OSHKOSH, Wis. – Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit pro LeRoy Schroeder of Larsen, Wis., and his day-two partner, Ed Parks Jr. of Webberville, Mich., landed a six-walleye limit weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces Thursday on Lake Winnebago to give Schroeder the lead in his quest to win more than $90,000 in cash and prizes, including a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha.
Schroeder will lead the top 20 pros competing in the $346,000 tournament into the semifinal round with a two-day, opening-round total of 12 walleyes weighing 42 pounds, 13 ounces. Schroeder and his day-one partner, Keith Strauss of Syracuse, Wis., weighed in six walleyes that registered 18 pounds, 14 ounces Wednesday.
“I felt good coming into the tournament,” Schroeder said. “The shallows warmed at just the right time, and I feel confident. The weather can change, however, so you never know how it will turn out.”
Schroeder, who is fishing in just his second RCL tournament, says he is catching fish on shallow-running crankbaits and jigs.
Richard Clark of Mukwonago, Wis., will lead the top 20 co-anglers into the semifinal round with a two-day total of 11 walleyes weighing 33 pounds, 2 ounces. He and his day-one partner, Jim Minnema of Randolph, Wis., brought in six walleyes weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces Wednesday. Clark and his day-two partner, Larry Neau of Union Grove, Wis., then caught five walleyes weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces Thursday to give Clark the lead in his quest to win $15,000 cash.
Rounding out the top five pros are: Tim Minnema of Markesan, Wis., with a two-day total of 12 walleyes weighing 36 pounds, 8 ounces; Mark Keenan of Menasha, Wis., with 12 walleyes weighing 28 pounds, 8 ounces; Jason Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., with 12 walleyes weighing 27 pounds, 6 ounces; and Jim Minnema of Randolph, Wis., with 12 walleyes weighing 26 pounds, 5 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are: Keith Strauss of Syracuse, Ind., with a two-day total of 12 walleyes weighing 31 pounds, 5 ounces; Kristine Szczech of St. Paul, Minn., with nine walleyes weighing 30 pounds, 8 ounces; John Solek of Indianapolis with 10 walleyes weighing 28 pounds, 1 ounce; and Michael Dutton of Kaukauna, Wis., with 12 walleyes weighing 27 pounds, 13 ounces.
The Lake Winnebago tournament is the third event of the $2.9 million 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit. It started Wednesday with 145 pros and 145 co-anglers from more than a dozen states and Canada. The field will be cut again to the top 10 pros and co-anglers after Friday’s semifinal round. Anglers in both divisions start the semifinal and final rounds from zero and fish for the heaviest one-day catch.
Competition resumes at 7 a.m. Friday at Pioneer Resort in Oshkosh followed by a 4 p.m. weigh-in at the Oshkosh Wal-Mart located at 2035 S. Koeller St. The final takeoff starts at 7 a.m. Saturday followed by a 4 p.m. weigh-in at Wal-Mart.
Directed by FLW Outdoors and named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world’s most lucrative walleye fishing series. The circuit features four regular-season tournaments, each with a $346,000 cash purse and a championship with a $1.4 million cash purse. Cash payments are presented through 50th place.
The fourth Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit tournament will be held on Saginaw Bay in Bay City, Mich., June 26-29. Following the tournament, 200 pros and 200 co-anglers from the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit and other sanctioned tournament organizations and events will compete in the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship for a top pro award of up to $400,000 cash and a top co-angler award of up to $150,000 cash. The championship will be held on the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minn., Oct. 2-5.
Green Bay hosted the Wal-Mart RCL Championship last season when Dean Arnoldussen of Kaukauna, Wis., won $400,000 and instantly joined the sport’s top all-time money winners.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit are Wal-Mart, Castrol, Conseco, Crestliner, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Lund, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Poulan, Ranger Boats, SNICKERS, Stanley, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Berkley, Eagle Claw, Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.