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| Keenan wins $300,000 as Wal-Mart RCL Walleye champion |
RED WING, Minn. - Pro Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., collected $300,000 cash Saturday as winner of the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship, held this week on the Mississippi River near Red Wing. Keenan outfished six final-round competitors Saturday and caught five walleyes weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces to emerge as the 2003 champion.
To take the crown, Keenan had to prevail over some very tough conditions presented during the week by the formidable Mississippi River. Despite consistently sunny skies, cooler air temperatures had caused water temperatures to drop eight to 10 degrees over the past week. As a result, fewer limits and big fish were brought to the scales, but in true championship form, Keenan left the final weigh-in an exception to the rule.
"I actually switched spots today," said Keenan, who finished second at the 2001 championship on the Fox River. "I didn't think I could catch enough fish where I'd fished the past three days. I went to a spot where I'd done well in the past and fished Wally Divers on leadcore line in 7 to 8 feet of water. The bite got hot for about two hours, and they were snapping pretty good. I've been wanting to fish this spot for four days, but the water's been dirty. I went yesterday, and the water had cleared up a bit. I thought I could win the tournament on it, so I saved it for this."
Keenan's victory was especially sweet after his heartbreaking runner-up finish in 2001. "It's awesome," Keenan said. "It's everything I wanted it to be. Two years ago was a killer. I just prayed to get a chance to do this. I caught a lot more fish than I anticipated in this tournament, and I fished hard. I wanted to win something like this; it's a dream come true. I know the three guys who have won this before, and it feels pretty good to join them."
As winner, Keenan was guaranteed $150,000 cash, and because he was a qualified Ranger pro, he claimed a $150,000 bonus for a total award of $300,000 cash.
Rounding out the top six pros are Scott Allar of Welch (three walleyes, 10 pounds, 3 ounces, $75,000); Steve Lamb of Nashville, Tenn. (four walleyes, 6 pounds, 9 ounces, $32,500); Jim Schulta of Hazelhurst, Wis. (four walleyes, 6 pounds, 2 ounces, $21,000); Doug Vandersteen of Lundar, Manitoba (two walleyes, 3 pounds, 12 ounces, $20,000); and Jerry Hein of Stillwater (one walleye, 2 pounds, 10 ounces, $16,000).
The tournament kicked off Wednesday from Treasure Island Resort and Casino, where 220 pros and 220 co-anglers competed for two days for one of 12 semifinal-round slots in each division. Co-angler competition concluded Friday, with Darrell Archey of Great Falls, Mont., claiming $120,000 cash as the co-angler champ. The pro field was whittled to six for Saturday's competition, with weights reset to zero.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship field was comprised of anglers who qualified for the event via the $3.07 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour or other sanctioned tournament organizations. Pros and co-anglers were randomly paired each day and fished for a combined boat weight. In RCL competition, pros supply the boat and tackle and control boat movement.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is administered by FLW Outdoors and named after boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund. FLW Outdoors, the world's leading marketer of competitive fishing, is named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood. Other FLW Outdoors tournament trails include the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League for weekend anglers; the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world's most lucrative bass-tournament series; the EverStart Series, designed as a pathway to the FLW Tour; the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League for weekend anglers; and the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Wal-Mart and many of America's most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please explore FLWOutdoors.com.
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 Tour.
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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| Allar leads six anglers in hunt for $400,000 top prize at Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship; Archey wins $120,000 as Co-angler Division champ |
RED WING, Minn. - Pro Scott Allar of Welch inched one step closer to claiming the richest prize in walleye-tournament history Friday by leading the semifinal round of the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship on the Mississippi River. Allar leads six pros who qualified for Saturday's final round to compete for as much as $400,000 cash.
After enduring two days of frigid weather conditions that left Mississippi River walleyes reluctant to bite, the weather warmed up Friday to the mid-50s but the bite remained stingy. Three of the 12 angler pairs caught five-walleye limits, and Allar and his co-angler partner Darrell Archey of Great Falls, Mont., caught a limit of five walleyes weighing 15 pounds to give Allar the pro lead and Archey the co-angler win by a 4-pound, 12-ounce margin.
"We got a really good start; the big fish came within 10 minutes of starting, so it took a lot of pressure off," said Allar, who is ranked fourth on the 2003 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour. "It really helps when you're shooting for 10 pounds and you get 6 pounds to start with and seven hours left (to fish). It's a pretty good feeling. I don't think I'll sleep too well tonight."
Allar and Archey found their motherlode after slightly changing their original game plan to target smaller fish at the start of the day. "I think the bigger fish spots are just starting to turn on," Allar said. "Originally we were trying to find some smaller fish first, but we hit a big-fish spot first and caught one good one and got hit a couple of times, so those spots might be turning on a little bit."
Rounding out the top six pros are Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis. (five walleyes, 10 pounds, 4 ounces); Jerry Hein of Stillwater (four walleyes, 9 pounds, 10 ounces); Jim Schulta of Hazelhurst, Wis. (five walleyes, 9 pounds); Steve Lamb of Nashville, Tenn. (four walleyes, 4 pounds, 11 ounces); and Douglas Vandersteen of Lundar, Manitoba (three walleyes, 4 pounds, 3 ounces).
Archey won $120,000 as the Co-angler Division champion thanks in no small part to his own efforts. "I popped the biggest fish of the day right off the bat," said Archey, who finished second in the opening round to advance to Friday's competition. "I tell you what, the monkey went flying out of the boat with that one. You always worry about putting fish in the boat, but after that, we really relaxed."
Rounding out the top six co-anglers are Lawrence Hoff of Flasher, N.D. (five walleyes, 10 pounds, 4 ounces, $25,000); Jarrad Fluekiger of Alma, Wis. (four walleyes, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $16,000); Audrey Robb of Dryden, Ontario (five walleyes, 9 pounds, $8,600); Rob Jiminez of Missoula, Mont. (four walleyes, 4 pounds, 11 ounces, $5,400); and Chad Carroll of Machesney Park, Ill. (three walleyes, 4 pounds, 3 ounces, $6,300)
Treasure Island Resort and Casino will host the final takeoff at 7 a.m. Saturday, and the final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1752 Frontage Road in Hastings beginning at 4 p.m. The community is encouraged to attend daily the takeoff and weigh-in. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour Family Fun Zone featuring boat and truck displays, sponsor giveaways and children's games will open at the Hastings Wal-Mart at 11 a.m. Saturday. Admission is free.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship field is comprised of anglers who qualified for the event via the $3.07 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour or other sanctioned tournament organizations. Pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight. Pros supply the boat and tackle and control boat movement.
The top 12 anglers in both the pro and co-angler divisions advanced to the semifinal round based on their two-day accumulated weight during the opening round. Weights were cleared for the semifinal round, and pros competed for one of six final-round slots. Weights are also cleared for the final round.
The winning pro is guaranteed $150,000 cash. Qualified Ranger, Crestliner and Lund owners are eligible for a $150,000 bonus, and if the winner's boat is equipped with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, he will receive another $100,000 for a top pro award of $400,000 cash. The winning co-angler is guaranteed $75,000 cash, and if he is a registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat, he will receive a $45,000 bonus.
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 Tour.
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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| Carroll leads pros into semifinal round of $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship |
RED WING, Minn. - Pro Randy Carroll of Oswego, Ill., hauled in a two-day total of 10 walleyes weighing 31 pounds, 11 ounces to lead the 12 pros who advanced to Friday's semifinal round of the four-day, $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship on the Mississippi River. The tournament kicked off Wednesday with 220 pros in the hunt for a top pro award worth as much as $400,000 cash, the richest payout in walleye-tournament history. Twelve co-anglers from the original field of 220 also advanced to Friday's competition, after which the co-angler winner will be crowned and awarded as much as $150,000.
Thick fog delayed morning takeoff for two hours Thursday, and anglers already off to a late start found the Mississippi to be as challenging a playing field Thursday as it was Wednesday. Carroll, along with his co-angler partner Darrell Archey of Great Falls, Mont., still managed to catch a limit of five walleyes weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces Thursday to finish the opening round in first despite a potentially crippling lack of current. Carroll and Archey caught their walleyes following shad in the backwaters.
"The bite has been so bad lately that anything you stumble upon is a blessing," said Carroll, who finished fourth on opening day. "Right now they're all transition fish fish moving in, fish moving out. If you're in the right place at the right time, you'll catch some fish."
Rounding out the top five pros are Scott Allar of Welch (10 walleyes, 28 pounds, 1 ounce); Sam Anderson of Inver Grove Heights (five walleyes, 26 pounds, 15 ounces); Mike Lacher of Bismarck, N.D. (10 walleyes, 26 pounds, 3 ounces); and Jerry Hein of Stillwater (10 walleyes, 23 pounds, 10 ounces).
Richard Volkman of St. Paul leads the Co-angler Division into their final day of competition thanks to a two-day catch of seven walleyes weighing 31 pounds, 8 ounces. Volkman and Anderson, his Thursday pro partner, landed three walleyes weighing 22 pounds, 2 ounces to give Volkman the edge on the co-angler side.
"It's very tough," said Volkman, who finished opening day in the 23rd position. "We fished four or five different spots and made 500 casts for three fish there are a lot of lures in the rocks."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Archey (10 walleyes, 27 pounds, 10 ounces); Luke Kersten of Boyceville, Wis. (five walleyes, 25 pounds, 11 ounces); Glenn Rosenfeldt of Sabin (seven walleyes, 23 pounds, 10 ounces); and Jarrad Fluekiger of Alma, Wis. (four walleyes, 22 pounds, 6 ounces).
Two women advanced to Friday's competition on the co-angler side. Susan Hugill of Pine City, Minn., had a two-day total of seven walleyes weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces to finish the opening round in the No. 7 spot. Audrey Robb of Dryden, Ontario, enters the co-angler final round in the No. 8 position thanks to a two-day catch of seven walleyes weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces. She finished in the top 12 despite ranking 105th after Wednesday's competition.
Treasure Island Resort and Casino will host semifinal- and final-round takeoffs at 7 a.m. each day. Friday and Saturday's weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1752 Frontage Road in Hastings at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively. The community is encouraged to attend daily takeoffs and weigh-ins. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour Family Fun Zone featuring boat and truck displays, sponsor giveaways and children's games will open at the Hastings Wal-Mart at 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday. Admission is free.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship field is comprised of anglers who qualified for the event via the $3.07 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour or other sanctioned tournament organizations. Pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight. Pros supply the boat and tackle and control boat movement.
The top 12 anglers in both the pro and co-angler divisions advanced to the semifinal round based on their two-day accumulated weight. Weights are cleared for the semifinal round, and pros compete for one of six final-round slots. Co-angler competition concludes Friday based on their one-day weight.
The winning pro is guaranteed $150,000 cash. Qualified Ranger, Crestliner and Lund owners are eligible for a $150,000 bonus, and if the winner's boat is equipped with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, he will receive another $100,000 for a top pro award of $400,000 cash. The winning co-angler is guaranteed $75,000 cash, and if he is a registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat, he will receive a $45,000 bonus. If his boat is equipped with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, he will receive another $30,000 for a top co-angler award of $150,000.
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 Tour.
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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| $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship returning to Mississippi River |
RED WING, Minn. - The fourth annual Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship will return to the Mississippi River near Red Wing Oct. 1-4 with a $1.4 million purse. The sport's most lucrative tournament features 220 pros vying for a top award of as much as $400,000 cash, the largest payout in walleye-tournament history. Two hundred and twenty co-anglers will compete for a top award of $150,000 cash.
Last year, Dr. Bruce Samson of Minnetrista conquered the mighty Mississippi in Red Wing to claim $300,000 cash, and Samson will try to defend his title this year to again claim the tournament s top prize.
"Last year was a dream come true," Samson said. "It changed my life and allowed me to just go fishing for a living. I'm planning on spending as many days (on the river) as possible, trying to understand the system. I expect a lot of competitors will have figured it out. I m just excited to go there again. My goal is to finish 12th after two days, because then you start over. If I can finish in the top 12, then I can win."
According to RCL Tour pro Gary Roach of Merrifield, the amount of early autumn rainfall on the upper Mississippi will likely determine angler strategies. If the area has received significant rainfall, walleyes will likely be found in shallow backwater areas. If the weather has been dry, Roach is betting on a main-current bite. He says that live bait, including red-tail chubs, leeches and night crawlers, will likely claim the most walleyes, but don't count out Wally Diver crankbaits, which will likely round out more than a few limits.
Treasure Island Casino and Resort in Welch will host daily 7 a.m. takeoffs. Wednesday and Thursday's weigh-ins will also be held at Treasure Island beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday's weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1752 Frontage Road in Hastings beginning at 5 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. The community is encouraged to attend daily takeoffs and weigh-ins.
The winning pro is guaranteed a cash award of $150,000. If the winner is a registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat, he will earn a $150,000 bonus, and if his boat is equipped with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, he will receive another $100,000 for a total cash award of $400,000.
The winning co-angler is guaranteed $75,000 cash and is eligible for a $45,000 bonus from Ranger, Crestliner or Lund if he is a registered owner. The winning co-angler will also receive a $30,000 bonus if his boat is equipped with an Evinrude or Yamaha for a total cash award of $150,000.
Anglers scheduled to appear at the event include 2003 RCL Tour Angler of the Year Jason Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., who will be casting for his first RCL win. Scott Glorvigen of Grand Rapids, who won the inaugural RCL Championship in 2000, will be back to contend for yet another lucrative championship crown, and perennial contenders Tim Minnema of Markesan, Wis.; Mark Martin of Twin Lake, Mich.; and 2001 Champion Dean Arnoldussen of Appleton, Wis., will also be in the hunt for the $400,000 top prize.
Pros and co-anglers who finished in the top 35 in any of the four regular-season Wal-Mart RCL Tour events in 2003 qualified for the championship. The rest of the pro field comprises Ranger, Crestliner or Lund owners who competed in sanctioned tournaments, and the remaining co-angler spots were filled by participants in sanctioned events. With a $3.07 million purse, the RCL Tour is the world s most lucrative walleye-tournament series.
The full field will compete on days one and two for one of 12 semifinal-round spots in their respective division. Weights are cleared for the semifinal round, and anglers compete for one day to determine the top six pros who will compete in the final round. The co-angler winner is determined after day-three competition. Final-round pros start at zero and compete for one day for position and prize money.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is administered by FLW Outdoors and named after boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund.
For more information about the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship, browse this Web site or call (270) 252-1000. |
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