Final day at Saginaw Bay
BAY CITY, Mich. – Big limits of walleyes were expected to be weighed in this afternoon as the top 10 RCL pros and co-anglers headed out this morning for what will be the final round to decide who will win the battle of the bay.
The winning pro angler will take home a check for $50,000 and a fully rigged Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat, with an Evinrude or Yamaha engine, for a total prize valued at $90,000. The winning co-angler takes home a check for $15,000.
Lund pro Robert Linkewitz of New Baltimore, Mich., hopes he continues to find the right fish.
“Yesterday I knew it would take close to 30 pounds to make it to the finals,” said Linkewitz. “I made the right moves and caught the right fish. I just hope I can do it again today.”
Crestliner pro Terry Wilson of Powell, Wyo., is confident but a bit nervous.
“I have worked very hard to be in this position to win,” said Wilson. “I know I can catch enough weight to win, but I am a bit nervous since this is my first time fishing in an RCL final.”
Lund pro and day-three leader Mark Martin of Twin Lake, Mich., hopes the area he has been fishing is not overrun by local anglers.
“There is a big local tournament with over 100 boats going on today,” said Martin. “I hope I don’t have too much company out there today. If I can get on my spots before the crowd shows up, I think I’ll have a very good chance to win this event.”
Co-angler Jay Ahonen has his wife to thank for making it to the finals.
“I am a bass guy,” said Ahonen. “I have never fished a walleye tournament before, but I have always been interested in doing it. For my 40th birthday, as a present, my wife paid for my entry fee into this tournament. What a great gift. I guess I’ll have to take her out to dinner or do something nice now.”
Weigh-in today is at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart at 3921 Wilder Road in Bay City, Mich.
Today’s stats
Sunrise: 5:58 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 68
Expected high temperature: 88
Water temperature: 70 off shore, low 70s closer to shore
Water clarity: clear
Wind: WSW 5 mph
Relative humidity: 83 percent
Day’s outlook: mostly sunny with highs in the upper 80s; wind SW at 5-10 mph
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