2001 PWT St. Mary's River Day 2 Press Release
July 18 - 20

Wisconsin Pro Bill Ortiz Takes New York PWT Tournament Lead

Dunkirk, New York....Averaging nearly seven pounds, Dodgeville, WI pro Bill Ortiz, holds a commanding lead in the Pinnacle/RealTree Eastern Pro-Am. With Friday, Aug. 10, the third and final day, Ortiz plans to continue his trolling pattern on Lake Erie.

The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) contestants faced typical Great Lakes weather which matched the forecast. Southwest winds pushed the surface swells up to five feet high, which made boat control tougher, and the ride back considerably longer. Trolling was the prevailing tactic, with a mixture of crankbaits and spinners/crawlers favored.

The key to the lake’s eastern basin in front of Dunkirk, NY, was to match the exact depth where walleyes were feeding. The winds scattered fish from the calm conditions on day one.

Ortiz’ two-day total is 66.35 pounds, with pro Gary Gray, Oshkosh, WI in second with 54.23 pounds. Gray also moved into the top spot in the prestigious In-Fisherman Angler of the Year race, with the Storm Heavyweight catch of the tournament so far. His day two weight was 37.18 pounds. Both Ortiz and Gray are past PWT winners. Mark Brumbaugh, Arcanum, Ohio, a two-time PWT winner is third with 54.03 pounds. Irv Kraus, the only Wyoming pro fishing the entire 6-tournament PWT circuit is fourth with 51.65 pounds.

Big Fish were again the rule, even though not as many crossed the stage on day two. On day one, 331 walleyes were weighed, and today, 204 made it to the scale. Working closely with the Northern Chautauqua County Conservation Club and the Southtowns Walleye Association, many of the fish were filleted and frozen for distribution to local soup kitchens and charities.

The Bass Pro Shops Big Fish Awards were highlighted by a 10.04 pound walleye by amateur Rich Sidor, Clarendon Hills, IL. He won $1,700. The second prize of $1,050 went to amateur day-one leader Ron Gray, Grand Blanc, MI. He had a 9.74 pound fish. Third, and $900 was claimed by amateur Robert Ruhland, South Wales, NY, for a 9.47-pounder. Amateur Luc Richer, Cornwall, Ontario, won $750 for his 9.28 pound walleye.

The third and final day weigh-in festivities start at 3 p.m. Friday, on Dunkirk’s waterfront. The PWT contestants and staff conduct business at Chadwick Bay Marina, with headquarters adjacent to the Four Points Sheraton. The public is invited to meet and greet the pros at this time.

The PWT is part of PRIMEDIA, Inc., America’s leading producer of targeted media headquartered in New York City. PWT sponsors include: Aqua Vu, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley PowerBait, Berkley Trilene, Blue Fox Tackle, Carhartt, Coleman, Cotton Cordell, Daiichi hooks, Dee Zee, Dodge truck, Eagle Claw, Eagle Trailers, Evercel, Flambeau, Guest chargers, IMCO Boat Buckles Lindy Little Joe, Lowrance Electronics, Lund Boats, Mack’s Lure, Marinco, Mercury Outboards, MinnKota, Rapala Lures, Northland Tackle, Oceanwave sunglasses, Pinnacle rods and reels, Plano, RAM, Raytheon Marine, Real Tree, Shimano rods, Storm Lures, T-H Marine, Yamaha all terrain vehicles, Chautauqua County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 716-357-4569 and the City of Dunkirk, 716-366-9858, with support from the Southtowns Walleye Association and the Northern Chautauqua County Conservation Club.