Anglers from the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail will team up with BASS pros this week at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.
PWT pros Mike Gofron, Perry Good, Bill Ortiz, Gary Parsons, Dan Plautz, and Ron Seelhoff will compete in a two-species tournament on the Madison Chain of Lakes. The walleye pros are teamed with BASS anglers and each of the six teams will set out to catch the three largest bass and three largest walleyes during the two day tournament. Bass pros are Denny Brauer, Rick Clunn, Shaw Grigsby, Mike Iaconelli, Gary Klein and Gerald Swindle.
The top three teams will earn gold, silver and bronze medals after weigh-in ceremonies at Madison’s Alliant Energy Center. The round one weigh-in will be Friday at 5 p.m., with the final weigh-in at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Both weigh-ins will be held at the timber stage at the Energy Center’s Willow Island.
“Fishing fans will be able to see the top pro anglers from the bass and walleye worlds working together. The PWT anglers are really excited about teaming with their counterparts from BASS. The tactics and strategies will be fun to watch,” said PWT executive director Jim Kalkofen, Brainerd, Minn.
The Great Outdoor Games are free to the public and will be held July 8-11. Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center will be open at 4 p.m. Thursday, 2 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.
Top outdoor athletes from around the world compete in the ESPN Great Outdoor Games. The ultimate championship of outdoor sports features one-of-a-kind, head-to-head competition in timber and target events, sporting dogs, and fishing. While entertaining large crowds on site, the ESPN Great Outdoor Games also draws a worldwide television audience airing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports. The Games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC beginning July 14 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.
The Games are sponsored by Dodge, Miller Brewing Co., Stihl Inc., Valvoline Durablend, CITGO, Eukanuba, Johnsonville Brats, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, Tinactin, and Beretta USA Corp. For additional information, contact ESPN Outdoors Communications at 608.256.1463.
By: Julie Meister
