Mark Courts Sweeps the 2008 Mercury PWT Championship to Claim the Title!

Fifty of the world’s best walleye anglers started this event two days ago, but only the top twenty-five qualified to compete on this final day of competition on Saginaw Bay out of Bay City, MI.

Mark Courts, from Harris, MN took the lead on day one with a 4 fish limit of 19.70…kept the lead on day 2 with another 4 fish limit weighing in at 10.30 pounds, and would bring in the winning basket once again with a basket of fish weighing only 9.53 pounds. Mark became the 19th angler in the history of the PWT to take home the title of “Champion”, and the first place prize consisting of the following:

Cash: $59,000.00

Lund/Mercury Package Worth: $41,000.00

Kwik Pfyt Mud Flaps: $350.00

Richardson  Jewelers Champion’s Ring: $3500.00

It was a tough day on the water for most of the anglers who’s limits reflected smaller fish or fewer fish, due to colder conditions and bigger waves that made it harder to control the boat and speeds needed to present their offerings.

Tommy Skarlis, of Waukon, IA gave it a gallant effort, by changing up his presentation a little bit today. When most anglers went out on the Bay, where strong winds out of the West Northwest were creating big seas, Tommy stayed in the river today, jigging with “GULP! Alive” baits, and brought in the second largest limit of the day, weighing in at 12.74 pounds, giving him a total 3 day weight of 35.35 pounds.

Earlier in the week, Tommy was on the Bay pulling crawler harnesses, but said he was doing something a little bit different than everyone else, that he gives credit to for his success this week.

“I was using Off Shore Tackle in-line planer boards with “Tattle Flags”. But, the thing was, when I would see that flag go back, just a little bit, I would stall the board by turning into it…meaning I turned the boat towards that board. That was just enough to let that crawler stall out, and that’s what got these fish to really eat it and get hooked up. Instead of losing 30% of the light biters, I only lost about 5%....and, that’s a BIG improvement”, he said with his winning smile.

Tommy waits patiently as the remaining competitors weigh in.

Tommy Skarlis weighed in 12th, and would have to wait it out as the next thirteen anglers took the stage.

As it turned out, no one would be a threat, giving Tommy more hope that he just might be able to win this event.

A couple of other hopefuls were Pat Neu, who went out in 2nd place today, and Keith Kavajecz, who went out in third place, but both men brought in small baskets of 4.54 and 3.23 respectively, leaving only Mark Courts as the one person who could take the lead back from Tommy Skarlis.

Tommy knew that Mark needed only 5.35 pounds to retake the lead, and from the two previous weights, he thought that maybe, just maybe, that Bay bite had failed Mark too.

Mark arrived in front of the stage in his Lowrance wrapped boat. Through the squeals of delight from the little kids, and the cheers and whistles from the adults, he threw out all kinds of goodies to the audience.

Then it was time to pull his fish out of the livewell and put them in the weigh box. He brought two fish out and showed the crowd. They were small fish, but at least a couple pounds between them.

Then he pulled the last two fish out and raised them above his head with a look of pure triumph and happiness.

Mark Courts’s talks about his winning technique: “We were using three ways, and what we were accomplishing using the three ways was just keeping our spinners up off the bottom a little bit, creating that mud trail and uh, just forcing those fish to eat it. The nice thing was, when you dropped it back, if you had a light bite, and you dropped it back, the fish wasn’t instantly feeling the bottom bouncers…um, the weight of the bottom bouncers…so, and Bobby came up with that idea…and, so, later on, we caught some nice 21-22 inch fish, and that’s what we were really going out there for…those 21-22 inch fish. If we got lucky and got one of those big bites we’d have a chance. And, fortunately for me, I got three of those big bites day 1, and it paid off.

But, uh, the next two days was a long, long, long, two days… especially today…I mean, um, I had the championship to blow today, and I felt like I was swimming the whole way. But, what an awesome feeling to get this far!

I….you know, this is a life long dream, um…and , like I said, I know I’m going to forget a sponsor, but Guys… THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Jim O’Rourke says, “You’re the Champ”…

Mark Courts replies: “Unbelievable! I’ll have to think about that one a little bit”.

Jim O’Rourke: “Congratulations! You’re 2008 PWT Champion ladies and Gentlemen…Mark Courts!”

Other awards today included:

Coleman Big Fish Award:  Tom Kemos, Oconomowoc, WI 7.02 pounds/$2,000.00

Coleman Cool Under Pressure:  Todd Riley, Amery, WI Advanced 33 places/$100.00

Dow Heavyweight Award: Mark Courts, Harris, MN 19.70 pounds/$1,000.00