Finding room for four
Byle may shift focus from Angler of the Year to winning back to back
RED WING, Minn. – It is no secret that nearly all of the top professional walleye anglers compete on teams. These teams room together, practice collectively and share information. Perhaps the hottest team going in the walleye world right now is the quintet of Pat Byle, Chris Gilman, Ted Takasaki, Perry Good and John Campbell.
At the season-opening event on Lake Erie, they placed three in the top 10 with Byle winning the event, Takasaki taking second and Good taking sixth. After day two in Red Wing, they have three in the top 10 again with Good knocking on the door in 11th place and Campbell sitting in 53rd.
“It’s pretty incredible,” said Byle. “A lot can change in a day but so far so it’s been crazy good. The thing about our team is that everyone is detail orientated and exploratory. It really helps to have five sets of eyes out there.”
In practice, the team identified eight productive spots but Byle said they are now keying in on about four of them. One is a big-fish spot, one has quality saugers and one has good numbers of 20-inchers. On the big-fish spot, they methodically troll with three-way rigs. In the other areas they mostly pull crankbaits on leadcore line.
“With all the pressure it’s getting, I’m afraid the big-fish spot is going to give out. But I have an idea where they go after that. I just need enough to get me in the cut.”
Byle didn’t expect to contend for the win on the Mississippi. He claims he hasn’t done well here since his MWC days back in the 90s. But since he’s made it this far, he might have to change his focus.
“I came down here with the intention of playing it safe and keeping myself near the top of the Angler of the Year standings. Now that things are going so well I might want to reconsider and roll the dice.”
Logistics
The three-day, opening-round cut will be made following Friday’s action. The full field competes in the opening round for one of 10 slots in Saturday’s competition based on their three-day accumulated weight. Look for the pro cut weight to hover around 45 to 48 pounds, and the co-angler cut weight to settle in around 42 to 45 pounds.
The top 10 pros and co-anglers continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.
On the Web
For those who can’t catch the weigh-in action in person, FLWOutdoors.com offers FLW Live, an online application that brings fans real-time weigh-in results.
Friday’s conditions
Sunrise: 5:51 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 52 degrees
Expected high temperature: 70 degrees
Water temperature: 60-64 degrees
Wind: NNW at 9 mph
Maximum humidity: 47 percent
Day’s outlook: afternoon showers