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 ³bite² 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, ³Fortunately for me, I stumbled onto
this pattern early, and was able to fine-tune it.² This win increased
Parsons¹ 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 Parsons¹ 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, ³There¹re more
walleye lakes there!² The race was extremely tight due to the Lake Oahe
³slot-limit² 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).