FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 19, 2000 
Press Release #288 
For further information, contact: Maura Ries, MWC Manager

Wildlife Forever-Masters Walleye Circuit Berkley Trilene tourney won by locals Hanisko and Klasell on Little Bay de Noc in Gladstone, MI.

______________________________________________________

ESCANABA, MI. - Lynn Hanisko and David Klasell once again became hometown heroes as they topped a field of 160 teams, winning the Wildlife Forever-Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) Berkley Trilene Team Tournament held June 17-18 on Little Bay de Noc in Gladstone, MI. It was on Little Bay de Noc just one year and one week earlier that Hanisko and Klasell claimed $20,000 in cash, winning the 1999 MWC World Walleye Championship.

Teams were allowed five fish per day measuring a minimum of 15 inches, but only two could be over 23 inches in length. Hannisko and Klasell were in second place after day one with a total weight of 23.90 pounds, less than one pound behind the first place team. They took the lead on day two with a five fish basket of 22.19 pounds. Their final two-day winning weight was 46.81 pounds.

After a calm first day, the wind kicked up for the anglers on Sunday that made boating around the lake very difficult. The winning duo focused their attention fishing in a favorite local spot near Breezy Point.

According to Hannisko, "With the strong winds we decided to pull spinners with planer boards. We knew Breezy Point held a lot of fish and we were confident we could catch our limit."

Second place and $6,000 went to Dean Arnoldussen and Jim Swinkles of Kaukauna, WI with 44.34 pounds.

Third place went to another team of locals - Don Corbett and Glenn Wangerin of Escanaba, MI who came in with a total weight of 4.68 pounds that was good for $4,000.

The "Abu Garcia Center Drag Overall Big Fish Award" went to John Cooper and Mark VenHefty of Gladstone, MI. Their 8.97-pound walleye netted them each a new Abu Garcia Center Drag CD6 Reel and a total of $1,175 in cash. Brothers Mike and Tom Keenen of Appleton, WI had the big fish for the first day weighing 7.90 pounds.

Despite the drastic change in the wind from Saturday to Sunday, a total of 703 walleyes weighing 2,090 pounds were caught in the MWC catch-and-release format. The EZ Rider day one "Big Basket Award" of 24.78 pounds was brought in by the team of Steve Balliu of Antioch, IL and Ed Schoenecker of Slinger, WI. That same big basket also earned them the Panther Marine overall Big Basket Award. The Motorguide "Comeback Award" given to the team who improves the most places from day on to day two went to Ken Southward of Monteville, Ontario and Dan Stickley of Urbana, OH who improved 90 places from 132nd place to 42nd. A total of almost $50,000 was paid out over the tournament in cash and prizes.

The next Wildlife Forever-Masters Walleye Circuit stop will be the Mercury/North American Fishing Club Tournament on the Bay of Green Bay in Oconto, WI July 12-13.

The Wildlife Forever-Masters Walleye Circuit is a nonprofit organization that conducts a series of professionally operated fishing tournaments, emphasizing family participation and conservation of fishery resources. To date the MWC Conservation Fund, unique in professional fishing, has contributed $213,000 to fisheries programs in states where MWC tournaments are held.

The 2000 Wildlife Forever-MWC title sponsors are: Abu Garcia, Berkley Trilene, Lindy Little Joe, Mercury, MotorGuide, North American Fishing Club/North American Fisherman, and Ranger Boats. Supporting sponsors are Big Jon, Inc., Panther Marine Products and Walleye Central-the official web site of the Masters Walleye Circuit (www.walleyecentral.com).