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| Dr. Samson wins $300,000 as Wal-Mart RCL walleye champion |
RED WING, Minn. Bruce Samson of Minnetrista, Minn., caught five walleyes weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday to claim a top pro award of $300,000 in the $1.4 million RCL Walleye Championship on the Mississippi River. Samson won the guaranteed cash award of $150,000 plus a sponsor bonus of $150,000 for running a Crestliner boat.
Samson survived the opening-round cut Thursday in ninth place with eight walleyes weighing 27 pounds, 13 ounces followed by a second-place finish in Friday's semifinal round with four walleyes weighing 12 pounds, 3 ounces. The Crestliner pro is a physician by trade who was fishing in his second RCL Championship.
It was a long journey to get here. I've been planning for a year, said Samson, who took a seven-month sabbatical from his job to concentrate on his fishing. Everything worked out the way I wanted. I've been at this for a few years, and now it's finally coming together.
Samson, who caught his fish over the course of the tournament using mainly night crawlers and minnows, said he decided to devote his total attention to fishing this year because it had become all he ever thought about. My wife said, When you're home, you're not home,' Samson said. Added his wife, Julie: He is a really good doctor and a really good fisherman, but he loves fishing much more. He'd give up his other job in a second!
Competition began Wednesday at the Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing with a full field of 234 pros and 234 co-anglers competing for two days before the field was cut to 12 pros and 12 co-anglers following Thursday's competition. The pro field was narrowed to six after Friday's competition, and co-angler competition concluded Friday with Tim Lessila of New Berlin, Wis., winning $75,000 cash as the co-angler champion. Nineteen states and Canada were represented in the tournament.
Rounding out the top six pros are Lund pro Mike Gofron of Antioch, Ill. (five walleyes, 12 pounds, 15 ounces); Crestliner pro Richard Franklin of Louisburg, Kan. (three walleyes, 11 pounds, 11 ounces); Ranger pro Joe Wilson of Rolling Stone, Minn. (two walleyes, 6 pounds, 11 ounces); Ranger pro Richard Nascak of Winona, Minn. (two walleyes, 4 pounds, 8 ounces); and Ranger pro Brad Knoll of Menasha, Wis., (no walleye).
Named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the $2.9 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world's most lucrative walleye-fishing series. With a purse of up to $1.4 million, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is the most lucrative walleye tournament in the history of the sport. The championship will be broadcast to 45 million Outdoor Life Network subscribers Oct. 12 at 10:30 a.m. CST.
FLW Outdoors, the world's leading marketer of competitive fishing tournaments, administers the RCL Walleye Circuit. Other FLW Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League and Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit are Wal-Mart, Castrol, Conseco, Crestliner, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Garmin, Kellogg's, Lund, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Snickers, Stanley, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.
FLW Outdoors is the world's leading marketer of professional bass-fishing tournaments. It administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world's richest bass tournament series; the EverStart Series, the pathway to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour; and the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, the weekend tournament series designed for working anglers. FLW Outdoors also runs the Texas Tournament Trail, Ranger M1 Tournament and the RCL Walleye Circuit.
For additional information about FLW Outdoors or any of its tournament series, browse this Web site or contact communications director Dave Washburn at [email protected] or (270) 252-1607. |
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| Franklin leads pros into final round of $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship |
RED WING, Minn. Richard Franklin of Louisburg, Kan., braved rainy conditions and a threat of wind Friday to claim the top spot heading into Saturday's final round of the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship. With the help of his partner, co-angler champion Tim Lessila of New Berlin, Wis., Franklin brought in four walleyes weighing 16 pounds to ensure his shot $300,000 cash.
To lead two days in a row and be second on day one is an honor in itself, said Franklin, an RCL rookie who has dominated the first three days of the championship. This is a dream come true. I have waited my whole life for this.
Franklin caught his fish using a three-way rig with floating jigs and night crawlers in 4 to 12 feet of water. He changed his pattern Friday from crankbaits to jigs due to changing water conditions. He said he plans to use rattling jigs Saturday because the muddy water will call for a noisier bait.
A full field of 234 pros and 234 co-anglers representing 19 states was cut to 12 pros and 12 co-anglers following Thursday's competition. Six more pros were eliminated Friday leaving the top six for Saturday's final round. Catch weights are cleared for semifinal- and final-round competition.
Rounding out the top six pros are Bruce Samson of Minnetrista, Minn. (four walleyes, 12 pounds, 3 ounces); Joe Wilson of Rolling Stone, Minn. (three walleyes, 10 pounds, 10 ounces); Mike Gofron of Antioch, Ill. (four walleyes, 7 pounds, 10 ounces); Richard Nascak of Winona, Minn. (three walleyes, 7 pounds); and Brad Knoll of Menasha, Wis., (two walleyes, 6 pounds).
Co-angler competition concluded Friday with Lessila taking home $75,000 cash and the co-angler title. Lessila, who like Franklin is an RCL rookie, was the last co-angler to weigh in. He edged past Steven Maksymyk of Manitoba, Canada, by nearly 4 pounds to take the crown.
I'm so nervous. I can't believe it, Lessila said. This tournament is just terrific. I got lucky and was paired with good pros, and I ended up winning. I've had three great days. This was a lot of fun.
Rounding out the top three co-anglers are Maksymyk (four walleyes, 12 pounds, 3 ounces) and Hans Halvorson of Grafton, N.D., (three walleyes, 10 pounds, 10 ounces). Maksymyk fished with Samson; Halvorson was paired with Wilson.
Takeoff Saturday starts at 7 a.m. at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing and the final weigh-in will be held at 3:30 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 225 33rd St. W. in Hastings, Minn. The Family Fun Zone featuring interactive games and product displays for the whole family opens Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Hastings Wal-Mart.
Families are encouraged to stop by and join the fun before attending the final weigh-in.
Named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the $2.9 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world's most lucrative walleye-fishing series. With a purse of up to $1.4 million, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is the most lucrative walleye tournament in the history of the sport. The championship will be broadcast to 45 million Outdoor Life Network subscribers Oct. 12 at 10:30 a.m. CST.
FLW Outdoors, the world's leading marketer of competitive fishing tournaments, administers the RCL Walleye Circuit. Other FLW Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League and Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit are Wal-Mart, Castrol, Conseco, Crestliner, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Garmin, Kellogg's, Lund, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Snickers, Stanley, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.
FLW Outdoors is the world's leading marketer of professional bass-fishing tournaments. It administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world's richest bass tournament series; the EverStart Series, the pathway to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour; and the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, the weekend tournament series designed for working anglers. FLW Outdoors also runs the Texas Tournament Trail, Ranger M1 Tournament and the RCL Walleye Circuit.
For additional information about FLW Outdoors or any of its tournament series, browse this Web site or contact communications director Dave Washburn at [email protected] or (270) 252-1607. |
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| Franklin inches closer to $400,000 top prize at RCL Walleye Championship |
RED WING, Minn. Richard Franklin of Louisburg, Kan., will lead 12 Pro Division anglers into Friday's semifinal round of the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship where the nation's top pros are chasing a $150,000 cash award plus potential sponsor bonuses of $250,000 cash for a total first-place award of $400,000.
Franklin advanced as the No. 1 contender with a two-day, opening-round total of eight walleyes weighing 33 pounds, 9 ounces. Franklin and his opening day co-angler, James Kraft of Eau Claire, Wis., caught four walleyes weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces Wednesday. With the help of his day two co-angler, Mike Abrahamson of Brainerd, Minn., Franklin turned in four walleyes weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces Thursday to secure a top-12 berth.
I don't care what happens now, said Franklin, who is an RCL rookie. If I finish 12th, I'll be ecstatic. I have 10 spots where I've pulled fish over 5 pounds. I fished four (Thursday) to find one fish over 5 pounds, so we will see what happens.
Most of Franklin's fish were caught on crankbaits just a few minutes run from the launch ramp at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Red Wing.
Tim Lessila of New Berlin, Wis., will lead the top 12 co-anglers into their final round Friday with a two-day total of 10 walleyes weighing 31 pounds, 15 ounces. He and pro Ron Seelhoff of Burlington, Colo., landed five walleyes weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces Wednesday, while pro John Renschen of Red Wing, Minn., helped him catch five walleyes weighing 19 pounds, 11 ounces Thursday.
Co-anglers are competing for a guaranteed cash award of $75,000 plus a potential $75,000 in sponsor bonuses for a top award of $150,000 cash.
Opening round weights are cleared for the semifinal round and will be cleared again for Saturday's final round where six pros will compete for the championship's top money. The original field comprised 234 pros and 234 co-anglers representing 19 states and Canada.
Rounding out the top five pros are Joe Wilson of Rolling Stone, Minn., with 10 walleyes weighing 33 pounds, 3 ounces; Jeff Taege of Rhinelander, Wis., with 10 walleyes weighing 31 pounds, 12 ounces; Mark Brumbaugh of Arcanum, Ohio, with seven walleyes weighing 31 pounds, 1 ounce; and Richard LaCourse of Port Clinton, Ohio, with 10 walleyes weighing 31 pounds.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Hans Halvorson of Grafton, N.D., with nine walleyes weighing 30 pounds, 12 ounces; Tim Williams of Oregon, Ohio, with seven walleyes weighing 28 pounds, 6 ounces; G.W. Kadow of Mishicot, Wis., with eight walleyes weighing 28 pounds, 6 ounces; and Mike Abrahamson of Brainerd, Minn., with nine walleyes weighing 28 pounds, 3 ounces.
Sixteen-year-old Brandon Henexson of Denver, Wednesday's leading co-angler, missed the top-12 cut by five ounces after arriving to Thursday's weigh-in empty handed.
Friday's takeoff starts at 8 a.m. at Treasure Island Resort and Casino. Friday's weigh-in begins at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 225 33rd St. W. in Hastings, Minn. Saturday's takeoff starts at 7 a.m. at Treasure Island, and the final weigh-in will be held at 3:30 p.m. at the Hastings Wal-Mart.
The Family Fun Zone featuring interactive games and product displays for the whole family opens Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Hastings Wal-Mart. Families are encouraged to stop by and join the fun before attending the championship weigh-ins
Named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the $2.9 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world's most lucrative walleye-fishing series. With a purse of up to $1.4 million, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is the most lucrative walleye tournament in the history of the sport. The championship will be broadcast to 45 million Outdoor Life Network subscribers Oct. 12 at 10:30 a.m. CST.
FLW Outdoors, the world's leading marketer of competitive fishing tournaments, administers the RCL Walleye Circuit. Other FLW Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League and Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit are Wal-Mart, Castrol, Conseco, Crestliner, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Garmin, Kellogg's, Lund, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Snickers, Stanley, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.
FLW Outdoors is the world's leading marketer of professional bass-fishing tournaments. It administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world's richest bass tournament series; the EverStart Series, the pathway to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour; and the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, the weekend tournament series designed for working anglers. FLW Outdoors also runs the Texas Tournament Trail, Ranger M1 Tournament and the RCL Walleye Circuit.
For additional information about FLW Outdoors or any of its tournament series, browse this Web site or contact communications director Dave Washburn at [email protected] or (270) 252-1607. |
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