David Eggers (Granger) and Tad Hepler (Niles)

David Eggers (Granger) and Tad Hepler (Niles) showed Wisconsin fishermen just how tough Michiana anglers are.

The duo sacked a 5-fish limit of smallmouth weighing 26 pounds, 13 ounces to win the Cabela's North American Bass Circuit's 2017 season opener presented by Mercury Marine May 13th on Lake Michigan's Sturgeon Bay.

They won $5,054.

"We've finished second twice at Sturgeon Bay before, so it feels really good to finally win one," Eggers told NABC officials. "It's an incredible fishery. If the NABC comes back, we'll fish it for sure. We can make a pretty good vacation out of coming up and fishing here."

The water was 52 degrees the day of the event and the smallmouth were pre-spawn. They triggered their bites with homemade soft-plastic craws and darters fished on leadhead jigs. They fished along a transition depth that ran 6- to 8-feet deep. They had most of their catch by 9 a.m.

Second place ($2,520) went to Alan Neumann (Krakow, Wisc.) and Josh Crededio (South Elgin, Ill.) with 25 pounds, 4 ounces.

Big bass in the event weighed 7-2.

For more information, visit northamericanbasscircuit.com, email info@northamericanbasscircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.