# 2007 grand lake walleye challenge



## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

Presents The
2007 Grand Lake Walleye Challenge
Sunday April 29th 2007 7:00 AM-3:00PM
$60.00 Entry fee 10.00 Big Fish Pot
Launch Site: East Bank Marina

	Entry fees can be mailed to or dropped off at the outdoorsman, to the attachment below. Up until 6:30 am the day of the tourney. Boat number determined by entry received.
	Payout determined by number of entrees, will pay at least 3 places
	6 fish limit, must be alive, 14 inch minimum size, dead fish will not be weighed
	Weigh in at the ramp, must be in line by 4:00 pm
	2 person teams, life jackets must be worn when big motor is running above idol.
	This tournament is to try and help the state determine how there stocking program is working, nobody seems to be fishing this lake on a regular basis, there is some good walleye being brought in to the outdoorsman, but usually by the casual fisherman just out trying to catch anything.
	Will we be adding sponsors up until the day of the tourney, should be some nice prizes to add to the payout.
	Any questions call mike ahlers home phone 419-678-4008 cell 419-852-1700 email [email protected]
	Anybody wants help with prefishing call me, we want people to catch fish.


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

	THE OUTDOORSMAN
St. Marys one stop fishing shop	
172 East Bank rd St. Marys Ohio 45885 419-394 5769


Presents The
2007 Grand Lake Walleye Challenge
Sunday April 29th 2007 7:00 AM-3:00PM
$60.00 Entry fee 10.00 Big Fish Pot
Launch Site: East Bank Marina

	Entry fees can be mailed to or dropped off at the outdoorsman, to the address above. Up until 6:30 am the day of the tourney. Boat number determined by entry received.
	Payout determined by number of entrees, will pay at least 3 places
	6 fish limit, must be alive, 14 inch minimum size, dead fish will not be weighed
	Weigh in at the ramp, must be in line by 4:00 pm
	2 person teams, life jackets must be worn when big motor is running above idol.
	This tournament is to try and help the state determine how there stocking program is working, nobody seems to be fishing this lake on a regular basis, there is some good walleye being brought in to the outdoorsman, but usually by the casual fisherman just out trying to catch anything.
	Will we be adding sponsors up until the day of the tourney, should be some nice prizes to add to the payout.
	Any questions call mike ahlers home phone 419-678-4008 cell 419-852-1700 email [email protected]
	Anybody wants help with prefishing call me, we want people to catch fish.

	Winners must be willing to take a polygraph test.



Date___________________

Partner #1____________________________ Partner #2___________________________
Address______________________________ Address_____________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Phone_______________________________ Phone____________________________


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

spillway is off limits.


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

mercer beverage and miller lite will be donating some prizes, wont find out until next week but they did promise some stuff.


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

americas best value inn has come aboard as the host hotel, let them know youre fishing the walleye tourny, rooms are 58.00 per night. nice lounge with adult beverages, good pizza, and about a mile from the boat ramp.phone 419-394 2341. web site www.bvistmarys.com address 1321 celina road st. marys ohio 45885


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

East bank marina, the site we will go out of will have a fiberglass triton 177 multi species boat on display the weekend of the tourny. anyone has any interest can check it out. would make an excellent inland lake boat and from what i have heard, handles lake erie very well.


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

just trying to get a feel for how many plan on fishing the tourny on sunday, looks like the weather will cooperate. if anyone that plans on fishing reads this post, it would be greatly appreciated if you would leave a post, or email, or p.m. me thanks


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## bigjohn513 (Apr 6, 2004)

no way I can make it but i'd love to hear the results (and pics if you have any)


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## pumper (Jan 20, 2007)

heres an article that was in the local newspaper about the tourny.

Outdoors with Forda Birds---Grand Lake St. Marys Hosts Walleye Tournament
By John Andreoni
It was bound to happen. In 1999, it was decided to initiate an intensive
walleye-stocking program in Grand Lake St. Marys in an attempt to create a
viable walleye fishery. Nine years later, someone finally had the nerve to
see if the project is working. Consequently, The Outdoorsman Walleye
Challenge was introduced.
The objective of the walleye tournament is to attract competitive walleye
fisherman to Grand Lake to take advantage of their expertise. The
contention is that experienced walleye fishermen will catch fish. If this
turns out to be the case, then tactics and technique become the major
variable. In plain words, if the experts catch fish, then the rest of us
who might want to catch walleye have some learning to do.
How successful has the walleye fishing been? It's hard to determine so
far from the information received. We do know for sure that fishermen
accidentally catch a walleye on occasion. We do know that fish weighing at
least eight pounds have been caught below the spillway on the west side of
the lake. We do know that walleye have been caught through the ice. There
are rumors of fishermen specifically going after walleye and catching them
regularly. Of course, isolated instances and rumors don't equal fact. On
the other hand, as the old saying goes, where there's smoke, there's fire.
Regardless, on April 29, a yet to be determined number of skilled walleye
fishermen will take off for eight hours of fishing in an attempt to cash in
for their efforts. They are ready to gamble and are willing to pay a $60
per team entry fee for the chance. A 30-team field, which is probable,
will generate a first-place prize of $750. There is a boat-limit of eight
fish. These fish must be at least 14 inches long and they must be weighed
in alive.
What's to gain from this walleye contest? A great deal. If these
fishermen weigh in fish, other fishermen will start specifically fishing
for the species. This creates a whole new dimension to Grand Lake fishing
because the walleye is a highly popular sport fish. Depending on the
success, there could also be a significant economic boost to the local
economy. If it turns out that walleye can be caught with regularity,
people will fish for them, and not just the locals.
There are some who fear that if these walleye experts don't catch any 
fish during the tournament, that will be the end of the Grand Lake 
walleye
program. First, I expect these guys to weigh in fish. However, if by some
odd chance they don't, I'd consider it to mean nothing more than they had a
bad day.
How will these walleye fishermen approach the lake? That's hard to say.
I'm assuming they'll be looking for hard bottom and relief of some sort.
According to professional walleye fisherman Mike Ahlers, the three basic
tactics many walleye fishermen use are trolling crankbaits, casting jigs
and minnows, and fishing various blade baits. In a recent walleye
tournament at Buckeye Lake, walleye were being taken from boat docks by
fishermen fast retrieving blade baits.
Are you curious as to what will happen at this tournament? I am and I
intend to be at the weigh-in. The weigh-in will be held at the East Bank
Marina at 4:00. It might also be interesting to check the marina on
Saturday since most of the fishermen will be pre-fishing that day. I'm
sure some of these fishermen will be more than happy to talk to you.
If you have the desire to fish the tournament, you don't have to be a pro
or join a circuit to do so. You can register at the East Bank Marina or
mail an entry to the Marina at 172 East Bank Rd. St. Marys, Ohio 45885.
You can register anytime prior to 6:30 a.m. on the day of the tournament.
I don't know about you, but I'm a bit excited about this whole walleye
tournament idea. Wouldn't it be great to be able to catch one of the
finest eating fish around? Even more, how about hooking a wall hanger.
I'd wager there are some big walleye swimming around in the main lake. As
usual, time will tell.
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## jmenchhofer (Jan 12, 2007)

Does anyone have results to share for last Sunday's tournament? I'm very interested to hear how the walleye guys did on Grand Lake.


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## free67 (Apr 26, 2005)

It was a huge success. And if you can believe it there was even a tie for first place. I didn't make it to the weigh in but talked to some people that made it over there. 
There was a 5 boat tie for 1st place. 
.
.
.
.
.
Yep, five teams were in the tournament total and they all caught nothing.
Should of been more locals in it who know where to catch em, besides the spillway.


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## jmenchhofer (Jan 12, 2007)

Wow...thanks for the update. I was really hoping for better news!


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## CHEFSKIP (Jul 25, 2006)

Bummer I am going up there This weekend...Just rented a boat. I hope the cats and crappies are biting. Anything else I can Target? I was looking forward to finding some walleyes!


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