Hometown Pro Gary Gray Wins PWT Tournament; $54,000 on Lake Winnebago  

Oshkosh, Wisconsin.....In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) angler Gary Gray, Oshkosh, bested 154 pro anglers to win $54,000 after three days on the Lake Winnebago system. He netted a total of 57.17 pounds including the Gander Mountain Heavyweight $500 Award with a day one 25.08 pound catch.

Gray fished one tiny spot in the Fox River under the Oshkosh Avenue bridge, pitching jigs and nightcrawlers. He has won two team tournaments under this bridge, but had not fished it for five years. With the strong day one southerly winds, he said, "My pre-fishing was great, but went out the window with the winds. I hit the river, stopped at the first spot without any PWT boats, and started fishing."

This victory increased his lead to 21 pounds in the Miller/In-Fisherman Angler of the Year race. Holding second is pro Tommy Skarlis, Walker, Minn. At year-end, the Angler of the Year wins $25,000.

The winning pro, Ross Hosking, Gray Lake, Illinois, caught the Miller Big Fish of the tournament, and won $1,500, as did his pro partner Shannon Kehl, Menoken, ND. That Winnebago walleye was 7.90 pounds. Hosking fished with Kehl, Tom Gustar, Bowmanville, Ontario, and Mike O'Brien, Oshkosh.

The pros from second thru fifth were Quin Papp, $15,000, West Allis, Wis., John Kolinski, $10,500, Menasha, Wis., Mike Gofron, $9,500, Antioch, Ill., and Nate Provost, $8,500, Gulliver, Mich. Papp, Kolinski and Provost all scored their personal best PWT finishes. Gofron, by notching another top 10, has more top 10 finishes than any other angler. Kolinski and Gray also won Miller Big Fish awards, $1,000 and $500 respectively. Jim Muzynoski, Jr., Bozeman, MT also won $250, as did his partner, Gofron. A total of nearly $250,000 was awarded at the Pioneer Resort waterfront.

Brad Davis, Jackson, Wis., advanced 92 places to win the Coleman Cool Under Pressure and $1,000. He also placed 35th. Mark Berle, amateur, Gibbon, Minn., won the Coleman award and $600. Amateur Robert Brady, Chicago, Ill., won the Gander Mountain $300 shopping spree for his share of the Heavyweight award.

The Otter Street Fishing Club via president Jim Gibson, was honored with the "PWT Key Award" for their excellent volunteer support during daily weigh-in festivities. They participated with the release efforts, as well, and 80 percent of the walleyes were released. The harvested fish were cleaned, frozen and will be distributed to needy folks in the Oshkosh area. This number of non-releaseable fish amounted to one walleye per person in the tournament (308 contestants; 283 fish donated to charity).

The next PWT Pro-Am takes place July 8-10 at Devils Lake, ND, followed by the final event of the season, Saginaw Bay at AuGres, Mich, July 31-Aug. 1, where some amateur openings still exist. To find more information or entry blanks, go to the PWT web site, www.in-fisherman.com or call PWT headquarters at 218-829-0620.

The PWT is part of The In-Fisherman Communications Network and PRIMEDIA, Inc., America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Aqua Vu, Berkley PowerBait, Berkley Trilene, Blue Fox Tackle, Carhartt, Coleman, Cotton Cordell, Daiichi hooks, Dee Zee, Drift Control, DuBro Pro Services, Eagle Trailers, Gander Mountain, IMCO Boat Buckles, Leer, Lindy Little Joe, LowranceElectronics, Lund Boats, Lund Intl, Mack's Lure, Matzuo, Mercury Outboards, Miller High Life, MinnKota, Mitchell reels, Rapala Lures, Northland Tackle, Oceanwave sunglasses, Pinnacle rods, Plano, RAM, Raymarine, Realtree, SealSkinz,Storm Lures, Yamaha all terrain vehicles, and Pioneer Resort & Marina 800-683-1980, the Oshkosh Hilton Garden Inn 920-966-1300 and Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau 877-303-9200.