| The Winnipeg Sun |
| Saturday, July 12, 2003 Taking challenge in Minaki tourney |
| �By craig Stapon |
| Tournament fishing is an opportunity to test your skills against the best. It has been a long time since I have fished a walleye tournament (1987). This past weekend I fished in the Minaki Walleye Challenge held at Paradise Cove in Minaki, Ont. This two-day event was very well-run and could be a model for others. The rules were simple: weigh in five walleye each day with only two fish allowed to be over 18 inches. Slot fish become very important, as you want your fish as close to 18 inches as possible without going over. After the first day, my partner Vaughan Rattai and I weighed in at 16.5 pounds -- good enough for 4th place. The fishing was tough and the bite was very soft. We stuck to our game plan and worked the Sand Lake flats very slowly. Vaughan managed to hook a very respectable 7-pound walleye. We caught and released several in the 22 to 24 inch range. Our slot fish were all just over 17 inches. This put us in a decent position for Day 2, only 3 pounds out of first. Manny's Fat Boy Worms were working well. Thanks Manny! The weigh-in on Day 1 was very smooth. We were on the water for minutes before our team number was called. Day 2 was eventful. We awoke to storm clouds and lightning. Most of the morning's fishing was in the pouring rain. We caught and released several fish but not a sniff from a hawg. By mid-day the weather cleared and the rain stopped, but the wind picked up and the west end of Big Sand was very rough. It made it very difficult to stay in position and fish the reefs effectively. At this point we decided to use No. 8 and No. 9 Shad Raps and crank the reefs. After an hour and one fish, we went back to using a bottom bouncer and spinner. Vaughan caught a 4.5 pounder that boosted our weight total. Around 1:30 p.m. my rod arched and I knew immediately that I had the hawg that I needed. As in any fish story this huge walleye -- about 10 pounds -- broke my line. I guess I made a mistake by using too light of a line (six pound). It was fate. Instead of coming in with a weight of 20 pounds we weighed in with a Day 2 total of 13.5 pounds. Good enough to maintain our standing. Dwayne Hell did a good job of running the tournament. The breakfast and dinners available in the restaurant were great and the service in the bar in the evening provided by Shauna was outstanding. Overall it was a great weekend. According to Dwayne there are still 20 pro spots available for the Garry Roach Pro Am in August. I will fish that event and hope for similar success. --- The Shoal Lake Bass tourney was also held on this past weekend. All the anglers were surprised with the unexpected visit of Ted Stewner and John Guzej. These two guys make up one of the top teams in the province. I was glad they decided to fish bass and not walleye. They had a rough Day 1 but caught a huge bag on Day 2, vaulting them up to second place. Till next week, keep your lines tight! |