Arnoldussen outmaneuvers opposition, grabs day-three lead

With improved weather, Lake Erie returns to trophy form

PORT CLINTON, Ohio – Day three of the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour event on Lake Erie turned into an old fashioned shootout. A whopping 507 walleyes that weighed a total of 2,044 pounds were brought to the scale Friday. Many of the 136 boats decided to “go for broke” and several of them succeeded as the field was trimmed to the top 10 pro and co-anglers.

Dean Arnoldussen jumped from seventh place to first place with a five-fish limit that weighed 30 pounds even, bringing his two-day total to 55 pounds, 15 ounces. The Appleton, Wis., native was ecstatic to be back in the top spot with a 1 pound, 11 ounce lead.

“Anytime you are in first place it just feels unbelievable,” he said. Arnoldussen captured $400,000 and first place at the 2001 RCL Championship and thinks he has found the winning formula once again.

“We’ve been dragging Northland spinnerblades tipped with crawlers behind Off Shore planer boards,” said Arnoldussen. “The planer boards have taddle-tail flags which were really beneficial because the fish were hitting really soft. We were setting the hook right away and we didn’t lose a fish.”

Arnoldussen described the area he was fishing as a flat that is located near a few islands. He and his partner, Jackie Perry, targeted fish anywhere from 40 to 45 feet of water.

Arnoldussen acknowledged the improved fishing will require another big sack for him to be victorious tomorrow. “I think I’ll need 35 to 40 pounds tomorrow. The fish are starting to come on.”

McDonald surges to second

Russell McDonald brought in the day’s second largest sack that weighed 36 pounds, 5 ounces moving up 16 places in the process for a two-day total of 54 pounds, 4 ounces.

The Dryden, Ontario, resident is on a hot bite and wants one more shot at Arnoldussen. “I feel really confident about tomorrow,” said McDonald. “I don’t want a blow day tomorrow; I want to go out and fish.”

McDonald is employing a system of spinners and nightcrawlers, although he didn’t want to get into specifics. “I’m fishing deep, clean water anywhere from 12 to 25 feet down.”

Lambert moves up one spot to third

Larry Lambert boated only four walleyes on day three, but was able to move up a spot to third place. Lambert is fishing in his first professional tournament in more than two years.

“This feels fabulous,” said Lambert, who brought 22 pounds, 2 ounces to the scale. “It was tough for us today. We had five on but only brought in four. I’ll be alright; to win I think I’ll need at least 30 pounds.”

Lambert used a variety of tactics to trick his fish including Reef Runners and harnesses tipped with nightcrawlers. “I was trying to fish off-color water, that was where the best fish were,” said Lambert. “I fished from 20 feet and deeper.”

Lambert finished the opening round with a combined weight of 49 pounds, 13 ounces.

Hiser fourth

Rising to fourth place was Pickerington, Ohio, native Mike Hiser. After only bringing in 19 pounds, 6 ounces on day one, Hiser was able to recover by catching five walleyes that weighed 29 pounds, 12 ounces on day three.

Lacourse fifth

In fifth place was Port Clinton’s Richard Lacourse, who caught five walleyes that weighed 18 pounds, 2 ounces. Lacourse dropped from second to fifth and his opening round catch weighed 48 pounds even.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros who will be fishing on day four on Lake Erie:

6th: Patrick Neu of Forestville, Wis., 47-5

7th: Mark Schuitema of Jenison, Mich., 44-12

8th: Dan Plautz of Muskego, Wis., 44-3

9th: Greg Schenecker of Watertown, S.D., 42-4

10th: Joe Whitten of Toledo, Ohio, 40-11

Fallaw finds right pros, overtakes Todd

On the co-angler side Joseph Fallaw moved from second to first by pairing with Steve Carlson and bringing in 33 pounds, 7 ounces of walleye. An FLW Walleye Tour competitor since 2000, Fallaw is excited to finally be in contention.

“I think this is my first time in the top 30,” he said. “I’ve been a nervous wreck all week, but this feels good.”

Fallaw immediately wanted to acknowledge the great pros he fished with: “I couldn’t ask for two better partners in Richard Lacourse and Steve Carlson.”

On his successful pattern today Fallaw said, “We were trolling Reef Runners in 15 to 25 feet of water. That seemed to be where the females hung out.”

Fallaw’s opening round weight of 63 pounds, 5 ounces leads both divisions.

Coming in second for the co-anglers was Dale Todd of Janesville, Wis. Todd partnered with Mark Dahl on day three and caught five walleyes that weighed 24 pounds, 1 ounce to push his opening round total to 54 pounds, 5 ounces.

“We were getting most of our fish on crankbaits,” said Todd. “It was a tough day. We only caught five fish and we were lucky to get them in the boat.”

Co-angler Bruce Brasser of Rockford, Mich., caught five walleyes that weighed 33 pounds, 12 ounces and rose to third place with a total weight of 52 pounds, 7 ounces.

Michael Watson of Spirit Lake, Iowa, claimed the fourth spot for the co-anglers with a combined weight of 49 pounds, 5 ounces.

Fifth place went to Daniel Maix of Oregon, Ohio, for 48 pounds, 15 ounces.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers who will fish on day four on Lake Erie:

6th: Dan Coyer of Plymouth, Ind., 44-6

7th: Corey Rost of Madison, S.D., 44-0

8th: Jeff Sather of Montevideo, Minn., 42-13

9th: Dean Holden of Red Wing, Minn., 39-15

10th: Justin Steinke of Birnamwood, Wis., 39-7

The final day of FLW Walleye Tour competition on Lake Erie begins as the top 10 pro and co-anglers take off from West Harbor Launch Ramp at 7 a.m. Eastern time Saturday. The final weigh-in will take place at 4 p.m. Eastern time from the Wal-Mart store located on East Harbor Road in Port Clinton.