GREEN BAY, Wis. – Pro angler Mark Keenan of Appleton, Wis., landed a five-walleye limit weighing 23 pounds, 4 ounces Thursday to lead the pro division field into the semi-final round of the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship in his quest to win up to $400,000 in the world’s richest walleye fishing tournament.
Keenan leads the top 12 pros into Friday’s semifinal round of the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit Championship with a two-day, opening round total of nine walleyes weighing 53 pounds, 15 ounces. He weighed in four walleyes that registered 30 pounds, 11 ounces on opening day.
Leo Schlauch of Suamico, Wis., will lead the top 12 co-anglers into the semifinal round with a two-day total of seven walleyes weighing 48 pounds, 6 ounces. He had a day-one boat weight of 26 pounds, 2 ounces. The co-angler champion will be awarded up to $150,000.
Rounding out the top five pros are Dean Arnoldson of Kaukauna, Wis., with eight walleyes weighing 48 pounds, 11 ounces; Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., with seven walleyes weighing 44 pounds, 13 ounces; Patrick Neu of Forestville, Wis., with seven walleyes weighing 42 pounds, 12 ounces; and Larry Wisniewski of Milwaukee, Wis., with 38 pounds, 2 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Gordie Yewman, Jr. of Green Bay, Wis., with eight walleyes weighing 38 pounds, 11 ounces; Gerald Valleskey of Collins, Wis., with eight walleyes weighing 36 pounds, 12 ounces; and Brian Garrity of Wausau, Wis., with five walleyes weighing 33 pounds, 15 ounces; and Trish Gauthier of Isle, Minn., with 33 pounds, 13 ounces..
Named after retail giant Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world’s most lucrative walleye fishing series. With a purse of up to $1.4 million, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is the richest walleye tournament in the history of the sport.
Competition started Wednesday on Green Bay with 192 pros and 192 co-anglers from 17 states and Canada. The field was cut to the top 12 pros and co-anglers Thursday for the semifinal round, and the field will be cut again to the top six pros Friday for Saturday’s finale. Anglers in both divisions will start the semifinal and final rounds from zero and fish for the heaviest one-day catch. Co-angler competition will be decided by the heaviest semifinal round catch.
Competition resumes at 7 a.m. Friday at Metro Park Boat Launch on Bay Beach Road followed by a 5 p.m. weigh-in at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 2440 West Mason Street. Saturday’s final round starts at 7 a.m. at Metro Park and ends with a 3 p.m. weigh-in at Wal-Mart. A Family Fun Zone complete with children’s games, interactive product displays and giveaways will be set up at Wal-Mart starting at 4 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.
Green Bay hosted the inaugural Wal-Mart RCL Championship last year when Scott Glorvigen of Grand Rapids, Minn., won $300,000 and instantly joined the sport’s top all-time money winners.