Dean does it again
Former FLW Walleye Tour Championship winner boats 25-6, leads heading into final day
TRENTON, Mich. – Despite a heavy downpour, the big fish once again made their way to the scale at the season-opening Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour event on the Detroit River. Just as the chunky walleyes reemerged on day three, pro Dean Arnoldussen put together another spectacular catch to retain his lead heading into day four.
Arnoldussen and his co-angler Mike Bentz boated a five-walleye limit that weighed 25 pounds, 6 ounces. Amazingly, Arnoldussen didn’t gain any ground as the other top competitors successfully executed as well. With not much room for error, his three-day total weight sits at 65 pounds, 11 ounces.
“I’ll tell you, she’s a close one,” said Arnoldussen. “I thought I would have a bigger lead.”
Arnoldussen and Bentz had all of their fish in the boat by 11:30 a.m. They spent the rest of the day searching for new water and toying with fellow anglers who were attempting to follow him. Arnoldussen is fishing a small 300 or 400 yard stretch of water with Fireball jigs tipped with minnows.
“I figured at that time that I had enough. I really have to credit my Lowrance 111. I’m making a long run and I wouldn’t have been able to get up there without it.”
One concern for the Appleton, Wis. pro is muddy water. On Tuesday, the Trenton area received a heavy downpour that muddied many of the best fishing spots on day one. Arnoldussen was quoted as saying he couldn’t see his jig 2 inches below the water that day. Today’s rain could possibly have a similar effect on tomorrow’s bite.
On his chances for winning the event, Arnoldussen said, “There’s new fish that just keep moving through the river from Lake Erie,” Arnoldussen said. “I’m going to need 30 pounds or more to win it tomorrow. I’m hoping my spot stays clean.”
Byle applies the pressure
Pro Pat Byle once again exhibited steady progress as he caught five walleyes on day three that weighed 32 pounds, 4 ounces. If Byle improves his catch yet again tomorrow, he could be heading back to Colgate, Wis., with a check for $100,000.
“I’m just happy to be within 5 pounds of the lead,” he said. “I was really concentrating on boat position. It was absolutely critical to have precise bait speed.”
On day three Byle went back upriver to his big-fish spot, which he shared with about 60 other boats. Byle described the area as a perfect spot for female walleyes to drop their eggs.
“The current conditions are right, they can spawn without using a lot of energy. These big fish are tough to get in the boat, but we didn’t lose any. When it goes right, it goes right.”
Byle’s day-three limit pushed his total weight to 64 pounds, 13 ounces.
Grothe sacks 39 for third
Yamaha pro Ross Grothe came out of nowhere to grab the third spot among the pros with the biggest catch thus far of the tournament. Heading into day three, Grothe sat 30 places behind leader Arnoldussen. When the day ended, only Byle separated the two. The Northfield, Minn., native’s astounding catch weighed 39 pounds, 7 ounces and included a huge kicker.
“A 12-pound fish really starts the day off right,” quipped Grothe. “It’s a matter of getting the right bites.”
Like many others, Grothe is sharing water with both Byle and fifth-place pro Troy Morris. Grothe caught his massive limit by jigging in 25 feet of water.
Fallaw jumps to fourth
Rising to fourth place was McHenry, Ill., native Paul Fallaw. After bringing in 23 pounds, 10 ounces on day two, Fallaw was able to manage five walleyes that weighed 28 pounds, 12 ounces on day three. Fallaw’s opening-round weight was 59 pounds, 4 ounces.
“I had all five fish by 9:30 a.m.,” he said. “Then I spent the rest of the day looking for new water.”
Fallaw jigged with night crawlers and said he’s adding a stinger to his presentation.
Morris fifth
In fifth place was Troy Morris of Bismark, N.D., who continued his pattern of bringing in one additional fish each day. On day-three, he finally put five walleyes into the box that weighed 20 pounds even. Morris is one of the few anglers who has demonstrated consistency and his three-day weight is 57 pounds, 10 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros who will be fishing on day four on the Detroit River:
6th: Bill Ortiz of Richland Center, Wis., 57-7
7th: Nate Provost of Gulliver, Mich., 56-14
8th: Tommy Skarlis of Dorchester, Iowa, 55-14
9th: Scott Steil of Richmond, Minn., 54-13
10th: Aaron Hogland of Sycamore, Ill., 52-8
Adams takes commanding co-angler lead
On the co-angler side Jack Adams hit the mother load yet again. Partnering with 10th-place pro Aaron Hogland, the two boated five walleyes that weighed 35 pounds even, bringing his three-day total weight to 67 pounds, 6 ounces
“Aaron was an absolutely fantastic partner,” Adams said. “We had a 4-pounder after about 30 seconds and a 7-pounder after about 20 minutes. Every half hour or so we brought a fish in. All five were in the livewell by 1 or 1:30.”
The pair jigged their way to a total of six fish, with Adams catching three of them.
Several other of the top co-anglers struggled on day three. With one last day on the water, Adams has roughly a 20-pound advantage over his nearest competitor.
“I’m really looking forward to fishing with Dean tomorrow.”
Finishing the opening round in second place was Darrell Diskey of Mount Zion, Ill. Diskey partnered with Tommy Skarlis on day three and caught five walleyes that weighed 18 pounds, 10 ounces to push his total to 47 pounds, 11 ounces.
Co-angler Boyd Strissel of Billings, Mont., caught five walleyes that weighed 20 pounds, 10 ounces, moving up to third with a total weight of 46 pounds, 12 ounces.
Justin Steinke of Bernamwood, Wis., and Tim Cigany of Cleveland, Ohio, tied for the fourth spot among the co-anglers with a combined weight of 46 pounds, 7 ounces.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers who will fish on day four on the Detroit River:
6th: Adam Adler of Oconto Falls, Wis., 46-4
7th: Pat Chafe of Sarnia, Ontario, 45-2
8th: Julie Towle of Glencoe, Minn., 44-8
8th: Mike Bentz of Brookville, Ind., 44-8
10th: Maurice Hall of Auburn Hills, Mich., 44-4
The final day of FLW Walleye Tour competition on the Detroit River begins as the top 10 pro and co-anglers take off from Elizabeth Park Marina 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 Allen Road in Woodhaven.