ESCANABA, Mich. – On day one of the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour event on Bays de Noc, 45 of the world’s best walleye anglers zeroed. The fishing is slow thanks to an alewife spawn, and putting every bite in the boat is of the utmost importance.
While some anglers didn’t receive a single a bite, others got only two, but they were enough to be in the top 10. Dan Stier, for example, caught two fish that weighed 17 pounds, 7 ounces. That was good enough for a sixth-place tie after day one.
Pat Neu on the other hand wasn’t able to get all his bites in the boat. Neu is one of the best open-water trollers in the game, especially on Lake Michigan’s Green Bay and Bays de Noc. Neu won the 2005 Walleye Tour event on Green Bay and won last year’s PWT event on Bays de Noc.
Neu thinks he had the fish on yesterday to be in the top 10, if not the lead. Currently sitting in 78th place in the year-long points race, the Forestville, Wis., pro figures he needs to finish in the top 15 at this event to make the championship. On day one, he caught two walleyes that weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces.
“Today is going to be the day that tells the story,” Neu said. “Guys that are fishing along the west shoreline are in trouble. With the wind, the water is just going to be too cold. It will be perfect for salmon, but not for walleyes. Even the guys making the long runs will have to adjust.”
Long runs have been the norm for the tournament. In less than ideal conditions yesterday, many people ran to Chamber’s Island and beyond. Roundtrip, it is 80 miles from Escanaba Harbor to Chamber’s Island.
Gain pro Julia Davis is in a slightly better position than Neu. She sits in 60th place in the points race and 43rd in the tournament at hand. If Davis can put together two more successful days, she will be the first woman to qualify for a tour-level, year-end championship as a professional.
It would be a milestone not only for professional walleye fishing, but for tournament fishing as a whole. Davis views it differently.
“It would be a great personal accomplishment for me,” she said. “But as far as the woman thing, I’m just one of the guys. I just need five more today and five more tomorrow. Somebody just has to tell the fish that.”
Thursday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:10 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 56 degrees
Expected high temperature: 66 degrees
Water temperature: 58-65 degrees
Wind: W at 14 mph
Maximum humidity: 70 percent
Day’s outlook: showers developing late morning