Big water, big air

See the Top 50 Elite anglers of 2015 hit the wild waves of Sturgeon Bay.

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We went to the mouth of Sturgeon Bay to view anglers coming in from Green Bay, and meeting a stiff south wind as they made the turn north.
We went to the mouth of Sturgeon Bay to view anglers coming in from Green Bay, and meeting a stiff south wind as they made the turn north.
The first angler we saw was Michigan’s Jonathon VanDam ...
The first angler we saw was Michigan’s Jonathon VanDam …
... who is no stranger to big water.
… who is no stranger to big water.
The contenders had made a long run north up the shoreline of Green Bay.
The contenders had made a long run north up the shoreline of Green Bay.
One of them was Russ Lane.
One of them was Russ Lane.
Lane’s boat begins to climb the waves blowing up Sturgeon Bay ...
Lane’s boat begins to climb the waves blowing up Sturgeon Bay …
... and it crashes downward producing a spray of water.
… and it crashes downward producing a spray of water.
Next to run the gauntlet was Jordan Lee.
Next to run the gauntlet was Jordan Lee.
David Walker speeds to the weigh in. What comes up…
David Walker speeds to the weigh in. What comes up…
…must eventually come down...
…must eventually come down…
…into the next wave.
…into the next wave.
Then a climb atop the next one.
Then a climb atop the next one.
Walker never lets up.
Walker never lets up.
Brent Ehler’s boat begins to climb…
Brent Ehler’s boat begins to climb…
…then plows…
…then plows…
…into an oncoming wave…
…into an oncoming wave…
…that shrouds his boat…
…that shrouds his boat…
…completely in water.
…completely in water.
Skeet Reese had his boat trimmed down and was taking his time…
Skeet Reese had his boat trimmed down and was taking his time…
…but he still had to contend with the strong headwind in Sturgeon Bay.
…but he still had to contend with the strong headwind in Sturgeon Bay.
Chris Zaldain was next to meet the gauntlet of angry water…
Chris Zaldain was next to meet the gauntlet of angry water…
…and at one point his prop nearly cleared the water.
…and at one point his prop nearly cleared the water.
And then the resulting crash downward.
And then the resulting crash downward.
Brandon Palaniuk had the hammer down when he came past us…
Brandon Palaniuk had the hammer down when he came past us…
…and he launched his boat upward on wave…
…and he launched his boat upward on wave…
…after wave…
…after wave…
…after wave.
…after wave.
Resulting in the downward crash into the water, over…
Resulting in the downward crash into the water, over…
…and over…
…and over…
…and over again.
…and over again.
Edwin Evers took his time too, but Sturgeon Bay was angry.
Edwin Evers took his time too, but Sturgeon Bay was angry.
Aaron Martens came through and didn’t seem to mind the waves at all, he just wanted to win the boat race.
Aaron Martens came through and didn’t seem to mind the waves at all, he just wanted to win the boat race.
Ott Defoe came by slowly…
Ott Defoe came by slowly…
…but the waves were relentless.
…but the waves were relentless.