PWT Pros Explore and Find Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland Walleyes; Shannon Kehl Wins
Category: Tournament
Jun 3rd, 2005 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jun 3rd, 2005 at 12:00 AM
The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail pro anglers tackled Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland June 1-3. They searched the main lake and dozens of creek arms for walleyes. Locating a limit each day won the $63,550 first prize of the Realtree Pro-Am for pro Shannon Kehl, Menoken, ND.This is his second PWT victory in nine seasons. Back in 1996, Kehl won a tournament at Saginaw Bay, Mich. He also won Rookie of the Year honors and was named the Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year that season. He has qualified for the Mercury Championship each of the nine seasons he fished. This win places him in the elite Championship field set for Milford Lake, Junction City, Kansas in September.Pro anglers enjoyed the scenery of Lake Cumberland, and complimented the Russell County Tourist Commission and volunteers at Alligator Dock # 2 and # 1, and their many new friends and walleye fans. Kehl said, “This place holds lots of walleyes and thousands of spots to catch them.” Winning PWT Special Achievement honors were James Flatt, general manager of Alligator # 2 and his employees; Portia Gosser, executive director of the Tourist Commission and Larry Gillock who was instrumental in bringing the PWT to Lake Cumberland.The winning amateur, Mike Johnson, Niagara, Wis., towed home a $17,000 Lund/Mercury walleye boat on an E-Z Loader trailer. Most contestants ran spinners with either PowerBait, Gulp! or night crawlers in 10 to 20 feet of water. Pro Myron Sylte, Williston, ND finished second and won $19,550. Some anglers like pro Daryl Christensen, Montello, Wis. (finished third and won $12,550), cast crankbaits at the limestone banks. The pros shared their tactics with the fans. They also personally instructed their amateur/co-angler partners. More than half the field of amateurs and co-anglers was from Kentucky. The Kentucky PWT State Walleye Champion went to the top-ranking amateur/co-angler from the state. The winner, Dan Kolczak, Somerset, was second in the Realtree Pro-Am ($4,500). For winning the State Walleye Champion award, he received a Fenwick walleye rod and reel from 2004 Mercury Champion Scott Glorvigen and 2004 Angler of the Year Tommy Skarlis.Special awards went to Chuck Emery, Dana Point, Cal., for the Gerbing’s Hot Pro award of a new electric heated suit and $500. This award recognizes the pro making a move to the top and “hot” at the moment. The Navionics Spot on the Spot $500 award went to Marty Glorvigen for fishing only special rubble “chunk-rock” piles along the limestone shorelines. He concentrated on those key, but tiny areas.The Coleman Big Fish award of $1,000 on day three went to rookie pro Chase Parsons, Appleton, Wis., and amateur partner Tim Wilson, Lexington, KY. Their walleye weighed 5.50 pounds. Parsons also won the Dave’s Ka-Boom Close Call Award of $500 for finishing 41st, and three one-hundredths of a pound out of the “money.”Holding the lead in the 2005 Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year race is pro Todd Frank, Pulaski, NY. Pro Bill Ortiz, Richland Center, Wis., and Mark Brumbaugh, Arcanum, Ohio trail him closely. During the awards ceremony, Mike Gofron, Antioch, Ill, placed sixth. This was his 30th top-10 PWT finish, establishing another new record. Pro Tom Backer, Fargo, ND won the Coleman Cool Under Pressure award for advancing the most places. Mike Dever, Bargersville, Ind., won on the amateur/co-angler side.The next PWT tour stop is in Bay City, Mich., June 29-July 1. Information about entering or viewing more walleye news is available on the PWT web, www.professionalwalleyetrial.com.The PWT works closely with the Russell County Tourist Commission(888-833-4220) and these business partners: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Boat Buckle, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt, E-Z Loader, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing’s Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Save Phace, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Access Roll-up Cover, Yellow Bird, DOW Chemical, Dave’s Lures, The State Bank Group, Yo-Zuri and Reef Runner. The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America’s leading producer of targeted media.