisapating the start of another PWT tournament.
Take Care.
TJM