Korey Sprengel Wins NWT Championship event on Lake Winnebago with 43.69 pounds.
In the walleye fishing world, there is no bigger event than the National Walleye Tour (NWT) Championship. The top paying event in pro walleye angling today, the NWT draws the top Walleye pros in North America, pairing each pro with a different Co Angler amateur each torunament day.
The second NWT Championship was held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on September 18th, 19th and 20th, and featured a field of the top Walleye pros in the country competing for a total purse of over $250,000 in cash and prizes.
Berkley pro Korey Sprengel capped off his 2014 National Walleye Tour season by winning his first Championship title. He's also won two NWT qualifiers over the two year history of the Tour; that's three tournament titles out of eight NWT events to date! Korey scored a three day total Championship weight of 43.69 pounds. With contingencies, the Wisconsin native tallied an $84,424.00 payout.
"The gear I used was critical for this win," said Sprengel. "I was fishing some pretty snaggy stuff so the line was key.
I used 10-pound Berkley FireLine Flame Green because I needed to see those subtle bites.
The baits used were a one-two punch with a Berkley Flicker Shad size 7 with the bigger bites coming off a Berkley PowerBait blue fleck/pearl Rib Worm. I tied the Rib Worm on an 1/8th ounce jig and casted it out and let it sink to the bottom. Once it was on the bottom, I just shook the rod tip and the big walleye would just pick it up and go with it."
Winning isn't abnormal for Korey Sprengel. Even though Korey is 26 years young, the Berkley pro has enjoyed success on all the major walleye circuits.
"Winning never gets old, but this one means the world," said Sprengel. "The weather conditions really can play tricks on a fishing area. It seemed like a grind with high winds and bites few and far between. The area I focused on didn't get blown out, but the real danger was what lies below the surface. The rocks and junk down there are pretty gnarly so I am thankful for tough lines like Berkley FireLine because I also have the ability to feel the most subtle bites and when I hook up I don't worry about line giving out."
The talent pool of Berkley pros fishing the NWT Championship made some serious waves during the event, taking 6 out of the top ten places.
3rd place finisher Mark Courts of Harris, Minnesota, 4th place Kevin McQuoid of Isle, Minnesota, 5th place Ross Grothe of Northfield, Minnesota, 7th place Tommy Skarlis of Waukon, Iowa, and 8th place Robert Cardenas of Gem Lake, Minnesota are all a threat at any pro walleye tournament to take the win.
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