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Posts: 211
| The Professional Musky Tournament Trail events are the most high profile, exciting, educational and entertaining musky tournaments in the country.
The PMTT's high energy format has been developed not only with the Pro's in mind, but also the dozens and dozens of other excellent musky anglers who may have the desire and ability to become Pro's or just enjoy a little competition and want to have a good time. Success in the PMTT can take you down many roads, no matter what your skill level. Come join the PMTT and have fun.
Anglers have the opportunity to compete in as many qualifying events as they choose, whether it is just one event or the entire tournament trail. The PMTT contestants will be competing for a cash and prize value that could total well over $220,000 through out the year. With the possibility of winning over $21,000 at every event and over $40,000 in cash and prizes at the year-end Ranger Boats World Championship, the PMTT is taking musky fishing to an all time high, developing the sport and promoting musky conservation.
Good luck to all this coming year and hope to see you on the water.
Take care and good fishing,
Tim Widlacki
Tournament Director
***NEWS***NEWS***NEWS***NEWS***
The 2004 Professional Musky Tournament Trail schedule:
Qualifier #1: CAVE RUN LAKE, KENTUCKY
April 17th & 18th, 2004
Qualifier #2: LAKE SHELBYVILLE, ILLINOIS
May 15th & 16th, 2004
Qualifier #3: MERCURY MARINE'S SUMMER CHALLENGE
Eagle River, Wisconsin
June 26th & 27th, 2004
Qualifier #4: Musky Hunter Magazine's Fall Show Down
Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota
Sept. 25th & 26th, 2004
The 2004 PMTT Ranger Boats World Championship
Lake Chautauqua, NY
For more information visit the PMTT website at http://www.promusky.com
NEWS***NEWS***NEWS***NEWS***
A PMTT Special Event!
THE MIKE JAMES MEGA MUSKY 2004
1st Place Prize package worth $100,000*
August 27,28,29 2004 - Cass Lake, Minnesota.
Entire event to be filmed and televised. Three Day Event. 150 team field.
This is a separate PMTT event and does not count towards the regular PMTT qualifiers or World Championship.
For more information visit the PMTT website at http://www.promusky.com
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Posts: 2060
Location: Appleton,WI | question for some of you anglers from minnesota and wisconsin Ill,Area if you fished the trail and qualified would you prefish the chapionship event,14 hour drive to New york,cost of hotels days off,plus having to go back for the tournament?What kinda thoughts do you have about the line up of lakes,and is the travel distance a big problem? |
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Posts: 136
| MuskieE,
I had some of the same thoughts. But then I realized that the PMTT is a trail for the entire United States. They call the year end invitational the "World Championship" I agree.
The actual drive from Madison to Chautauqua is 10 hours. And the fishing is incredible... size as well just look at last years MuskieFIRST outing/Tournament. As far as the line up I think it is super! In April & May I'll be able to fish when I can't here in MN and Eagle River tournament is my favorite anyways! Also with them coming back to Minnetonka I'm really pumped!
Prefishing that early would be to learn structure. Patterns change way too much to bother with trying to pin one down a week or two before hand. I will probably take an extra trip at sometime just to get an idea of what the lake looks like. AWW that means I'll have to take another trip! WHOO HOO! That is of course if my partner catches a fish and we make it to the Championship my record says I'll just be net boy and the designated driver.
Edited by Fish It 10/28/2003 10:28 PM
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Location: Athens, Ohio | So, now that we know when PMTT will be at Cave Run, any further thought to the dates for the MuskieFirst Spring outing? Could be a great pre-fishing opportunity. m |
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Posts: 33
| Not that anyone cares, but I'm not fishing any next year.I'm Joe average that has to work for a living and won't spend all my vacation time on the 2004 schedule. I would suspect fewer "trail teams" next year.Maybe if there's a PMTT east/west division in the future.....New York is just too far away for this Wis. boy to invest the money/time into. |
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Posts: 57
Location: Winneconne, WI | I think the schedule it great. This year the new waters for us was Shelbyville and Cass. Next year will be Minnetonka and hopefully NY. It won't be at the Cave in 2005 so I wonder where it will go then. Maybe they'll come to Lake Winnebago one year to find the real BIG girls.
Brad
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Posts: 197
Location: N Illinois | I have fished the trail the last three years. This schedule disappoints me. The same old lakes. It would be a better trail if new lakes were introduced. The championship on Chatauqua? I would of loved that stop as a qualifier, but not for the championship. If it were a qualifier, maybe the PMTT could get more eastern teams invovled. I do not like the schedule or some of the proposed changes I have heard. As of right now, I am only going to fish cave run and shelbyville. The PMTT needs to advance to the next level if it wants to grow. It's been stagnate now for a couple of years. It's time for some fresh ideas. I have talked to many other trail teams throughout the year, and their thoughts were the same. It's a long winter and my plans could change. We'll see.
Mike Quinn
Edited by musky99 10/29/2003 3:13 PM
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Posts: 925
| I wasn't too excited either when I saw the schedule. I know Chataqua will get alot more eastern teams to fish Cave and Shelby, with a chance at their home waters for the championship.
I piss and moan about driving to Cave and Shelby, but the truth is, I can't fish here in MN at that time, so I just treat it as another musky vacation.
Eagle River is 4 hours and Tonka is in the backyard, so that helps.
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | My partner and I sat down this weekend and gave thought to the PMTT next season, we decided to look at the schedule before commiting anymore time on the matter...Glad we did. If I'm going in on this, I dont want to be on a trail that keeps hitting the same spots every year..The first three events are the same as last season.
I could see the NY event as a qualifier and Tonka as the Chamionship. That way guys from out east would have at least one event out there to make the Championship with. Now they have to come 1000 miles for 1 qualifier.
I keep seeing how well lakes are evolving as far as Musky goes, why does'nt the PMTT see this? 3/4 of the trail is the same as last year? I dont get it.
Edited by 52isntbigenough 10/29/2003 4:55 PM
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Posts: 7123
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | A few things, and I know that Mr. Cady can correct me if I am wrong:
The Illinois Conservation Foundation and the Moorehead, Kentucky Tourism Commission are great sponsors for the PMTT, ie. you will very likely always see an event in those states. And for Illinois, do you really want the IL. leg of the tourney back on the chain? The Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center has also been a strong sponsor of the tourney, so you'll more than likely find an event on the Eagle River Chain also.
Sponsors are HARD to find, the ones you have, you cant lose. Believe me, I sell ads for this site. I am guessing if the sponsors are willing, and the PMTT decides to go elsewhere, those sponsors will go away.
It would be great if the muskie world, and the rest of the world for that matter, didn't depend so much on money, but it does. All participants, and would be participants have that choice to fish, or not fish, any or all of the trail, but please understand a little bit of the WHY that you see the events at the places that they are held.
ALSO: for your early season events, other than KY and IL where would you hold these events? The mid and late season events can be anywhere, but for the early season, then where?
I'm this is all wrong Mr. Cady, just tell me so. If not, you owe me a Wabull, man the fish liked that bait this weekend.
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Posts: 925
| Quinn:
Come on now. I know you will wind up fishing all events next year. Sure we all gripe about the schedule, but you know we all look forward to it.
No matter where the events are. Sure, I'd love to see more events in MN, but the DNR is so difficult to work with in getting permits, it is tough.
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Posts: 5230
| I am just fishing shelbyville and cave run.Going to fish big Cass event also I owe that place a can of azz whip.0723 bill ramsey
Edited by 0723 10/29/2003 7:27 PM
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Posts: 197
Location: N Illinois | Midge,
It's still early and plans can change. As of right now I will not be a trail team. I'll be at Cave Run. That stop is my only chance to see friends I have made from the east. Shelbyville is close by, so I'll fish it. If we do well, maybe we'll sign up for Eagle River or Tonka. Right now, I see no advantage to signing up as a trail team. I also have zero ambition to fish Eagle River. The Eagle River chamber puts out the red carpet and treats the participants great, but sticking 150 boats on that small system is ridiculous. The cut offs on this lake are the worst on the trail. There is just not enough room for 150 boats to fish without being ontop of each other. Then add in the pleasure boats, the skiers, and waverunners.
I would also like to fish some new lakes next year. I have two other trips planned out for next year, add in the mega tourny, and my year is full.
We'll see. I have until Feb to decide.
Mike Quinn
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Posts: 925
| I do agree that the lakes are not the best choices. I would much rather be on "big" fish water like Cass and only see a handful of fish caught.
Rather than being on another lake with 40 fish caught, but barely any over 40".
However, I have to look at it in a tournament perspective and realize I am there to outfish the other boats, not to catch a monster. |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | SLMR....I can see not wanting to dissapoint sponsors. I highly doubt Eagle river or anyo ther venue would opt out of sponsoriship for not going back to back with them. The PWT hits diffrent spots every season. Granted they usually do hit Port Clinton almost every year. There's no reason why the PMTT folks couldnt have rotated venues every other year. So far I'm not alone, there's guys saying they're pulling out! The PMTT, RCL and PWT are doing these communities a service by stopping there. Im sure there'a ton of communities chomping at the bit to have any of them.
I understand your argument on KY and IL in spring....but are you saying that in those 2 states combined there's only 2 bodys of water to fish??? |
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Posts: 7123
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | The sponsors, I cant say for sure if they would stay in or not. Not my contacts, just my musings.
I live and fish IL, for a tournament of 100+ boats there are ONLY three lakes you can do it on: Shelbyville, Kinkaid, and the Fox Chain.
The chain was HATED when they did it in the past, and I dont know why they dont do Kinkaid. That leaves Shelbyville.
And unless I'm wrong, KY. only has three lakes large enough for a tournament of this size: Buckhorn, Green River and Cave Run. And I am not sure if Buckhorn and Green River are really big enough.
In the end, I was just trying to lend perspective on the why of where the PMTT is held. I dont fish the PMTT, and money prevents me from doing so anytime in the future.
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Posts: 212
Location: Madison, WI | Midge - Don't you mean out drink the competition? |
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Posts: 925
| Hooks:
You are right. Cady and I cannot outfish the competition ... but we sure do a good job trying to out drink them !!! |
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Posts: 5230
| I have never met you Mr. Quinn but I to have fished the PMTT for 3 years and feel the same way you do.Why keep going to eagle river area?I had to battle pleasure boats up and down lakes for 2 days.Three lakes a few years ago there were boats going off ramps right by me.To much going on.That happened at the chain of lakes in Il and we never went back.I think no matter where you go that tournament in wisc in June will sell out.The New York deal stinks too.East southern northern divisons would be nice.Oh well I`ll fish two events and big one,maybe try Mesikomers too.0723 Bill Ramsey
Edited by 0723 10/30/2003 4:30 PM
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