Lemieux, Burt win Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League event on Fox River

Boater Craig Lemieux (pictured) of Neenah, Wis., and co-angler Mark Burt of Hilbert combined for a total of five fish weighing 36 pounds, 7 ounces to claim victory at the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League tournament held May 24 on the Fox River near Green Bay.

May 24, 2003 • MLF • Archives

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Boater Craig Lemieux of Neenah and co-angler Mark Burt of Hilbert combined for a total of five fish weighing 36 pounds, 7 ounces to claim victory at the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League tournament held Saturday on the Fox River near Green Bay. Lemieux claimed $2,880 plus a $500 bonus for the win, with Burt taking home $1,200 plus a $250 bonus from the Wisconsin Division event.

Lemieux and Burt caught their walleyes trolling along a breakline in 6 to 8 feet of water. Due to high winds, competitors fought choppy water but still hauled in eight limits in excess of 30 pounds.

Finishing second were Gordan Rabetski of Neenah ($1,440 plus $400 bonus) and Erwin Schuette of Manitowoc ($720) with five walleyes weighing 35 pounds, 6 ounces. Mike Kamp of Fox Lake ($1,200 plus $300 bonus) and Andy Smith of Gillett ($600) caught five walleyes weighing 34 pounds, 7 ounces to finish third. Pat Schuette of Manitowoc ($960 plus $250 bonus) and Luke Kersten of Boyceville ($480) claimed fourth place with five walleyes that weighed 33 pounds, 2 ounces. Finishing fifth were Pete Hibbard of Appleton ($768) and Gregory Karch of Oshkosh ($384) thanks to a five-walleye catch that weighed 32 pounds, 9 ounces.

Bonuses are awarded to boaters who are the registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat and fish out of that boat during the tournament. Co-anglers earn bonuses if they are a registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund.

The Wisconsin Division’s final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held July 12-13 on Lake Winnebago. Boaters and co-anglers who finish in the top 25 in final points standings in each RCL Walleye League division will advance to the $88,000 RCL League Finals Sept. 6-7 on Lake Okoboji in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The winning boater at the finals will receive an Evinrude-or Yamaha-powered Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat. Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points awarded to the winner, 199 points for second, and so on, except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 298 to second, and so on.

Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League boaters and co-anglers fish together for a combined boat weight, with boaters competing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing against other co-anglers. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League meets the needs of America’s fishing masses by providing professionally administered, close-to-home, affordable events with lucrative cash purses.