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Osborn,
Kasak Take Gander Mountain Grand National Walleye Cup Opener at Detroit
River
By Steve Weisman
Gander Mountain GNWC Publicity Director
Sticking to a traditional Detroit
River presentation, the team of Dennis Osborn from Warren, MI and Kevin
Kasak from Sterling Heights, MI weighed a six-fish limit of 22.47 pounds
to take first place at the Gander Mountain Grand National Walleye Cup's
Michigan Region opener, Sunday, April 25.
According to Gander Mountain GNWC Tournament Director
Gary Bowman, walleyes were caught on the Detroit River tournament in three
distinctly different areas. "We had teams catch walleyes on the
American side and the Canadian side of the Detroit River and even on a
portion of Lake Erie. That's what is so great about this fishery. We are
in close proximity to such great fishing areas that it allows anglers the
privilege of being able to catch quality fish almost any time of the
year."
Using a chartreuse 5/8-ounce jig and a 3" Detroit
River Rubber Worm, Osborn and Kasak worked their magic to capture the
$1400 first place check. According to Osborn and Kasak, they worked the
south end of the Detroit River vertical jigging off a drop in 16-30 foot
of water. Kasak said, "We just had a ball, and just caught lots of
fish."
Second place and a check for $700 went to Steve Carlson
from Oak Harbor, OH and Jim Stebke from Wapak, OH with four fish weighing
20.28 pounds. However, they made a 70-mile round trip run to fish between
Lake Erie's Lucky Point and Kelly's Island. "It was definitely a
gamble," noted Bowman, "but it paid off with four quality fish.
I knew that they had been on big fish during pre-fishing, but last night's
storm shut down their big fish."
Carlson and Stebke pulled blue/silver, green/silver and
red/silver Reef Runners 35-50 feet behind planer boards. However, the key
was to pull the Reef Runners between .8 and 1.2 mph.
Hand-lining #7, #9 and #11 Rapalas on the Canadian side
of the Detroit River helped the team of Mike Jurik from Saginaw, MI and
Paul Curmi from Belleville, MI weigh a 6-fish limit of 18 and a half
pounds to take the third place $520 check. They used a 30-foot top lead
with a 15-foot bottom lead and worked into the current at less than 1 mph
in 18-25 foot of water to catch their fish.
"Three different presentations in three different
areas," added Bowman. "That is what makes this area such a great
fishery."
Meanwhile, Bert Murlich and Bret Bremer from Saginaw,
MI took the Berkley Trilene Big Fish Award of $400 in Berkley products for
their 7.09-pound walleye taken vertical jigging with a Detroit River
Rubber Worm.
The "Yo So Close" award of a Yo Net folding
net valued at $80 went to the three teams that placed just out of the
money. Tim Brewer and Steven Slivoski placed 11th; Bert Murlich and Bret
Bremer finished 12th; and Ryan and Robert Lescoe finished in 13th place.
John Fletcher and Frank Madjecke were the winners of
the Gander Mountain "Need More Stuff" drawing of $200 for a
Gander Mountain Shopping Spree.
For complete results of the Detroit River tournament,
check out the Gander Mountain GNWC website at www.walleyecup.com.
Next up for the Michigan teams will be a trip to
Muskegon to fish Lake Muskegon and the waters of Lake Michigan on Sunday,
May 23.
Anglers interested in signing up for a future qualifier
or simply wanting more information on the GNWC circuit can call
1-800-890-FISH (3474), or they can email the GNWC at info@walleyecup.com.
Title Sponsor for the GNWC is Gander Mountain with
other major national sponsors including Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards,
the Sportsman Channel, Berkley, Aqua Innovations, YoNet Folding Nets by
AMFYOYO, VIB"E" Lure Company, TowTector Shield and UpNorth
Outdoors.com.
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