PWT Championship Set For Saginaw Bay, MI
Category: Tournament
Jun 1st, 2007 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jun 1st, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Saginaw Bay in May has a nice ring to it, said Jim Kalkofen, In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail executive director, as he announced the next Mercury Championship. The Dow Chemical Company will present the prestigious event for the elite performers from the 2007 PWT season, May 16-18, 2008.The PWT pro anglers competing right now will qualify if they place in the top 30 in the Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year competition, or are in the top 20 in the Regional series race. Dow will work directly with the PWT to highlight the great resources, water quality, fishery, and people in the many Michigan communities who live on Saginaw Bay and the rivers that feed it.”I am grateful for the opportunity that Dow provides me to balance my work and personal time in the demanding world of professional walleye fishing,” says Mark Gwizdala, Dow employee and participant on the PWT circuit. “This event will bring national attention to the Saginaw Bay and mid-Michigan, as well as the outstanding fishery and resources we have in this part of the state.”Fishing will take place on the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay. The Mercury Championship weigh-in, stage festivities, Sport Show, Outdoor Festival, youth interactive activities, and more will take place at The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan. All events are free to the public.Championship week festivities are planned in Midland, Bay City, Saginaw and other local communities. The area is rich in history and the outdoor-related pursuits have deep traditional roots among the 250,000 residents living in the area. Walleyes are the PWT game, and Kalkofen said, “With great fishing in the rivers and the Bay, the pros will not have to travel far to catch fish.”The Dow Chemical Company, Travel Michigan, regional tourism councils and Convention and Visitors Bureaus are working closely to handle the media and fans who will attend. Shirley Roberts, director of the Bay City Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “In 2008, Bay City, Midland, Saginaw and other area communities will host the PWT. The tremendous walleye fishery, with record numbers of naturally-reproducing walleyes, will result in large catches for the fishermen and great photo opportunities for the outdoor press.”Previously scheduled commitments will keep Gwizdala, a past Championship qualifier, from qualifying for the 2008 championship. Therefore, he will chair local Championship activities.This will be the third time the Mercury Championship has been held on Saginaw Bay, and the fourth time in 18 years that the Championship has been held on a Great Lake. In 1991, the Championship was headquartered in Bay City, and in 1995 it was at Au Gres. It was on Lake Erie in 1992.About PWTThe PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, and InterMedia, America’s leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund Boats, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, Optima Batteries, Minn Kota, Realtree, MotorGuide, Johnsonville Brats, Outdoor Channel, Coleman, Northland Fishing Tackle, The DOW Chemical Company, StowMaster, Reef Runner, Yo-Zuri Quality Lures, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps, Yellow Bird Planer Boards, Allstar Graphics, Ram Mounts, Element Edge, Pflueger, Plano Tackle Systems, Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge, E-Cell, Cannon, Fin-Tech Tackle, & Do-It Molds.www.professionalwalleyetrail.com.About DowDow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of innovation, science and technology to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company offers a broad range of products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $49 billion and employs 43,000 people worldwide. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.