FYI NEWS RELEASE

WEST POINT- Local angler Todd Consbruck and John McAllister from Oyens, IA took home third place on the 2008 Nebraska Walleye Association (NWA) tournament trail. The third place finish should earn McAllister and Consbruck an invitation to the 2009 Cabela's National Team Championship which will be held in 2009 at an as yet undetermined location.  This is the third time in three attempts that Consbruck has qualified for the nationally televised tournament.

The NWA held events in 2008 on Calamus, Sherman, McConaughy and Merritt Reservoirs this year from April though July. Consbruck and McAllister had a third place finish at McConaughy and a fifth place at Merritt on July 13.

"Finishing third overall out of sixty-nine teams is really satisfying. We were all but out of the running after the third tourney of the year but we finished the last three tournaments very strong. A big thank you also goes to Vince Maly from West Point for substituting for John at Sherman. Vince and I only caught one keeper at Sherman, but that one fish turned out to save the whole season for us."

Consbruck said there was a lot more fishing than catching by tourney participants in 2008 because of poor bites but that overall a lot of very big walleyes were caught by tournament anglers.

"I always learn something about walleye fishing during every tournament. That's what drives me, learning how to catch fish better. I don't concentrate on beating other teams, I just try to focus on what I'm doing and constantly analyze the conditions and what I could try differently. On key to tournament fishing is to always hit the water with a plan then think three steps ahead all day long. Most anglers, when it's all boiled down, fail to adjust location or presentation when the fish aren't biting or they just fish memories. The fish are almost always biting somewhere, somehow."

McAllister and Consbruck have one more tourney this year to compete in, the NWA two-day championship in October on Lewis & Clark reservoir.  Consbruck also plans to coordinate a NWA Kids Fishing Clinic in West Point in the spring of 2009.

Consbruck is currently sponsored by Tyndall Motors, Tracker boats, Mercury Marine, Bass Pro Shops, Salmo and ReelBait tackle.