Looking for hefty limits
Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour anglers anticipate ample opportunity
GREEN BAY, Wis. – As the 133 boats gathered near Metro Park Boat Launch waiting for takeoff, optimism was in the air. The dock talk Wednesday morning centered more on how to catch 30 or 40 pounds rather than how to bring in five-fish limits.
If the first two events of the 2005 FLW Walleye Tour have taught us anything, they have taught us that timing is everything in life, er, fishing.
While Lake Erie, which hosted the last FLW Walleye Tour event, likely has a better walleye reputation, Lake Michigan’s Green Bay is expected to produce more and bigger fish this week than its Great Lake counterpart.
The weather in the Green Bay area was unseasonably cold and wet the past 10 days, but a warm front moved in Monday, and the walleye fishing has heated up quickly.
Goodhue, Minn., pro Keith Carlson says the fishing is excellent now and will only get better as the week progresses. His partner, Larry Eaton, concurred, saying, “I think there will be 20 boats that bring in 30 pounds or more.”
Earlier reports predicted 105 pounds would be needed to make the top 10. After a number of days spent prefishing, Carlson generally agreed. “Slow and steady will win the race,” he said. “You’ve got to do it each day. I think it will take approximately 90 pounds to make the cutoff and 115 pounds to win.”
While a few anglers stayed back to fish the Fox River, the vast majority headed out to fish rocky points and bars on the main lake. According to the anglers, the primary tactic will be pulling crawler harnesses with spinners in fairly shallow water.
Part one of the $87,000 pursuit ends today at 3 p.m. Central time, when the field begins returning to Metro Park Boat Launch located on Bay Beach Road in Green Bay.
Wednesday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 5:21 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 49 degrees
Expected high temperature: 68 degrees
Water temperature: 48-56 degrees
Wind: SSE at 19 mph
Maximum humidity: 62 percent
Day’s outlook: afternoon showers