For Immediate Release
Teamwork Makes the Difference at Alum Creek
By Steve Weisman
Gander Mountain GNWC Publicity Director
Building on their third place finish at Indian Lake, the team of Mike
Defibaugh and Tom Defibaugh from Bellefontaine, OH captured the Alum Creek
tournament on the Gander Mountain Grand National Walleye Cup’s second stop
of the Ohio Region on Sunday, April 18.
The Defibaughs brought in five fish weighing 6.43 pounds to take home
the $1000 first place check. With winds gusting out of the south, it took
total teamwork for the winning team. Tom Defibaugh said of his partner,
“Mike basically controlled the boat on these two points so that we could
vertical jig.” They worked chartreuse and orange jigs tipped with minnows on
two points at the south end of the lake and found their fish along the rocky
bottom in 15-20 foot of water.
“That’s what teamwork is all about,” said Gander Mountain GNWC
Tournament Director Gary Bowman, as he talked about the winning effort. “If
Mike wouldn’t have done that, it would have been tough for them to catch
their fish.”
Bowman continued, “Most of the teams worked the south end of the lake
because it was clearer. Torrential rains muddied the reservoir, and that
really changed the bite. Most of the fish taken were saugeyes.”
Todd Kunk from St. Henry, OH and Adam Harlamert from Cold Water, OH took
second place and a $500 check with a two-fish weight of 5.28 pounds. They
also captured The Berkley Trilene Big Fish Award of $400 in Berkley products
for their 3.42-pound saugeye. Their presentation was also a jig and minnow,
but they worked 30-foot edges.
The team of Gary Schiller from Fairview, PA and Rick Winkleman from
Erie, PA cashed the $200 third place check for a three-fish weight of 4.59
pounds. They also vertical jigged with a minnow in 15-20 feet of water.
The “Yo So Close” award of a Yo Net folding net valued at $80 went to
the team that placed just out of the money. That team was Kevin Vernon from
Westerville, OH and Phillip Ames from Reynoldsburg, OH.
Matt Sands from Union, OH was the winner of the Gander Mountain “Need
More Stuff” drawing of $200 for a Gander Mountain Shopping Spree.
A series of special awards came from David Calhoun, owner of Boat Boys,
the official Ohio Regional Skeeter Boats sponsor. Calhoun handed out $2500
in Skeeter Boats certificates to the top placing teams toward the purchase
of a new Skeeter boat or toward accessories.
With half of the qualifiers now in the books, Mike Defibaugh and Tom
Defibaugh hold the lead for the Ohio Region Team of the Year honors.
The Ohio teams now head to Port Clinton on Sunday, May 2 where they
continue their quest for a berth in the Ohio Gander Mountain GNWC Regional
Championships.
Anglers interested in signing up for a future qualifier or simply
wanting more information on the GNWC circuit can call 1-800-890-FISH (3474),
or they can email the GNWC at [email protected].
Title Sponsor for the GNWC is Gander Mountain with other major national
sponsors including Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, the Sportsman Channel,
Berkley, Aqua Innovations, YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, VIB”E” Lure
Company, TowTector Shield and UpNorth Outdoors.com. The Ohio Regional
Skeeter Boats sponsor is Boat Boys out of Newark, OH.