Paul Meleen is from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and he has an impressive tournament resume.

His resume includes taking the 2011 FLW Angler of the Year title and over 25 tournament championships qualifications. Paul has high finishes in walleye circuits such as FLW, NAWA, MWC, and NWT. 

Paul owns and operates the Lodge at Leahtem Smith, a popular resort located in Sturgeon Bay. Paul has owned his iconic establishment in Sturgeon Bay for 11 years. When Paul isn’t on the water or running his resort he spends time with his son and daughter. Paul is also an avid hunter. In 2020, Paul spent 45 days out west hunting mule deer, elk, and moose. Paul shot multiple bears out of state when he lived in Minnesota. Paul is also an avid deer hunter and has taken some big bucks but says he is still searching for a true monster.  

Paul is very excited to fish the inaugural PWS season. With his vast level of experience, he speaks to the changes in the sport of tournament fishing. Paul notes how this H2H format is well designed and lays out a level playing field for all the anglers in each event. He notes that the 30 day cut-off limit for pre-fishing is a big deal that ensures all anglers have the same amount of pre-fishing for each body of water. With the single-angler format, there is a tremendous opportunity for the individual angler to compete and grow. He also says that one of his best skill sets in walleye fishing is fishing with live bait, so he will have to adjust with the no-live bait format in the PWS series. He is looking forward to that challenge.