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| Gary Parsons Claims $63,000 with Third PWT Victory on Lake Oahe |
Mobridge, South Dakota.....Adding yet another star to his walleye trophy case, PWT Pro Gary Parsons won the Realtree/Optima Batteries Western Pro-Am on Lake Oahe. This is his third victory on this sprawling Missouri River Reservoir. It paid $63,000.
The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) anglers experienced water about 25 feet lower than a year ago, but quickly reacted to the nature of the walleyes. The "bite" switched from a predominant live bait bite just prior to the tournament to a trolling bite over the submerged tree-tops. Shad Raps were the ticket, as long as they ticked the tree tops, which proved costly. The 50-year old cottonwoods ate thousands of crankbaits.
Parsons, from Glidden, Wis., said, "Fortunately for me, I stumbled onto this pattern early, and was able to fine-tune it." This win increased Parsons' PWT average winnings to $4,800, for 69 events. He has 15 top 10 place finishes and is the only 2-time Angler of the Year. He fished about 30 miles south of host-city Mobridge, as did many pro anglers. Finishing second after leading on day one was Parsons' tournament and business partner (and brother-in-law) Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis. Parsons weighed 31.56 pounds; Kavajecz won $20,000 for 31.33 pounds, also trolling.
Third place was a tie between John Butts, Kenora, Ontario, and Scott Fairbairn, Hager City, Wis. They each weighed 31.32 pounds, and won $12,000 apiece. Trolling was their top method. Brad Davis, Jackson, Wis., was fifth with 31.05 pounds and he earned $10,000. A total of nearly $300,000 was paid to winners, which included a Lund/Mercury 17-foot walleye boat to amateur winner Kevin Madigan, Yuma, Arizona. His prize was valued at more than $15,000. He is moving to Casper, Wyoming, and said, "There're more walleye lakes there!" The race was extremely tight due to the Lake Oahe "slot-limit" regulations. Each set of Pro-Am partners could keep four walleyes from 15 to 18 inches and two over 18 inches.
PWT Key Awards for organizing a very successful off-site weigh-in and tournament week went to Mobridge chairman Jeff Jackson and Grand River Casino and Bay Resort representative Scott Gates. Other special awards went to pro Tommy Skarlis, Walker, Minn. and amateur Joshua Summer, Chokio, Minn, for advancing the most places. Skarlis won $1,000, and Summer $600 for their Coleman Cool Under Pressure Awards.
The Gander Mountain Heavyweight award was split among two sets of partners. Kansas amateurs Mark Conrad, Wellington, and Larry Beuthin, Halstead, each won $150. Their pro partners, Kavajecz and Davis, who weighed the biggest daily weight, 12.21 pounds, each won $250. The Miller Big Fish of the tournament was split between amateur Conrad and pro Kavajecz. Their day one walleye of 5.34 pounds paid each $1,500. Steve Poll, Fond du Lac, Wis., and amateur Matt Fabian, Breezy Point, Minn., split $1,000 for their day three 5.20 pounder.
The Western Pro-Am was the final PWT tournament in the Dee Zee western division, and the top 10 pros were invited to the Mercury Championship. They will be part of a 51-person contingent fishing for more than $1,500,000 in prizes. A million dollar prize from Quantum Performance Tuned rods and reels is up for grabs if the Michigan state record walleye, 17.3 pounds, is broken. They will be led by Ross Grothe, Northfield, Minn. Second is Barry Walker, Big Springs, Neb., third is Rich Boggs, Nisswa, Minn., fourth is John Butts, Kenora, Ontario, fifth is David Andersen, Amery, Wis., sixth is Terry Ryckman, Toledo, Ore., seventh is Myron Sylte, Williston, ND, eighth is Jeff Zbasnik, Hazen, ND, ninth is Mark Christianson, Walker, Minn., and 10th is Dale Gilbert, Ulm, Montana. The Mercury Championship is set for Houghton, Mich., Sept. 12-14.
The 10 eastern qualifiers will be named after the PWT tournament in Escanaba, Mich. Aug. 22-24, where the field will be led by current Angler of the Year leader Kavajecz on famed Little and Big Bay de Noc. The final Championship group of 30 pro anglers will be the top contenders of those who fished the entire 6-tournament circuit.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, Trilene, PowerBait, Realtree, Miller High-Life, Nissan, Frenzy, Lowrance, MinnKota, Optima Batteries, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, DeeZee, Cotton Cordell, Seal Skinz, Aqua-Vu, IMCO, Plano, KeepAlive, Stowmaster.net, Quantum Performance Tuned rods & reels and the Mobridge Chamber of Commerce (888-614-3474).
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| PWT Pro Gary Parsons Takes Slim Lead on Lake Oahe at Mobridge, SD |
Mobridge, South Dakota....."Fishing in the trees is tough, takes persistence and lots of tackle," said tournament leader Gary Parsons. The Glidden, Wis. pro knows the value of hard work, and has claimed two In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) victories on Lake Oahe, in 1994 and 1998.
Fishing from Mobridge in the northern reaches of South Dakota's Lake Oahe, the Realtree/Optima Batteries Western Pro-Am anglers found walleyes throughout the system. The best fishing method proved to be trolling crankbaits right over the tree-tops, which are cottonwoods that lined the Missouri River channel prior to flooding more than 50 years ago. Some anglers were live bait rigging and jigging, also.
Parsons is the only two-time PWT Angler of the Year. He has cashed checks in two-thirds of the PWT events fished, averaging nearly $4,000 per tournament. He leads the Western Pro-Am with 22.23 pounds. Close behind is another two-time PWT winner Scott Fairbairn, Hager City, Wis. He is only five one-hundredths of a pound back. A new face in the top ranks is Ulm, Montana pro Dale Gilbert with 21.61 pounds. Day one leader Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis. slipped to sixth place.
The big fish seemed to vacate the system, but Parsons said, "I think they're not far away, because every practice day they were biting. Maybe they dropped down deeper into the trees." The trees topped out about 30 feet below the surface in 60 to 70 feet of water. The day two Miller Big Fish award went to pro Jim Klick, White Bear Lake, Minn., and amateur partner Dave Evert, Minneapolis, Minn. Their $1,000 walleye weighed 3.34 pounds. Many stories were told on stage about big fish hitting, then diving into the trees to safety.
Top amateur Dave Tuthill, Sandy Lake, Penn., holds a three pound advantage over Luke Stout, Ashland, Wis. Stout won earlier this year on the Mississippi River. The top amateur tows home a Lund/Mercury 17-foot walleye boat valued at $15,000. The total prize package approaches the $300,000 mark, with the first place pro winning $63,000. All prizes will be awarded immediately following Friday's weigh-in at the Bay Resort just west of Mobridge on Highway 12. Festivities begin at 3 p.m., with awards concluded by 6 p.m.
"The walleye fans are great and they should be rewarded at Friday's ceremonies with lots of information about fishing spots and methods," Parsons said as he encouraged people to enjoy the fun. The PWT pro anglers parade in front of the spectators in their boats, unloading their catches at the stage. "It's like a mini-Championship," he said.
After Friday's fishing, the top 10 pro anglers from the Dee Zee western division will be invited to fish the world's most prestigious walleye event, the Mercury Championship, set for September in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Another 10 from the east division will be named after the August tournament, along with 30 from the field fishing all six PWT tournaments.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, Trilene, PowerBait, Realtree, Miller High-Life, Nissan, Frenzy, Lowrance, MinnKota, Optima Batteries, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, DeeZee, Cotton Cordell, Seal Skinz, Aqua-Vu, IMCO, Plano, KeepAlive, Stowmaster.net, Quantum Performance Tuned rods & reels and the Mobridge Chamber of Commerce (888-614-3474)
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| Current PWT Champ Charges to the Lead by Trolling Cranks on Lake Oahe |
Mobridge, South Dakota......Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., leads the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) shoot-out on Lake Oahe. The touring pro who won the 2002 Mercury Championship and $100,000 last September, racked up 12.21 pounds. He fished with amateur partner Mark Conrad, Wellington, Kan. Their cause was highlighted with the day's largest walleye, 5.34 pounds, worth at least $1,000
They were trolling like many in the Realtree/Optima Batteries Western Pro-Am, headquartered in Mobridge, SD. However, most trollers spent their day tugging and battling the thousands of underwater cottonwoods that lined the old Missouri River channel. Crankbaits were most effective when they ticked the tree-tops, down about 30 feet in 60 feet or more of water.
Several pros reminded their walleye fans they would have to go to the bank, then the tackle shop to re-supply their tackle boxes. Also trolling was second place pro Duane Tencate, Sioux Falls, SD, fishing with Dave Tuthill, Sandy Lake, Penn. They limited with six walleyes for 11.86 pounds. A limit consisted of four walleyes from 15 to 18 inches and two over 18 inches.
Pro Gerrick McComsey, Fort Pierre, SD holds third place with 11.60 pounds. He fished with amateur Joe Artim, Tower, Minn. They were live bait rigging, then trolled for their larger fish. Past PWT winner at Mobridge, pro Gary Parsons, Glidden, Wis., is in fourth place with 11.45 pounds. His amateur partner was Laurent Raymond, Pine Falls, Ontario. They were also trolling.
Most anglers departed Mobridge and headed downstream, fishing as far as the highway 212 bridge, about 60 miles away. After a cold front and storms Tuesday, the fantastic week-long action slowed today. However, 14 anglers racked up double digits, and the race is unusually close.
This is the final Dee Zee western tournament, which will determine the top 10 pros from the division who will be invited to the Mercury Championship. The final Dee Zee eastern tournament will take place next month in Escanaba, Mich., and 10 eastern division winners will also be invited to the Championship. The top 30 pros who fish all six PWT tournaments also qualify for the prestigious Championship, where contestants could win as much as $1,500,000. One million dollars is on the line if a pro breaks the Michigan state record walleye (17.3 pounds) during competition.
The final two days in Mobridge, Thursday and Friday, July 31 and Aug. 1, feature exciting stage action and a chance to meet the pros as they weigh their fish. The festivities begin about 3 p.m. (central time) each day at the Bay, located by the bridge, just west of Mobridge on Highway 12. The weigh-in includes a boat "drive-by" as the pros and their amateur partners arrive in their boats and move directly to the scales. The entire event is as close as fans can get to being in the boats with their favorite pro anglers.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT sponsors include: Mercury Marine, Lund, Berkley Gulp!, Trilene, PowerBait, Realtree, Miller High-Life, Nissan, Frenzy, Lowrance, MinnKota, Optima Batteries, Gander Mountain, Blue Fox, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Coleman, Storm, Eagle Trailers, Raymarine, Rapala, Matzuo, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Drift Control, DeeZee, Cotton Cordell, Seal Skinz, Aqua-Vu, IMCO, Plano, KeepAlive, Stowmaster.net, Quantum Performance Tuned rods & reels Mobridge Chamber of Commerce (888-614-3474) |
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