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Gallagher, Cornell Win Cabela’s North American Bass Circuit’s Lake Winnebago Season Opener

Category: npaa

 May 14th, 2012 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified May 14th, 2012 at 12:00 AM

MAY 12, 2012-OSHKOSH, WI-Casey Gallagher and Ty Cornell sacked an impressive 17.59-pound, 5-fish limit to win the Cabela’s North American Bass Circuit’s 2012 season opener against more than 80 of the Midwest’s best bass anglers on Wisconsin’s mighty Lake Winnebago chain.

“It’s awesome, said Gallagher, of Pulaski, Wisconsin. “We had a fairly poor prefish, so to come out and catch the fish we got was amazing.”

“This was great,” added Cornell, of Black Creek, Wisconsin, explaining that the winning program hinged on dragging green pumpkin-colored jigs and softbaits in three to four feet of water in a channel off Lake Winnebago, where hefty female largemouths were moving up toward the spawning beds. Their win earned them an $8,200 first-place check, along with a $100 prize package from Trigger X and Sufix.

Second-place finishers Steven Galletta, of Perham, Minnesota, and Brian Jung, of Chaska, Minnesota, weighed 17.35 pounds, worth $3,100 plus a $500 Cabela’s gift card through the Cabela’s Angler Cash program and $250 PRADCO baits package for being the highest-finishing team using Bomber, Booyah, XCalibur and YUM products. They also collected the $100 Oxygenator and U2 Pro Formula contingencies, $100 Trigger X and Sufix package, and pocketed $825 in extra winnings for a 4.41-pound bruiser, which was the biggest fish brought in by teams participating in the Big Bass Pot. Seventh-place finishers Matt Bichanich and Chris Wilson added the $250 Optima Batteries contingency to their $500 tournament paycheck. In all, the top eight teams shared a $16,400 payout plus Big Fish Pot and sponsor contingencies.

The Winnebago Chain yielded 198 bass weighing a total of 557.70 pounds. All of the fish were released alive in the Circuit’s catch-and-release format. On a charitable note, the Cabela’s NABC donated $15 per boat, for a total of $615, to the Wisconsin Outdoor Adventure Foundation, which takes combat-wounded veterans and children battling life-threatening diseases on fishing and hunting adventures. To date, the Cabela’s NABC and its sister trail-the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit-have donated more than $300,000 to fisheries projects and outdoors-related outreach efforts where its tournaments are held.

Throughout the weigh-in, the Cabela’s NABC called kids age 12 and under to the stage, to present them with rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the National Professional Anglers Association and Pure Fishing. To the delight of the crowd gathered at scenic Menominee Park in downtown Oshkosh, the youngsters offered their thoughts on fishing, and shared dreams of one day joining the ranks of the Cabela’s NABC’s tournament anglers.

This is the first stop on the NABC’s 2012 season. The remaining tournaments are June 23 on the Madison Chain at McFarland, Wisconsin, August 4 on Gull Lake, Minnesota, out of Cragun’s Resort, and Sept. 8 at Leech Lake, Minnesota, out of Trappers’ Landing Lodge near Walker. Teams fishing two or more of these NABC tournaments compete for berths in the NABC World Bass Championship, set for Oct. 5-6 on Pools 4 and 5 of the Mississippi River. The event offers a $30,000 cash purse plus sponsor bonuses, and carries a $20,000 first-place paycheck plus ultimate bassin’ bragging rights.

The NABC is open to all anglers regardless of club or sponsor affiliation. And its popular team format lets you choose your partner and cut your costs. Payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event, not including sponsor bonuses from Cabela’s, Stratos Boats, Ranger Boats, Bomber, Booyah Bait Co., Optima, Oxygenator, Sufix, Trigger X, XCalibur and YUM.

Entry fees are $500 per team, and anglers may register by mail, fax or online. Full details and printable registration forms are available at northamericanbasscircuit.com. Or call toll-free (877) 893-7947, or email [email protected] for more information.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is title sponsor of the North American Bass Circuit. Official sponsors include Ranger Boats, Stratos Boats and the North American Fishing Club. Supporting sponsors include Mercury Marine, Bomber Lures, Booyah Bait Co., Rapala, Sufix, Trigger X, XCalibur, YUM, Angler’s Pal-MarineTech Products, Wave Fishing, O2 Marine Technologies, Gemini Sport Marketing, Reflections, and Optima Batteries.