2022 PMTT / RECON BOATS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Category: article
Sep 27th, 2022 by Keith Worrall
Modified Sep 27th, 2022 at 12:02 AM
2022 PMTT / RECON BOATS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Pewaukee, Okauchee & Oconomowoc Lakes, WI
HOSTED BY SMOKEY’S MUSKIE SHOP
September 23rd – 25th, 2022
The Professional Musky Tournament Trail brought its amazing 24th Season to an exciting conclusion this past weekend. The Top 50 Teams, determined by points earned competing in a series of challenging national qualifying events, gathered on southeastern Wisconsin’s revered musky fisheries in Pewaukee, Okauchee & Oconomowoc Lakes. These anglers gathered for what has become the single most prestigious event in all competitive musky angling…. The PMTT/RECON BOATS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!
The PMTT / RBWC is a unique, invitation-only contest featuring an exciting 3-day format highlighting the top 50 teams. The first two days is an elimination event, where they must register a legal musky for the opportunity to move on to the third and final day. After that final day, the winning team would be taking home both the RBWC Title and a new 2023 Recon 2085T, with a trailer and powered by a 150hp Mercury outboard, with cash bonuses it’s totaling over $53,000.
A mix of all-weather from sunny skies, calm, windy, partly cloudy, and rain were all seen during this tournament. The first morning started a bit slowly as fish were moving and though a few fish were hitting the nets, it wasn’t until late morning that the action picked up. The bite stayed steady as the anglers registered 16 muskies up to 49.25” Day two was much better as steady clouds and both air and water temps in the sixties the anglers registered 25 muskies up to 50”
1st Place – 50” / 42” / 37.75” – Rob Hulleman & Charlie Blackbird both from Minnesota, were dialed in through the tournament. After day 1, they were in forth place with a 42” musky. On day 2 they doubled up with a 37.75” and then the big fish of the tournament at 50” caught on a Wood tick. “We started out pre-fishing deeper but noticed that most of the muskies we were moving were coming from the end of the casts up in the weeds”, stated Blackbird. “We moved up to the edge of the break and threw up across the weeds and worked the bait really slow and we started connecting”, stated Hulleman. Leading after Day 2, they never looked back and held on to put them over the finish line and earning them the 2022 PMTT/RECON BOATS WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP Title, the new 2023 Recon 2085T, trailer & 150hp Mercury Marine Outboard, and cash totaling over $53,000.
2nd Place – 42.75” / 36.25” / 36” – Talbert Turner & Mike Jones both from Kentucky were also in the weeds but focused and working one area. “We found one stretch of shoreline about three hundred feet long that we liked and were moving fish and we never left”, stated Jones. “We caught them all on a natural-colored homemade jerk baits and a small bucktail that we work aggressively over the weeds”, stated Turner. The three fish were good enough for 2nd place and over $6,000 in cash.
3rd Place – 44.50” / 41.25” – Michael Gorman & Jason Stock both from Minnesota, worked the clearer water and fished over the deeper weed edges on top water. They stayed out deep and cast up on the weed break lines and worked the lures slow to net both muskies.
4th Place – 40.50” / 36.75” – Ralph and Matt Bigham, a father and son team from southern Missouri were working deeper sparse weeds with Bulldawgs and small spinners in natural color patterns. They worked the baits aggressively and fast across wind-blown points.
5th Place – 39.75” / 30.75” / 30.25” – Mark Lijewski & Jason Mullen from northern Wisconsin were working the deeper weed lines with natural colored Medussa’s and bucktails fast and aggressive to put all three muskies in the net.
PMTT TOP GUN Team of the Year Award – By far, the most prestigious honor in all competitive musky angling and something that every Touring Pro strives to earn. Skill, dedication, passion… and more, those earning “TOP GUN” Honors are indeed a cut above and our 2022 Winners are certainly no exception.
2022 PMTT TOP GUN – Team of the Year Award
1st Place – 585 pts. – Coltin Thomas & Anthony Casto
2nd Place – 579 pts – Ty Sennett & Tait Sennett
3rd Place – 571 pts – Joey Rozanski & Mark Gillich
PMTT Tournament Director, Tim Widlacki, acknowledged the Trail’s deep appreciation to our many outstanding Sponsors for both their continuing support and the important part they have played and are playing now in our growth over the past 24 years as America’s 1st and only, truly National, Professional Musky Circuit. Leading the way with new, challenging, and innovative formats on some of the country’s top musky fishing destinations; Highlighting freshwater’s most elusive and challenging fish and the fast-growing community of extreme adventure anglers who give her chase. Special thanks to World Championship event sponsor Recon Boats and to all of our wonderful Host and Site Sponsors without whose help this memorable event would not have been possible: RECON BOATS, MERCURY MARINE, CHAOS TACKLE, EAGLE RIVER AREA & THREE LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE’S; MUSKY HUNTER; MOTORGUIDE; LIEF LABS; LEECH LAKE TOURISM; MOREHEAD TOURISM, LEECH LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and our entire family of Contributing & Associate Sponsors. Please let them know how much you appreciate what they do whenever you get the chance. These have been some difficult times for many businesses in our industry, so won’t you please show them some musky love, returning their support when you can… they are a vital part our growing PMTT Family
2022 RECON BOATS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL.
42 TOTAL MUSKIES REGISTERED & RELEASED
MUSKY HUNTER BIG FISH AWARD – 50-INCHES – Rob Hulleman Charlie Blackbird
TTAP BONUS FISH – 42.25” – Michael Gorman & Jason Stock
TTAP BONUS FISH – 49.25” – Brock & David Jack
RECON 1ST PLACE BONUS $1,000 & RECON BIG FISH AWARD $5OO EACH DAY – Rob Hulleman & Charlie Blackbird.