For Immediate Release
Waiting ‘Em Out Pays Big Dividends at South Dakota Region’s Big Stone Lake
Tournament
By Steve Weisman
Gander Mountain GNWC Publicity Director
Sometimes it pays to sit on a spot and wait ’em out! That decision paid
big dividends for the team of John Kottke from Brookings, SD and Kevin Marso
from Volga, SD as they took the $1400 first place check at the Gander
Mountain Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) at Big Stone Lake on Sunday.
Although they only weighed two walleyes, they were beauties and weighed
a combined 11.64 pounds. Kottke and Marso 6.04 pounder also earned them the
Berkley Trilene Big Fish Award of $400 in Berkley products.
Jim Hartman and Brandon Finch from Milbank, SD weighed a six-fish limit
of 10.80 pounds, good for second place and a check for $700.
Taking third place and a check for $540 with three fish weighing 8.97
pounds was the team of Dave Anderson from Saulk Rapids, MN and David Krupa
from St. Joseph, MN.
Greg Liebel, Gander Mountain GNWC Tournament Director noted the mid-week
cold front had a lot to do with the tactics of the teams. “A lot of the
teams decided with this drastic of a cold front that it was best for them to
sit on a spot and wait the fish out.”
Kottke and Marso did just that. According to Kottke, they found
walleyes on a rocky hump during prefishing. Knowing that the fish were
there, they decided to use slip bobbers and minnows and wait them out.
Hartman and Finch, meanwhile, went with jigs and minnows in 10-12′ of
water. However, no pattern developed on color, so it was a matter of trying
“everything in the tackle box.” Plus, it was a narrow window of opportunity
because when the wind came up by early afternoon, their bite was over.
Anderson and Krupa worked bottom bouncers and spinners tipped with
nightcrawlers to catch their three walleyes.
The “Yo So Close” award of a Yo Net folding net valued at $80 went to
the team that placed just out of the money. They include Todd Steffensen and
Tim Tesch in 12th place; Darold and Flo Swank in 13th place; and Tony Brown
and Kurt Hannasch in 14th place.
The team of Chad Fuller and Matt Pederson was the winner of the Gander
Mountain “Need More Stuff” drawing of $200 for a Gander Mountain Shopping
Spree.
Liebel was equally impressed with the crowd at the weigh-in. “Even
though it was a nice day for fishing, by weigh-in time we had a down pour.
However, the crowd stuck around to see the results. That takes real
dedication. We also had tremendous volunteer help from the local Ortonville
walleye club and other folks interested in tournament fishing.”
For complete results, check out the Gander Mountain GNWC wwebsite at
http://www.walleyecup.com.
After two tournaments, the team of Kevin Molengraaf from Volga, SD and
Lewis Valentz from White, SD has the lead in the race for the South Dakota
Region Team of the Year.
Next up for the South Dakota teams will be a trip west to Lake Oahe at
Gettysburg on Sunday, June 6. “Gettysburg could be quite a tournament. I
think we will see some really nice baskets of fish come to the scales,”
added Liebel.
Anglers interested in signing up for the final qualifier or simply
wanting more information on the GNWC circuit can call 1-800-890-FISH (3474),
or they can email the GNWC at [email protected].
Title Sponsor for the GNWC is Gander Mountain with other major national
sponsors including Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, the Sportsman Channel,
Berkley, Aqua Innovations, YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, VIB”E” Lure
Company, TowTector Shield and UpNorthOutdoors.com.