Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - October 2016

The2016seasonfortheCabela’sNationalWaleye Tour(NWT)cametoacloseearlierthismonthon LakeOaheinSouthDakotawithpro-anglerEdSta- chowskiandco-anglerJoshBrucerisingtothetop andwinningtheLucasOilAngleroftheYear(AOY) titles.AlongwithcustomLucasOilAOYrings,both anglersearnedpaidentryfesforthe2017NWT season. TheLucasOil Angler oftheYear marksthefirst major titleinStachowski’sfive- yearprocarer. “Todobeterthan everyoneoverthecourseofa 2016LUCASOILAOY AWARDED

JoshBruce, ofWiliston, NorthDakota, wontheNWTCo-Anglerof theYeartitle.TheanglerfishedtwoNWTeventslastyearand competedinhisfirstfulseasonin2016. “It’sagreatfeling,”saidBruce.“I’vehadmyupsanddowns throughtheyear, butitkindofworkedout.” Co-anglersarerandomlypairedwithdiferentproseachdayofa tournament. Overthecourseofthe2016season, Brucesoakedup knowledgefromthepro-anglersonnewtechniquesandhowto fishunfamiliarwaters. “It’satotal diferentexperience,”saidBruce. “Youlearnsomany diferentthingsandgettofishthesediferentbodiesofwater.

That’soneofthemainreasons forfishingasaco-angler. It’sa wholenewbalgame. You’re findingfishinspotsyouhadn’t thoughtabout.” Beingpairedwithsomanydifer entpro-anglersalsogaveBruce insighttothemental aspectof managingexpectationsand fightingthroughatoughdayof fishing. “Someguyshaveroughdays andthathappenstoeveryone,” saidBruce. “Somehandleitto talydiferentthanothers. You fedofofit. Ifheisfelingcon fident, youjustfel it.”

seasonispretyhugetome,”said Stachowski. “ItprovesthatI have theskilstocompeteonanybody ofwater.” TheNWTAOYgoestotheangler whoconsistentlyperformsthroug- houttheseason. Stachowski took eighthplaceatLakeErieandfolo- wedwith1th-placeatWinnebago. Theangler’s35th-placeat SturgeonBayputthepotentia titleinjeopardy.

“I wassitinginsecondplace behindmytravel partnerafter WinnebagoandfeltI hadashot,” saidStachowski. “Thethirdevent mademeabitnervous. I scraped intothemoneythere. I haven’thadagoodhistoryat SturgeonBay.” Stachowskiregroupedandshowedupstrongatthe championshipevent onLakeOahewithan1th-place finishtowrapupthetitle. “It’samonstrousacomplishmentforme,”saidSta- chowski. “It’sahugehonorwiththecaliberoffisher- menontheNWT. Thatbeingsaid, I didn’tgointothe tournamenttryingtowinAOY. I wastryingtowinthe championship. Tojustmisthetop10isbiterswet. Stil, it’sahugefelingofacomplishment. I’vehad somegoodtournaments,butthisisthefirsttime thatI’veputittogetherforthewholeyear.”

Withpaidentryfespaidforthe 2017season, Brucehopesto folowuphis2016performancewithanothertitleandiskeping theposibilityofturningprointhebackofhismind. “I amdefinitelygoingtorunontheco-anglersidenextyear,”said Bruce. “Turningproisout ofthequestionfor meright now, but you gottoplayityearbyyear. I hopetosomedaygettothatlevel.”