Kemos, Kavajecz, Muzynoski Top Three at PWT
Category: Tournament
Oct 15th, 2006 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Oct 15th, 2006 at 12:00 AM
With only one day remaining, the top In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail competitor in the 2006 Mercury Championship is Tom Kemos. His weights for the first two days were nearly identical, 12.95 and 13.05 pounds, for 26 total pounds.Kemos, from Oconomowoc, Wis., ran down the Missouri River about 70 miles, and jigged a tiny spot. Interestingly, he was only a few yards from the second-place pro Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., who has 24.19 pounds.Third place pro Jim Muzynoski, Bozeman, Montana, fished about six miles above them, for 23.63 pounds. All three were vertical jigging, as were fourth and fifth place pros Scott Fairbairn, Hager City, Wis., and Dan Stier, Pierre, SD. The Scheel’s Top Five and the next four anglers already racked up more weight than the 2002 Merc Championship winning weight when the PWT last visited Bismarck, ND in 2002. Kavajecz won that title.Troy Walwood, Grand Haven, Mich. landed the Coleman Big Fish of the Championship, 6.64 pounds. The E-Cell Heavyweight leader through two days is pro Todd Riley, Amery, Wis., who weighed a PWT 4-walleye limit at 13.39 pounds.The Chevy Top 25 final day field will head out at 8 a.m. Sunday with the temperature forecast at 22 degrees, but see the Mercury rise to the mid-60’s by weigh-in time. That field includes North Dakota pros Tom Backer, Fargo, and Sheldon Meidinger, Bismarck. Last year’s Champion Dave Andersen, Amery, Wis., is 25th.The elite Chevy Top 25 include five past Champions, 24 PWT tournament winners, six Johnsonville Anglers of the Year, the youngest Championship qualifier, Chase Parsons, Brillion, Wis., 23, and the oldest at 56, Daryl Christensen, Montello, Wis. One of these men will win the first place prize of $100,000.At Sunday’s weigh-in ceremonies inside the Bismarck Civic Center, the Chevy Top 25 will return in order, starting with 25th place. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with the Bismarck High School New Generation Jazz Choir, and the boat/pro/walleye parade at 6 p.m. The adjacent Sport Show opens at noon. At 4 p.m., the Lure `em for Life Sport Show booth is the place to be for youngsters. They will pick up gift certificates for Shakespeare rods and reels and redeem them after the ceremonies.The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America’s leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, E-Village, Kwik Pfyt, Raymarine, Mack’s Lures, Rapala, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing’s Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport Marketing, Yo-Zuri , Reef Runner, Bismarck/Mandan CVB, 701.222.4308 and Bismarck Civic Center 701.222.6487.