FOURNIER/OLSON WIN CABELA’S MWC RANGER BOATS FINALE
ALL-AROUND TEAM TITLE GOES TO ZACHOWSKI/MANTHEI
NATHE/THOMPSON CENTRAL DIVISION TEAM OF THE YEAR
Walker, MN-Paul Fournier and Ryan Olson of Andover, MN overcame a strong
field of veteran anglers to win the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit central
division finale, held September 18-19 on Leech Lake at Walker, MN.
They weighed the heaviest basket each day of the Ranger Boats titled
tourney-five fish at 15.99 lbs. on day one and four on day two at 16.52 lbs.
Their 32.51 pound total earned them their first circuit victory and $20,000.
Olson explained, “We figured the tournament would be a shootout because the
fishing was tough. We worked hard and stuck with our game plan and it paid
off. We beat a lot of good teams. It’s our first win. I’m still shaking a
bit.”
An emotional Fournier continued, “We’ve been close so many times, now we won
one. I can’t begin to tell you how great this feels.”
The pair fished an area near Goose Island-trolling number 5 and 7 firetiger
colored Cotton Cordell Wally Diver crankbaits at depths to 13 feet.
Fournier stated that boat speed was a critical factor to their victory-1.4 or so against the wind and 2.7 to 3.3 m.p.h. with the wind.
Second place finishers were Gordon Schwarz (New Holstein, WI) and Brett
Wilkens (Kiel, WI) with eight fish weighing 25.46 lbs. worth $10,000. They
anchored over small rock humps between 12 and 15 feet they located between
Grass Point and the Big Rock Resort. They cast 1/8 oz. chartreuse jigs
tipped with large leeches or crawlers. Part of their second day catch, a
5.51 lb. walleye, was good for big fish honors and $745.
Third place went to father/son team, Ken Bjorkman (Marshfield, WI) and David
Bjorkman (Fargo, ND). Their ten fish limit weighed 22.94 lbs., earning them
$7,500. They worked Lindy slip-sinker crawler rigs through the weeds
between 9 and 20 feet in the Cabacona Bay area. They pocketed an additional
$1,000 for the highest placing Ranger Boats team in the Ranger Cup series.
The top 26 teams shared the $72,100 cash purse. An additional $3,724 was
awarded in tournament big fish prize money. Michigan anglers Gerald Arnold,
Jr. (Norway) and David Koller (Kingsford) took day one big fish honors and
$745 for their 7.39 lb. walleye. Tournament teams donated $2,235 to the MWC
Conservation Fund which will be used for fishery related projects in states
where MWC tournaments are held.
Volunteers from the Walker Rotary Club hosted the event and assisted the MWC
with tournament operations.
Central Division Crowns Team of the Year
Dean Nathe (Sartell, MN) and Paul Thompson (Wallace, MI) earned the
most tournament points to take top honors in the Cabela’s MWC Central
Division. Three hundred thirty two teams entered the race, competing for
2005 MWC World Walleye Championship qualification and various teams of the
year honors and cash bonuses. Nathe/Thompson were awarded $6,474 and
trophies for their fine effort.
First to fourth place runners-up were: William and Joseph
Babe (Silver Lake, WI), Kevin Dahl and Steve Stack (Muskego, WI), Donald and
Michael Olson (Andover, MN) and James Pestka and Todd Wilde (Wausau, WI).
Each team received $872 in bonus prize money.
The Babes also captured the central division Father/Son Team of the
Year title, while the Husband/Wife Team of the Year award went to Chris and
Gina Gasser of Random Lake, WI. Both teams were presented trophies.
Circuit Team of the Year Honors
Rob Manthei (St. Germain, WI) and Rick Zachowski (Milwaukee, WI) won
the overall MWC Team of the Year honors that is derived from the MWC
Challenge venue. A team must fish all three tournaments within a division,
plus one more event in another division in order to compete in the
Challenge. The duo was awarded trophies and rings, along with $13,000-their
share of the $20,000 Challenge purse.
Manthei beamed, “We didn’t catch a legal fish until 3:30 this
afternoon (final tournament day). We just kept pounding. Man, I can’t
believe this. What a thrill.”
Zachowski added, “We just kept running and gunning. This is just
awesome. We got together at the Ranger Boats annual anglers meeting and
decided to team-up and look what happened. MWC Team of the Year-wow!”
Each of the first to fourth runners-up received $1,750. They were:
James Pestka and Todd Wilde (Wausau, WI), Bill Koval (Middleton, WI) and Pat
Werner (Lone Rock, WI), Kevin Dahl and Steve Stack (Muskego, WI) and Dave
Schmidt and Mark Zillges (Oshkosh, WI).
Tournament Statistics
Number of teams: 149 Number of
fish: 279
Total cash and prizes: $106,786 Total
weight: 714.07 lbs.
Water temp: 65 degrees Big fish:
7.39 lbs.
Water level: Normal Winning pattern:
Troll crankbaits
Water clarity: To ten feet Inside tip:
Proper boat speed
Further tournament information including complete results and standings can
be obtained at http://www.masterswalleyecircuit.com, or by calling the MWC
toll-free at 877-893-7947.
2004 Cabela’s MWC Remaining Schedule
MWC World Walleye Championship
Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien, WI October 13-16, (for qualifying teams
from 2003)
END