Renner races to Walleye Tour lead

Hutchinson, Minn., pro leads all competitors with 16-14

CASS LAKE, Minn. – The conditions on day one of the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour event on Cass Lake presented by Berkley couldn’t have been much worse. It was bone-chilling cold – even by Minnesota standards – and the wind blew up to 50 mph at times. Despite all Mother Nature could throw at them, the best walleye anglers in the world brought in impressive catches.

Day one was literally one of the most miserable competition days in memory. Last year, the Walleye Tour opened its season on the Detroit River to horizontal sleet. But that was April, and everyone was dressed for the weather. When anglers from Iowa and Ohio leave for a June tournament, they typically don’t bring their warmest outerwear.

In mid-June, the high temperature for the day isn’t supposed to be 49 degrees. By this time, the long underwear should be packed away in favor of sunscreen. But not this year. This year the water temperature is 58 when it should be 68. This year most of the walleyes are shallow when they should be deep. According to the Star Tribune newspaper, cows were flying and trucks were toppling as strong winds blew through North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota earlier today.

None of this nasty weather had any effect on pro leader Tony Renner. The Hutchinson, Minn., pro sacked an impressive 16-pound, 14-ounce stringer. His catch was anchored by a 28 1/2-inch over fish and a 21 1/2-inch over fish. His under fish all measured right around 19 inches.

According to the rules, tournament anglers are allowed to keep only two fish over 20 inches. Culling isn’t permitted, but anglers are allowed to keep eight in the box and weigh their best five.

“We had two fish in the box at 10 a.m., and then we made a move and caught another 10 pounds in an hour,” said Renner. “That wind was crazy. When it got up to about 40 mph, we moved up to a shallow point, and that’s when we got the big one.”

Renner said he is rigging with a combination of leeches, night crawlers and creek chubs.

“We’re working anywhere from 6 to 24 feet of water. After practice, I was looking for 15 pounds, so I overacheived today.”

Renner grew up fishing glacial lakes in northern Minnesota and is extremely comfortable fishing with just one line.

“We want it to be windy; we want it to be rough. The fishing has been better under low-light conditions because of the clear water.”

Harsh lurking in second

In second place is Sauk Centre, Minn., pro Pete Harsh with 16 pounds, 6 ounces. Seeing his name near the top of the leaderboard is no surprise – especially considering this tournament is being dominated by live bait. Simply put, there are few better at dangling a juicy leech or creek chub than Mr. Tiller.

“I couldn’t have asked for two better partners,” said Harsh, who won the 2007 Walleye Tour event on Devils Lake. “My lucky dog Shadow was with me, and Larry, my co-angler partner, stuck the 28-incher.”

Harsh estimates he and his partner caught a dozen walleyes on the day. His other over was 23 inches long, and he had three fish that were roughly 19 inches in length.

“I was happy with my catch. I was hoping for 13 pounds. You get a kicker like that, and it looks a lot better than it is. It’s pretty much a live-bait game out there, and I like to live-bait fish. I’ve been traveling all over the country fishing lately, so I’m just happy that everybody has to come to one of my lakes and fish my style.”

Before exiting the stage, Harsh drew a chuckle from the Cass Lake crowd.

“I’m supposed to be wearing my tournament shirt at these weigh-ins. It’s on, its just six layers down.”

Steil third

In third place is Renner’s teammate, Richmond, Minn., pro Scott Steil. A part-time guide on Lake Mille Lacs, Steil is excellent at rigging precise structure. On day one he used his expertise to boat a 15-pound, 6-ounce stringer. Here is the part that will make the competition cringe: Steil was done fishing at 10 a.m. before the inclement weather moved in. While the rest of the field was battling showers and trying everything to stay on their spot, Steil was enjoying lunch.

“We’re rigging live bait, just like fishing Mille Lacs in the wind,” said the young pro. “But the type of bait didn’t matter; what mattered was staying on active fish. I fished two spots today, and each spot had fish. But when the boats hounded me, the fish stopped feeding.”

Steil said practicing with fellow Minnesotan Renner was extremely beneficial.

“We put together what I knew and what he knew, and we dialed in pretty good. It’s funny; we both had almost the exact same catch. Our overs were the same; he just had three 19-inchers and mine were 18-inchers.”

Steil is extremely optimistic he will be able to reconnect with his fish tomorrow.

“It’s getting better every day. As long as there is wind – light penetration kills the bite on this lake.”

Adams fourth

Local pro Carl Adams Jr. of Blackduck, Minn., caught a 15-pound limit on day one, good enough for fourth place. Adams also took fourth place at the 2006 FLW Walleye League event on Cass Lake.

Thiel fifth

Another local angler, Reggie Thiel of Walker, Minn., is in the top 10. Thiel caught a 14-pound, 14-ounce limit Wednesday, which put him in fifth place in the Pro Division.

A guide on nearby Leech Lake, Thiel finished second at the recent FLW Walleye League event on Cass.

“We had our fish at 1:30 this afternoon,” Thiel said. “Boyd caught both of the overs: One was 26 inches and one was 20 3/8. I kept that 20-incher early and probably shouldn’t have. But the weather was deteriorating, and I didn’t want to take a chance.”

Thiel estimates he and his partner caught 14 keepers on the day.

“I had him doing something a little different than what I was doing, and the combination worked really well.”

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros on day one on Cass Lake:

6th: David Kolb of Ada, Mich., five walleyes, 14-1

7th: Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., five walleyes, 13-10

8th: Andy Renner of Spicer, Minn., five walleyes, 12-13

9th: Dan Dejaeghere of Bemidji, Minn., five walleyes, 12-10

10th: Brett King of Claremont, Minn., five walleyes, 12-8

Johnson takes co-angler lead

Despite not catching a single keeper walleye, co-angler Josh Johnson of Fargo, Minn., finds himself leading his division after the first of day of competition. For Johnson, that’s the beauty of the pro-am format in which angler’s share weight. Thanks to Renner’s hot stick, he brings 16 pounds, 14 ounces toward the second day of competition.

Not only is Johnson leading, he’s also fishing the first Walleye Tour event of his career. Someone needs to tell him catching walleyes isn’t always this easy. But on the other hand, the weather isn’t always this bad. Renner had nothing but good things to say about the young co-angler.

“He did a great job netting,” said Renner. “He was a trooper. It’s a really neat deal to be leading in your first tournament ever.”

Rounding out the top five co-anglers on day one on Cass Lake:

2nd: Larry Behsman of Elysian, Minn., five walleyes, 16-6

3rd: Bob Schultz of Marietta, Ga., five walleyes, 15-6

4th: Chuck Jones of Michigan City, Ind., five walleyes, 15-0

5th: Boyd Strissel of Billings, Mont., five walleyes, 14-14

Day two of FLW Walleye Tour competition on Cass Lake begins 7 a.m. Central time Thursday as the field of 124 boats takes off from Stony Point Resort in Cass Lake.