Big Fish Rule the Waters at GNWC’s Lake Thompson Qualifier
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
Big fish were the rule on Lake Thompson Sunday, June 29 at the third
qualifier on the South Dakota Circuit of the Grand National Walleye Cup
(GNWC).
Lee Pulse from Kimball and Scott Handel from Chamberlain used a 9.72
pounder to put them over the top and cash the winning check of $1400. Their
five-fish weight of 21.57 pounds was almost two pounds more than the second
place team. That 9.72 pounder also helped them capture the Abu Garcia Big
Fish Award of two Abu Garcia 6500 Linecounter reels.
Right behind in second place was the team of Daron Peterson from
Humboldt and Dale Peterson from Sioux Falls with a six-fish limit weight of
19.88 pounds. Their big fish was a 7.21 pounder. The Petersons not only took
the $725 runner-up check, but they also took the Berkley Family Angler Award
of $250 in Berkley product as the top placing family team.
Roger and Tony Janssen from Castlewood took third place and $500 with a
six-fish limit weight of 16.22 pounds.
A total of eight teams weighed six-fish limits, while 25 of the 30 competing
teams weighed in fish.
It was a crankbait bite for the top teams as they pulled lead core line
with Shad Raps and Wally Divers on the deep flats of the lake.
“What a tournament!” said GNWC Executive Director Bernie Barringer.
“These teams really hit the jackpot when it comes to big fish. I know now
why many people say Lake Thompson rivals the Missouri River as a walleye
fishery.”
Since Lake Thompson can be a windswept lake, a major key to angler
success was the 10-15 mph northwest wind. “The weather cooperated and the
teams were able to do what they wanted. We have now had three great
tournaments in a row – Lake Francis Case, Lake Kampeska and now Lake
Thompson! We’ve got one left at Mobridge on Sunday, July 20, and it looks as
if it will be quite a showdown for the Mercury Team of the year,” added
Barringer.
Currently the Petersons lead the way with 13 points. However, they are
only two points ahead of Scott Kaufmann and Todd Weisz, and three points
ahead of Pulse and Handel.
“Boy is it going to be fun. This South Dakota circuit has been a great
one, and Mobridge will be a great place to have our final qualifier.”
Interested anglers can call 1-800-890-3474, email the GNWC at
[email protected] or check out the official GNWC website at walleyecup.com
for all of the latest in GNWC information.
Major sponsoring partners for the GNWC include Ranger Boats, Mercury
Outboards, Berkley, Abu-Garcia, The Sportsman Channel and
UpNorthOutdoors.com.
For those television viewers who do not have The Sportsman Channel and
wish to watch the GNWC’s television series Walleye Wisdom, be sure to call
your cable company or satellite television provider and ask them to include
it in their package.