There were five anglers from Western New York and northwest Pennsylvania in those top 40, but the wind and waves changed many of their hopes and dreams. What was a scheduled three-day angler elimination event, was reduced to a two-day event by the weather. The cancellation decision caused some angler team supporters to cry about the rules.

Day 2 on Friday was canceled due to unsafe fishing conditions caused by high winds. The cancellation meant that only the top 10 anglers from Day 1 would be allowed to fish Day 3 to determine the champion. Staying ethical, I think this call caused unrest among some competitors and sponsors. On the flip side, let’s give credit where due. With big wind and waves, who says fishing is a non-contact sport? These guys had to hang on for dear life during the competition days. Resilience and determination is what champions are made of.

With Day 2 off schedule, Day 3 on Saturday became decisive. Pro Angler Tom Huynh of Wolverton, Minnesota, emerged victorious, winning the 2025 NWT Championship and cash and prizes worth $115,456 (winning a Ranger FS620 boat and motor, plus $20,000).

On Friday, Huynh weighed in an impressive 43-pound, 1-ounce bag of Green Bay walleye, leading the field by a significant margin. Huynh admitted that prior practice sessions didn’t yield much to him. They only caught one fish in one full day, two days before the competition and skipped the pre-fish day, due to the weather.

Dylan Nussbaum from nearby St. Marys, Pa., finished in 10th place in the Angler of the Year standings after the National Walleye Tour Championship competition that held was in Marinette, Wis., on Green Bay. Submitted Photo

“I didn’t see it coming,” Huynh said after Day 1. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t pre-fish yesterday. It was windy, and I always say the day before a tournament is the worst day to break something. So, I didn’t want to risk it. The day before that, we only caught one fish all day long. My practice wasn’t great.”

With 43 pounds, 1 ounce on Day 1, his conservative nature and focus on quality over quantity were about to pay off. On Day 3, Huynh pulled in 38 pounds, 12 ounces to tally 81 pounds, 13 ounces overall for just two days of fishing in harsh conditions.

Lesson to learn: fishing can always be better tomorrow.

“I don’t think I’ve caught a full tournament limit since I started coming here three or four years ago,” Huynh said, reflecting on his history of fishing in Green Bay. “If anyone asks me, I always tell them: if I get a limit, it’ll be a good one.”

It certainly was.

Notable competitors included Chris Berglund (second place on Day 1, with 39 pounds, 7 ounces) and Jake Caughey (third place on Day 1 with 37 pounds, 14 ounces). Berglund reflected on a bumpy season but saw the strong Day 1 as a great start toward closing strong. Caughey shared he caught a 6-pounder on his first drift and later upgraded with a 9-pounder and several over 8 pounds — nearly a 2.5-pound upgrade.

On Day 3, Isacc Lakich added to his 37-pound, 13-ounce Day 1 total with a 43-pound, 5-ounce bag to take second place overall with 81 pounds, 2 ounces. Only 11 ounces separated the first two places.

Caughey added 39 pounds, 8 ounces on Day 3 to finish third with 77 pounds, 6 ounces.

Finishing in 10th place was local favorite Dylan Nussbaum, with 34 pounds, 14 ounces on Day 1 and 34 pounds, 8 ounces on Day 3 for a 69-pound, 6-ounce total, good for $6,500 in cash. These competitors showed great sportsmanship and respect for the sport throughout the tournament.

Through the year, Nussbaum finished with three top tens.

“I’m beyond thankful for all the support from friends, family, fans and sponsors,” he said. “I’m looking forward to fishing some local tournaments back home with my dad to finish out the year.”

Most anglers used forward-facing sonar to locate pods of walleye, then fished with jig/crawler setups, controlled their drift over structure and prioritized quality bites to score. This use of this new technology is a game-changer in the world of competitive fishing. On windy days, using FFS can be tough, so many of these anglers have their boats equipped with 72-inch electric, 36-volt bow motors to hold position.

Congrats to the durable top 10 competitors who earned big cash and gear prizes, and condolences to the 30 anglers who were booted by the weather forecast and existing rules. I know that rules are rules, but it seems unfair to those 30 anglers who have fished all year not to have been a part of Day 2 fishing to get into the top 10. Why not have a “blow day” to assure three days of competitive fishing?

We all learn from experience. In future columns, I’ll share if there are NWT rule changes to accommodate weather disruptions.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Sept. 10: 3-D Archery, Evans Rod/Gun, 864 Cain Road, Angola; 4 p.m. to dark, 15-target course, Kitchen open, Jerome Gorski, 716-398-3008. Ends Sept. 24.

Sept. 11: 3-D Archery, West Falls Conservation, 55 Bridge St., West Falls, 4 p.m. start, 15-target hillside course. Kitchen open. Indoor/outdoor ranges. Mike Cummings, 716-652-4650. Ends Sept. 25.

Sept. 13: WNY Walleye Association; 1st Responders/Veterans Day of Fishing, Lake Erie; Reserve your spot. Rick Malik: 716-548-8219 or Steve Haak: 716-225-0229.

Sept. 13-21: NYS special early antlerless deer season in designated WMUs. For DMP and DMAP tags only. See syllabus.

Sept. 14: 3-D Archery, Bear Lake Rod & Gun, 30 targets, 8 a.m. to noon, Open house, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4391 Cassadaga-Stockton Road, Stockton, Info: Rudy Abersold, 716-397-9717.