CONGRATS TO IDA PRO STAFFER DON HANSON!

  • Steve Plantz
    SE MN
    Posts: 12240
    #1249977

    Hanson wins Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Minnesota Division event on Mississippi River

    Boater Don Hanson of Menomonie, Wis., earned $2,905 April 29 as winner of the FLW Walleye League Minnesota Division event on the Mississippi River.

    29.Apr.2006

    RED WING, Minn. — Boater Don Hanson of Menomonie, Wis., earned $2,905 Saturday as winner of the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Minnesota Division event on the Mississippi River. Hanson, along with co-angler Tim Bliss of Burnsville, Minn., caught a five-walleye limit weighing 24 pounds, 2 ounce to win by nearly 4 pounds.

    Despite rough, windy conditions, Hanson and Bliss were able to land several trophy-sized fish within 10 minutes of the launch site. They caught the majority of their walleyes vertical jigging and pitching jigs along the shoreline in 8 to 11 feet of water, catching mainly postspawn fish. The team was using hair jigs tipped with fathead minnows in a wide array of colors. “There was hardly and fishing pressure, I had the spot all to myself,” Hanson said.

    Rounding out the top five boaters were Alan Sholts of Alexandria, Minn. (five walleyes, 20 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,494 plus $400 contingency bonus); Chris Pluntz of Maple, Wis. (three walleyes, 19 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,245 plus $300 contingency bonus); Brent Rothgarn of Lake City, Minn. (five walleyes, 18 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,079 plus $250 contingency bonus); and Leon Houle of Lino Lakes, Minn. (five walleyes, 18 pounds, $747).

    Bliss earned $1,453 and a $250 contingency award as winner of the Co-angler Division with five walleyes weighing 24 pounds, 2 ounces. Co-angler competitors share weight with their boater partner. Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Alan Schultz of Apple Valley, Minn. (five walleyes, 20 pounds, 4 ounces, $747); Ricky Schultz of Farmington, Minn. (three walleyes, 19 pounds, 5 ounces, $623); Darrell Martin of Forest Lake, Minn. (five walleyes, 18 pounds, 14 ounces, $539) and Rodney Horgen of Deer River, Minn. (five walleyes, 18 pounds, $373).

    Three FLW Walleye League divisions – Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin – each feature three one-day events and one two-day Super Tournament during the regular season. Every angler who receives weight credit earns points, with 200 points awarded to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on, except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. These points determine angler standings.

    The top 35 boaters and 35 co-anglers from each FLW Walleye League division advance to the $141,950 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Finals, set for Sept. 7-9 on Lake Michigan in Escanaba, Mich. Anglers finishing in the top 10 in each division also receive priority entry into the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour for 2007.

    The Minnesota Division’s second stop will be held on Lake Mille Lacs May 20, followed by an event on Cass Lake June 24 and the Super Tournament presented by Evinrude July 22-23 on the Mississippi RIver.

    The Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League was created to provide the grassroots walleye angler a chance to compete in professionally administered, close-to-home tournaments with lucrative cash awards.

    Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League and nine other national tournament circuits offering a combined $36.9 million in awards through 241 events in 2006. The 27-year-old organization is the purveyor of America’s largest and most prestigious fishing tournaments, including the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series.

    For more information on FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, call (270) 252-1000.

    Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as title sponsor of the FLW Tour in 1997 and today is the title sponsor of all FLW Outdoors events. For more information on Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.

    casey walters
    Mapleton, MN
    Posts: 107
    #442130

    way to go Don good to see you hold your ground all day!

    blue-fleck
    Dresbach, MN
    Posts: 7872
    #442136

    That’s great news Don.

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #442152

    So you do target other fish than mooneye!

    Congrats Don!

    jhalfen
    Posts: 4179
    #442159

    Brian: I had a chance to pre-fish with Don on Friday. No mooneyes for us that day, but Don put us on some absolutely TROPHY-sized rubberlips. Good thing they all had sore mouths and stayed out of his way today. Having me stick those monster golden trout was likely part of Don’s elaborate winning strategy.

    mrcrappie
    mn Dodge co.
    Posts: 1133
    #442180

    Congrats Don

    kooty
    Keymaster
    1 hour 15 mins to the Pond
    Posts: 18101
    #442193

    Congrats Don!!!

    Also congrats to all the other IDA members. Did the Brat fish Stickboy??

    chris-tuckner
    Hastings/Isle MN
    Posts: 12318
    #442201

    Congrats Don! Great bag of fish.
    We were one fish out of the money as usual.
    Tough day on the water as most know! To the weather man:

    Doug Ertl
    St Cloud, MN
    Posts: 957
    #442206

    Good job Don!

    jay55447
    Plymouth MN.
    Posts: 1031
    #442231

    Quote:


    Congrats Don!!!

    Also congrats to all the other IDA members. Did the Brat fish Stickboy??



    Yes she fished extremly well. I have said for all the last three I wanted her as a co-angler. She can truly fish. I do have to credit my self for “alowing” her to catch her two biggest walleys to date, 26 1/2″ and a 29 1/2″ . buckshot better step up or he is going to loose his fishing partner . I wonder if she is still going to be sick .

    Congrats to don. I had the pleasure of fishing with him in the Ida tourney last year and the win went to a great guy. Thanks for knocking me down a notch don and again congratulations .

    JCK
    nora springs ia floyd
    Posts: 518
    #442234

    Great job Don We went all the way to Wabasha had two nice fish in boat by 9.30 and then zip now if want a thrill ride you ought to have been in my boat on that ride back got to agree on the weather man Tuck

    buckshot
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 1654
    #442433

    Congrats Don….great job!!!
    Congrats to all the other IDAers that did well!!
    JB

    steve-fellegy
    Resides on the North Shores of Mille Lacs--guiding on Farm Island these days
    Posts: 1294
    #442579

    Great job Don! Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Very deserving.

    Steve Fellegy
    #49

    Fishbone4
    Norwood, Minnesota
    Posts: 105
    #442682

    Quote:


    Yes she fished extremly well. I have said for all the last three I wanted her as a co-angler. She can truly fish. I do have to credit my self for “alowing” her to catch her two biggest walleys to date, 26 1/2″ and a 29 1/2″ . buckshot better step up or he is going to loose his fishing partner . I wonder if she is still going to be sick .


    Thanks Sticky….. and thanks for putting me on the big ones!

    No offense though, but Buckshot’s my fishing partner for life…. fish or no fish. He’s put me on plenty of fish the past two years, and without him, not only would I not know what it was like to catch a walleye, but I would never have had the opportunity to fish tournaments and meet so many awesome fishermen. There’s no chance he’ll be losing me any time soon (much to his chagrin I’m sure).

    And don’t tease – I almost re-upholstered the inside of your precious Ranger when that fish came up over the rails.

    Either way, thanks for a fun day on the river. You were a great boater to draw, and I appreciate the thoughtful, patient and respectful way you treated your co-angler.

    Congrats Don!! Stickboy was polite enough not to mention that I lost a nice one early in the day – had I brought that one in, we still wouldn’t have caught up with you, but we’d have been a little closer.

    chappy
    Hastings, MN
    Posts: 4854
    #442846

    Good job Don!!!! Give me 1 of your fish next time please????

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