PWT Pro, Thank you for your patience. The final “dotted line” has been signed, and we are ready to roll out the 2007 details. They include more money, a spread-out schedule, a great selection of waters (great bites, great times), and more media opportunities (PWT TV show, PWT radio, Walleye In-Sider, Walleye Guide and local/regional newspapers and TV).
We know it has taken longer than customary to finalize the details, and the announcement is late. Those details, however, mean greater “pay-days” for you.
Each pro can assist the PWT and assure the success of the tour this season. We ask now that each pro work especially diligently to sign-up at least one amateur for the first tournament, Chamberlain, April 4-6. Time is very limited, and the selling points are:
1. Chamberlain will be a tremendous river bite.
2. Chamberlain will be the first-ever PWT “pre-spawn” event.
3. Amateurs/Co-anglers will catch lots of fish.
4. This will be a time to get the kinks out and enjoy the spring bite.
5. The amateur/co-angler entry fee is less than last season, and at $375, amounts to only $125 per day. The fee last season was $450, and higher in past years.
NOTE: Pros, advise amateurs they can go to our website for details and entry blanks; you can hand them an entry blank; they can call PWT headquarters, 218-829-0620; or they can call any of us directly:
Julie Meister: 218-824-2542
Charlie: 218-824-2532
Jim K.: 218-824-2552
6. The top amateur/co-angler will win a boat/outboard/trailer valued at $17,000. To-placing amateurs will win Lowrance GPS units, Mercury outboards, Minn Kota and MotorGuide trolling motors, gift certificates from leading tackle companies so they can order exactly what they want, and more.
7. The amateurs/co-anglers will be featured on TV and pictured in the magazines.
8. They will learn so much that they will start winning their local and state tournaments. They will see what it takes to be a pro. Many may even use this event as the stepping-stone to future pro stardom.
Convince the amateurs/co-anglers you know and meet to fish
Chamberlain. You will be increasing the effectiveness of all partners during the tournament.
Please review the pro information, and call if you have any questions. The 2007 rules will be posted on our website, along with the site details. One of the attachments is for Super Pros, the other for Regional anglers. It is important that all pros know the specifics of each. With four good-paying Regionals, the opportunities to directly impact money winnings increases dramatically. And, that will determine who will be the 2008 Super Pros. Julie, Charlie, Jim
Note: Please download the appropriate entry packet that is attached. Below is the 2007 PWT Super Pro Invitational List
The Super Pro series “invitational formula” is attainable to those who have been fishing for several years, and allows new pros to move up rapidly. It rewards excellence. The best anglers will move up quickly.
Super Pro invitations will go to the top active (fished a series in 2006) anglers who have accumulated the most career winnings. For 2007, Super Pro invitations will go to the top 60 all-time money winners. Alternates, if necessary to achieve 60 Super Pro anglers prior to the season, will be invited. No Super Pro alternates will be added after the season commences.
The 2007 Championship invitations will go to the top 30 anglers in the Johnsonville Angler of the Year race (must fish both the Super Pro & Regional Series). The top 20 Regional qualifiers will also be invited.
1. Ron Seelhoff
2. Mike Gofron
3. Gary Parsons
4. Tommy Skarlis
5. Keith Kavajecz
6. Pete Harsh
7. Perry Good
8. Scott Fairbairn
9. Dan Plautz
10. Bill Ortiz
11. Bruce Samson
12. Mark Brumbaugh
13. Mark Martin
14. Dan Stier
15. Daryl Christensen
16. Rick Olson
17. Shannon Kehl
18. Scott Glorvigen
19. Bill St. Peter
20. David A. Andersen
21. Gary Roach
22. Tommy Kemos
23. Robert Crow
24. John Kolinski
25. Ronald Gazvoda
26. Steve Fellegy
27. Todd Riley
28. Dave Van Oss
29. Ross Grothe
30. John Bergsma
31. Tom Backer
32. Jeff Taege
33. Todd Frank
34. Sam Anderson
35. Marty Glorvigen
36, Steve Bohn
37. Bob Propst Jr.
38. Terry Wilson
39. John Butts
40. Jim Muzynoski
41. Brian Ney
42. Chief Papineau
43. Mike Kulm
44. Mark Christianson
45. Dave Anderson
46. Ernie Olson
47. Chase Parsons
48. Brad Davis
49. Sheldon Meidinger
50. Andy Kuffer
51. Jim Carroll
52. Rick Franklin
53. Jay Janny
54. Barry Walker
55. Dean Miller
56. Charlie Johnson
57. Steve Poll
58. Tony Puccio
59. Danny Plautz
60. Gil Mollet
61. Tom Gatzke*
62. Mark Courts*
63. Patrick Neu*
64 Jay Weber*
65. Jeff Edwards*
*Qualified through the 2006 Tommy Docks Regional Series
Alternates, in order, who will be invited to fish if the Super Pro field is less than 60 prior to the start of the 2007 season.
1. Myron Sylte
2. Jerry Fox Jr.
3. Dave Randash
4. Scott Zeigler
5. Mark Gwizdala
6. Johnnie Candle
7. Larry Snow
8. Ken Zmudzynski
9. Ken Van Oss
10. Chuck Emery
Dear PWT Super Pro,
Congratulations. You are invited to fish the 2007 In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Super Pro series. The list of invitees and the top 10 alternates are listed on the attached sheet.
Please return your entry blank by the date indicated. If you can-not fish (a handful of pros have indicated health, family or jobs will keep them out this season), call Jim or Charlie right away. That way, we can inform alternates.
The Super Pro and Regional purses have increased substantially over last season. However, the Super Pro series will include two tourna-ments. One of those will be in Dryden, Ontario. The other will be in Cass Lake.
Dryden/Wabigoon Lake is a new location, and could produce the season’s largest walleyes, according to a Super Pro who has fished this system once or twice. Cass Lake is on the opposite end of the calendar from our past event there.
According to the customs and immigration folks, those flying into Canada are now required to have a passport. That regulation will also apply to those driving, but not until later in the year. It takes about six weeks and about $100 for a passport. It might be a good idea to have one. For any anglers who feel something in their backgrounds might hamper border crossing, contact the Canada Border Crossing Service, 800-438-7020, and for a fee, they may be able to assist you.
Super Pros who fish the four Regionals will also qualify for Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year honors. And, the top 30 pros in the Johnsonville Angler of the Year race will qualify for the Mercury Championship. When completing the Super Pro entry blank, check off the Regional tournaments you will enter.
The invitation list and purse payments are listed. A Regional pro letter shows the purse comparison for that series.
There is one other item that will be critical. With the “later-than-usual” start, the PWT requests that each Super Pro convince at least one new amateur/co-angler to fish this season. Potential contestants can call PWT headquarters, and we will sign them up over the phone. Or, they can go to the web for details and entry blanks. Posters will be forwarded for your area. Please distribute them to key locations. The rules are posted on the PWT web site.
Super Pro invitations go to the top active anglers who have accumulated the most career winnings. “Active” means they
fished in 2006. For 2007, invitations will go to the top 60 money winners and the top five Regional anglers. The goal is to fish both
Super Pros with 60 anglers. Alternates will be added, if necessary. After the first tournament, alternates will not be added to the
Super Pro series.
Thanks for your support and interest.
Sincerely,
Jim Kalkofen, Charlie Moore & Julie Meister
2007 Super Pro Purse:
$241,500 per tournament
1st $45,000 & Boat
2nd 20,000
3rd 18,000
4th 16,000
5th 14,000
6th 12,000
7th 11,500
8th 11,000
9th 10,500
10th 10,000
11th 9,000
12th 8,500
13th 8,000
14th 7,000
15th 6,000
2006 Super Pro Purses:
Tournaments # 1, # 2 and # 3: $159,000
Tournament # 4 (Mille Lacs): $208,000
Plus Tournament grade walleye boat
payouts based on fully paid pro & amateur fields
Dear Regional PWT Pro,
Thank you for considering the In-Fisherman Professional
Walleye Trail Regional series of tournaments this season. This might
be the best slate of competitive sites ever offered.
The tour starts at Chamberlain, where the best bite could be
within sight of take-off. This will be the first ever pre-spawn bite in
PWT history. The next site, Winneconne, will be a week later than
previously. This will open up more of the system, creating a spread-out
field. Mille Lacs has been on the schedule many times, and was
the site of the first PWT tournament in 1989. Last summer, it was
trolling and slip-bobbering. What will it be the end of May? Then,
it’s the Bays. What fisheries! Past winners have come from Big Bay
de Noc, the Shoals between the Bays and the structure “down south.”
Where will the big catches be in August?
The Regional series is open to rookie pros, veterans and
everybody who wants to compete. This is still an invitational, and
new pros must submit “Rookie Pro” forms and references with their
entry blanks. Regional pros may elect to fish one, two, three, or all
four events. To qualify for the Championship (the top 20 Regional
pros will be invited to the Championship), pros must sign up for all
four Regionals prior to the first tournament. Those signing up for all
four receive preference.
The Regional series provided some of the toughest competi-tion
in 2006, and the action will be as intense this coming season.
Many pros aspire to move into the PWT Super Pro ranks. That sys-tem
is based on career PWT money winnings. However, the top 10
Regional pros at the end of the 2007 season will be invited to fish the
2008 Super Pro tour.
The Regional Pro purses have been increased. The first column
in the list is the 2006 payout; the second (right column) is the
2007 purse.
Also new for the Regionals is the lower amateur/co-angler
entry fee. That fee has been reduced to $375. This will make it eas-ier
for Regional pros to bring fishing partners with them to tourna-ments.
Be sure to talk this up with your friends, in your fishing
clubs, at seminars and shows. If you need extra amateur/co-angler
entry blanks, let us know. It is not mandatory to bring amateurs/co-anglers
with you to tournaments, but will be deeply appreciated.
Thanks for considering the PWT in 2007. See you on tour!
Sincerely,
Jim Kalkofen, Charlie Moore & Julie Meister
2006 payouts / 2007 payouts
1st $55,000 $25,000 & Boat
(Plus tournament – grade walleye rig)
2nd 15,000 18,000
3rd 13,000 13,000
4th 10,000 10,000
5th 9,000 9,500
6th 8,000 9,000
7th 7,000 8,000
8th 6,000 7,000
9th 5,000 6,000
10th 4,000 5,000
11th 3,500 4,000
12th 3,400 4,000
13th 3,300 4,000
14th 3,200 4,000
15th 3,100 4,000
16th 3,000 3,750
17th 2,900 3,750
18th 2,800 3,750
19th 2,700 3,750
20th 2,600 3,750
21st 2,500 3,500
22nd 2,400 3,500
23rd 2,300 3,500
24th 2,200 3,500
25th 2,100 3,000
26th 2,000 3,000
27th 2,000 3,000
28th 2,000 3,000
29th 1,500 3,000
30th 1,500 3,000
2006 Payout 2007 Payout
payouts based on fully paid pro & amateur fields
Is it what you expected to see 
