Danny Hein and Didier Germain wait to weigh in.
2010 Princecraft Northern Ontario Professional Walleye Trail season opener on Mattagami Lake south of Timmins hosted by Mattagami First Nations did not disappoint. The registration and rules meeting saw many anglers discussing the pre fishing conditions and tactics. Being the first stop of the NOWT season, many anglers were catching up with some old and meeting new friends. 124 boats were registered for the tournament which again supports the popularity of the Princecraft NOWT series. The NOWT continues to grow each year. Much of the credit is due to well run and organized tournaments on the schedule. Mattagami First Nations does an excellent job each year and 2010 was another success.
Day 1 saw some really big weights and many teams within striking distance of the top prize of $10,000. The conditions were favourable with overcast skies and light rain. Even with the lower water levels, anglers were able to find the fish and more than 30 teams posted double digit weights. This supports the fact the Mattagami River is a solid Walleye Fishery and great tournament destination. Leading the way on Day 1 was Dan Picard and Luc Rainville with a solid first day weight of 16.65 lbs. Rounding out the top 5 was Jeff Vipond & John Labine with 15.83, Matt Browne & Marc Poirier with 15.76, Yves Boissoneault & Tim Caron with 15.02 and Danny Hein & Didier Germain with 13.67.
As with any Tournament a solid Day 1 is only the first part of the winning combination. Day 2 has pressure and a need for consistency. Conditions were different for Day 2. The sun was out and a strong cold wind changed things up. This was evident by the drop in the amount of double digit weights. Only 10 teams recorded more than 10 lbs. Leading the way on Day 2 was Rob Trahan & Brian Waugh with 15.78 lbs. Rounding the top five were Danny Hein & Didier Germain with 15.20, Denis Martin & Derek Leger with 12.52, Andre Goulet & Bob Lavigne with 11.72 and Sheldon Hatch and Gord Schultz with 11.64.
Danny Hein and Didier Germain showed why they are past Princecraft NOWT angler of the year champions by demonstrating their consistency both days and being able to adapt to changing conditions to win the first tournament of the new season. They now have the early lead in the 2010 Princecraft Angler of the Year standings. This win also puts them as the front runner for the team that will represent the NOWT at the AIM international Walleye Championship in September. Dubreuilville and Geraldton are up next in the month of June. See you soon on the Princecraft Northern Ontario Professional Walleye Trail.
For complete 2010 Mattagami Results
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