Ryks Duo Fishes Windy Side to Take Green Lake Title
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
The team of Duane Ryks and Sandy Ryks from Spicer, MN used a five-fish
limit weight of 12.31 pounds to take the Green Lake Tournament title on
Sunday, June 26. This was the third of four tournaments for the Minnesota
Region of the Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC).
In addition to taking the $1000 first place check, the winners also
captured Cabela’s Big Fish Award of a $200 Cabela’s shopping spree and $280
in the optional Big Fish Pot with their 4.37-pound walleye.
The team of James Gordon from Spicer, MN and Fred Gordon from Willmar,
MN took the $600 second place check with a five-fish limit weight of 8.38
pounds.
Third place and a check for $520 went to the team of Pat Mulroy from
Prior Lake, MN and Tim Fritz from New Prague, NN with a five-fish limit
weight of 7.19 pounds.
According to GNWC Tournament Director, the top three teams all fished
the windy side (northwest) of the lake. “I know they battled some pretty
good waves over there. They were using Lindy rigs, and waves like that will
make things pretty tough when you are trying to refine a presentation.”
The winners worked a large underwater bar about a 1/4-mile long,
targeting suspended fish in 25-27 feet of water. The used a Lindy rig with a
plain hook tied to a 5-6 foot leader. According to Duane Ryks, “We found an
area with hard bottom and no weeds. We sat pretty much right on top of the
fish, but with the waves, I had to run the bilge pump almost constantly.”
With the walleyes suspended about three feet off the bottom, the Ryks
duo injected their nightcrawlers with air so that they would rise to the
suspended fish. “We found the fish right away in the morning, sat on top of
them and followed them around when they moved,” added Ryks.
The second place team also used a Lindy rig and also marked fish in 27
feet of water. However, they could not get the fish to bite. Then they went
over a hump, and bang! That became their target. At first they caught their
fish with a leech and a plain hook, but later in the day they turned to red
tail chubs.
For Mulroy and Fritz, it was a matter of patience. They, too, used Lindy
rigs tipped with either nightcrawlers or leeches and targeted fish in 25-30
feet of water. However, it was slow going as they averaged a fish every two
hours.
The Yo So Close Award, provided by AMFYOYO, manufacturer of the
innovative stowable folding landing net, went to the three teams just
finishing out of the money. They include Cory Fladeboe and Jerod Ochsendorf
from Willmar, MN in 9th place; Corey Bohn from Kensington, MN and Jason
Overby from Marshall, MN in 10th place; and Scott Nichols and Chris Block
from Spicer, MN in 11th place.
“I want to thank the Let’s Go Fishing group for all of their support of
fishing in the Green Lake area,” said Liebel. “The fish were donated to this
group, and the fish will be used to feed the needy.”
The next tournament for teams on the Minnesota Region is the Mille Lacs
Tournament on Sunday, July 17. For those interested in entering this final
qualifier, call 1-800-890-FISH (3474), or email the GNWC at
[email protected].
“We’re closing in on the end of the season in the Minnesota Region, and
we have an exciting race taking place. I encourage people to check out our
website at http://www.walleyecup.com,” noted GNWC Executive Director Bernie
Barringer.
Major national sponsors for the GNWC include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
Outboards, Lowrance Electronics, YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU,
Aqua Innovations, Cabela’s and UpNorthOutdoors.com. National championship
sponsors are Towtector Shield and the FoodSource Lure Corporation.