Go for the green
Full field of 150 boats vie for big money, big Green Bay walleyes
GREEN BAY, Wis. – By several accounts, the hot bite that was reported during prefishing should continue on day one of the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour event on Green Bay. As the full field of 150 pros and 150 co-anglers took off Wednesday morning, they weren’t looking for just a limit of fish; they were clearly in hog-hunting mode.
A $100,000 first-place purse is on the line, as well as a trip to the 2006 FLW Walleye Tour Championship, the most lucrative event in professional walleye angling, held on South Dakota’s Lake Oahe. Some have already punched their ticket to Pierre, S.D., while others are doing the math in their heads in between bites.
The weather in the Green Bay area is beginning to warm up, and the walleyes have been quick to respond. Today’s high temperature is expected to reach the upper 80s with the highs for the weekend being forecasted in the mid- to upper 90s. Steamy weather notwithstanding, expect many limits to push the 20-pound mark with a few reaching into the 30s.
Pro Tim Flynn is one of those anglers who found a hungry pod of walleyes during the unofficial practice period. The Tea, S.D., resident said that he caught an abundance of small fish and that he has really enjoyed his time on the water.
“My goal is to get about 22 pounds today,” Flynn said.
Pro Larry Smith said his plan for day one is pretty simple. “Big blades, big fish,” he explained. Rest assured, if the first two parts of the equation flourish, Smith can add big money to his “big list.”
Tournament logistics
Metro Park Boat Launch, located at 90 Bay Beach Road in Green Bay, will host daily takeoffs each morning at 7. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the launch site beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 2440 W. Mason St. in Green Bay beginning at 4 p.m. The community is invited to attend daily takeoffs and weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public.
Pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight. Pros compete against other pros, and co-anglers compete against other co-anglers. The full field competes during the three-day opening round for one of 10 final-round slots based on their three-day accumulated weight. Weights carry over to day four, with the winner determined by the heaviest four-day weight.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 150 points awarded to the winner, 149 to second, 148 for third, and so on. These points determine angler standings. The top 50 pros and 50 co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the 2006 FLW Walleye Tour Championship.
Wednesday’s conditions
Sunrise: 5:19 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 68 degrees
Expected high temperature: 86 degrees
Water temperature: 58-72 degrees
Wind: NNE at 8 mph
Maximum humidity: 63 percent
Day’s outlook: mostly sunny