BAY CITY, Mich. – Mark Martin of Twin Lake, Mich., will lead 10 Pro Division anglers into the final round of the $346,000 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit regular-season finale on Saginaw Bay after landing five walleyes weighing 36 pounds, 5 ounces Friday with co-angler Rodney Nutt of Greenville, Mich.
The duo’s catch was the result of trolling with planer boards and crawler harnesses along a primary shipping channel. If Martin can duplicate his performance Saturday, he stands to win more than $90,000 in cash and prizes, including a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha. Nutt will be fishing for a top award of $15,000 cash.
“I feel real confident,” said Martin, who is making his third RCL top-10 appearance in just two seasons. “I have a secondary spot that is just terrific. We made a pass through there [Friday] and hooked three fish in just 15 minutes.”
Pro John Gillman of Freeland, Mich., and co-angler Rock McGilliuary of Watertown, S.D., advanced to the final round in the No. 2 position with five walleyes weighing 33 pounds, 11 ounces.
Rounding out the top five qualifiers were pro Terry Wilson of Powell, Wyo., and co-angler Mark Hull of Youngstown, Ohio, with five walleyes weighing 32 pounds, 8 ounces; pro Todd Frank of Pulaski, N.Y., and co-angler Art Madajski of Au Gres, Mich., with five walleyes weighing 29 pounds, 6 ounces; and pro Dean Arnoldussen of Kaukauna, Wis., and co-angler Jay Ahonen of Ortonville, Mich., with five walleyes weighing 29 pounds, 6 ounces.
Competition resumes at 7 a.m. Saturday at Hoyles Marina in Linwood, Mich., followed by a 3:30 p.m. weigh-in at the Bay City Wal-Mart located at 3921 Wilder Road. Catch weights will be cleared with the winners determined by the weight of Saturday’s catch.
Directed by FLW Outdoors and named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world’s most lucrative walleye fishing series. The circuit features four regular season tournaments each with a $346,000 cash purse and a championship with a $1.4 million cash purse. Cash payments are presented through 50th place.
Following this event, 200 pros and 200 co-anglers from the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit and other sanctioned tournament organizations and events will compete in the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship for a top pro award of up to $400,000 cash and a top co-angler award of up to $150,000 cash. The championship will be held on the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minn., Oct. 2-5. Green Bay hosted the Wal-Mart RCL Championship last season when Dean Arnoldussen of Kaukauna, Wis., won $400,000 and instantly joined the sport’s top all-time money winners.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit are Wal-Mart, Castrol, Conseco, Crestliner, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Lund, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Snickers, Stanley, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Berkley, Eagle Claw, Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.