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VISA /
"Mississippi River Quest"September 26, 1997
Red Wing Minnesota
A professional fishing career that has come to full flower has also
come full circle for 38 year old Jim Bell of Blaine Minnesota. Bell rang
up a $40,000.00 victory in the final round of the VISA/Gore "Mississippi
River Quest" just on waters upstream from where he won his first NAWA tournament
event in Lacrosse Wisconsin.. After the first two days of grueling competition
of what started out as a 35 pro field the field was narrowed down to 10
which set the stage for an exciting final day weight in. Bells final day
limit of six walleyes weighting 21.86 lbs was the largest catch of the
three day tournament. Bell had actually finished in second place the previous
two days but under the new Quest format all 10 anglers remaining start
from scratch the third day for a final shoot-out and everbody equal.Bell
credited his many years of fiver fishing as the catalust for his second
NAWA victory. Bell and his amateur partner Greg Olson of Pulaski Wisconsin
devoted much of the week to fishing shallow water areas near deep drop
offs jigging rods rigged with 1/8th to 1/4 ounce bucktail jigs and no bait.
they had to be presented in water as shallow as four feet the walleyes
would barely nip the jig so close attention was needed.Bell's $40,000.00
top prize included a new Tournament
Pro 170 boat equipped with a 150 h.p.
motor and trailer.Olson, an 18-year-old tanker truck driver, won a fully-rigged Superfisherman
170SC with a 90 h.p.
motor and trailer worth $13,500.Though Bell and Olson caught most of their
fish on small bucktail jigs, Bell said the bigger ones came while trolling.
Once they had caught six keepers, they moved out to deeper water and trolled
Reef Runners and s
this is what brought them the bigger fish.
In his first high stakes Mississppi river shoot-out Norb Wallock of
Conover Wisconsin became NAWA's "Quest Champion" which was based on a point
system determined by the anglers position of finish in the four 1997 "Quest
Series" events. This brought Norb a new
Norb and his amateur partner Steve Haynes of Duluth Minnesota took second
place winning $10,000.00 by also working small hair jigs in shallow eddies.
"The trick was to get the boat moving downstream at the same speed of the
current and keep the jig as verticle as possible, " Wallock said "As soon
as you varied just a little bit you would not get a bite. In regard to
his "Quest Championship he a a consitent year and was also able to nail
down a victory in the tournament out of Fairport Harbor on Lake Erie. In
third place was Chuck Miller of Green Bay Wisconsin winning with a final
day catch of 14.62 lbs and netted him a fast $9,000.00 crediting his finish
to being in the right place at the right time.On September 27 th tournament
anglers will return to the water for day one of the -
"Mississippi River Quest team event the sixth and final event of this
years new NAWA high profile two day team competions. The public is also
invited to a free outdoor mini sport show and and a NAWA sponsored kids
casting contest. TOP 10 "Mississippi Quest pro" anglers
PLACE |
NAME |
CITY |
STATE |
TOTAL WEIGHT |
PRIZE
VALUE |
1 |
Jim Bell |
Blaine. |
Minnesota |
21.86 |
$40,000.00 |
2 |
Norb Wallock |
Conover |
Wi |
18.37 |
$10,000.00 |
3 |
Chuck Miller |
Green Bay |
Wi |
14.62 |
$9,000.00 |
4 |
Eric Naig |
Cylinder |
IA |
14.27 |
$8,000.00 |
5 |
Scott Fairburn |
Mendota Heights |
Minnesota |
13.38 |
$7,000.00 |
6 |
Jim Peterson |
Elk River |
Minnesota |
12.31 |
$6,000.00 |
7 |
Michael Herrick |
St. Louis Park |
Minnesota |
11.28 |
$5,000.00 |
8 |
Dale Stroeschein
|
Sturgeon Bay |
Wisconsin |
10.63 |
$4,500.00 |
9 |
Ron Seelhoff |
Lewellen |
Nebraska |
9.69 |
$4,000.00 |
10 |
Ross Grothe |
Apple Valley |
Minnesota |
8.34 |
$3,500.00 |
TOP 10 "Mississippi River Quest" AMATEUR FINISHERS
PLACE |
NAME |
CITY |
STATE |
TOTAL WEIGHT |
PRIZE
VALUE |
1 |
Greg Olson |
Pulaski |
Wisconsin |
21.86 |
$13,500.00 |
2 |
Steve Haynes |
Duluth |
Minnesota |
18.37 |
$1200.00 |
3 |
Craig Jackel |
Austin |
Minnesota |
14.62 |
$1,000.00 |
4 |
Gilbert Watz |
Johnson Creek |
Wisconsin |
14.27 |
$800.00 |
5 |
Eugene Norling |
Tonka Bay |
Minnesota |
13.38 |
$700.00 |
6 |
Marty Bustamonte |
Dearborn |
Michigan |
12.31 |
$600.00 |
7 |
Brian Emat |
Princeton |
Illinois |
11.28 |
$500.00 |
8 |
Gary Johnson |
Green Bay |
Wisconsin |
10.63 |
$500.00 |
9 |
Ralph Diercks |
Red Wing |
Minnesota |
9.69 |
$500.00 |
10 |
Hal Joyce |
Waunekee |
Wisconsin |
8.34 |
$500.00 |
The anglers caught a total of 341 walleyes weighting 598.27 lbs for an
average weght of 1.75 lbs. during the three day competion held at Colvill
Park. Six of the top ten anglers weighted a tournament limit of 18 fish.-
"Mississippi River Quest TOP 10 "Mississippi
River Quest" Team Event Day 1 FinishersA solid game plan, the result of
ample practice and a good knowledge of the river , proved to be the key
to victory during Day 1 of the VISA/Gore team event, a world class fishing
event designed specifically for team anglers.Tim and Scott Carlson brothers
from Red Wing Minnesota and Hastings Minnesota brought a limit of six walleyes
to the scales weighting 23.20 lbs and one the Day 1 top prize of $1,740.00"We
knew we could figure out a pattern if we had time to practice," said an
exuberant scott carlson. "We knew we did'nt stand a chance against this
kind of competetion if we did'nt have a game plan going into the tournament.Most
of the field fished near the mouths of the Mississippi's major tributaries
or in Lake Pepin. the brothers Carlson trolled number five Shad
Raps at the river mouths to catch their fish. Tim said speed was the
most important factor and that they had to maintain 3-5 mph to trigger
fish. The Rochester Minnesota team of Greg Vandermark and Jon Rousu grabbed
second place with six fish weighting 15.70 lbs and collected $1,050 for
their efforts. the majority of their fish were caught while jigging in
one location. "We would see boats coming in and out of the spot, but few
had the patience to catch fish there" said Rousu "You would'nt get any
action for an hour , and then the fish might turn on for only 15 minutes.
then you waited a bit longer and things would heat up again.Rochester Minnesota
anglers Dan Krukow and Vern Leitz hauled in the days third best basket
with a six fish limit of 15.62 lbs and bagged themselves a fast $940.00Nealrly
all of the teams entered in the event have said the fishing is very tough.
most are needing to dig deep into their bag of walleye fishing tricks to
weight a limit of quality fish. The same group of teams square off again
tommorow with no weight being carried over to the next day.Minnesota anglers
Dave Jablonski, Circle Pines and Curt Morris, Wyoming earned the Day 1 "Boot
Full of Bucks" big fish award for their 8.61 lb. walleye.NAWA's new "TEAM
EVENT" format brings an interesting twist to the world of competetive walleye
fishing. the purse is paid in two different portions , half on day 1 the
other half on day 2.
PLACE |
NAME |
CITY |
STATE |
TOTAL WEIGHT |
PRIZE
VALUE |
1 |
Tim Carlson
Scott Carlson |
Red Wing
Hastings |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
23.20 |
$1740.00 |
2 |
Greg Vandermark
Jon Rousu |
Rochester
Rochester |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
15.70 |
$1050.00 |
3 |
Dan Krukow
Vern Leitz |
Rochester
Rochester |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
15.62 |
$940.00 |
4 |
Keith Kavajecz
Chris Gilman |
Kaukauna
Mosinee |
Wisconsin
Wisconsin |
15.46 |
$520.00 |
5 |
Tim Fields
Steve Fields |
Rochester
Rochester |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
15.03 |
$420.00 |
6 |
Jeff Berg
Jim Rhonda |
Mound
Lino Lakes |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
15.00 |
$380.00 |
7 |
David Fairburn
Scott Fairburn |
Mendota Heights
Mendota Heights |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
14.63 |
$310.00 |
8 |
Ross Grothe
Corby Manes |
Apple Valley
Apple Valley |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
14.62 |
$280.00 |
9 |
Dean Holden
Tom Ranschen |
Red Wing
Red Wing |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
13.19 |
$250.00 |
10 |
Dave Hanson
Todd Vonasek |
Bemidji
Bemidji |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
12.99 |
$210.00 |
September
28,1997
Red Wing Minnesota Mississippi River Quest
Team event day 2
The long and rough boat ride to Wabasha resulted in smooth sailing to
a $1,740.00 victory for Rochester Minnesota, brothers Tim and Steve fields
during day 2 of the -
"Mississippi River Quest Team Event."I figured there were bigger walleyes
further down the river , but the high winds today meant we had to battle
the waves," said Steve. "Boat control was alot tougher in the wind too,
but we adjusted and caught the fish we needed."According to Tim, another
big key was not getting frustrated at the amount of gear that was lost."
we were live bait rigging on a wing dam and the rocks would eat alot of
our rigs,"he said. "We spent a lot of of our time tying more rigs after
we used our supply up around noon, but it proved the best way to catch
fish. There six fish limit weighted 16.52 lbs.Another local team Dale sogla
and Tim dick grabbed second. the lake city anglers weighted in a six fish
limit of 16.09 lbs and collected $1,050.00 in day two winnings.Sogla credited
the teams commitment not to let there bad luck on the first day of competition
affect the outcome for today. Sogla and Dick finished in 47th place on
day 1 after failing to weight in any fish."Tim and I went back to our rooms
last night and discussed what had happened." said sogla. "We put together
a new game plan for today and stuck with it"Sogla and Dicks pattern consisted
of jigging an eight foot deep trough on the Wisconsin side of the river."It
was mostly the jigs with the live bait that caught the walleyes." said
Dick. "We caught one keeper on the bucktail. but bait made the difference
today.Joe Thelen of Coon Rapids Minnesota and Pat Hess of Anoka Minnesota
hauled in day two's third best basket of 15.21 lbs and they collected $940.00
for their efforts.
TOP 10 "Mississippi River Quest" Team Event Day 2 Finishers
PLACE |
NAME |
CITY |
STATE |
TOTAL WEIGHT |
PRIZE
VALUE |
1 |
Tim Fields
Steve Fields |
Rochester
Rochester |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
16.52 |
$1740.00 |
2 |
Dale Sogla
Tim Dick |
Lake City
Lake City |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
16.09 |
$1050.00 |
3 |
Joe Thelan
Pat Hess |
Coon Rapids
Anoka |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
15.21 |
$940.00 |
4 |
Greg Vandermark
John Rousu |
Rochester
Rochester |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
14.31 |
$520.00 |
5 |
Doug Gardener
Jim Ihrke |
Mankato
Madison Lake |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
12.46 |
$420.00 |
6 |
Jeffery Larson
Randy Lerum |
Oronolo
Pine Island |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
12.40 |
$380.00 |
7 |
Randy Stein
Scott Anderson |
Red Wing
Red Wing |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
11.77 |
$310.00 |
8 |
David Fairburn
Scott Fairburn |
Mendota Heights
Mendota Heights |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
11.04 |
$280.00 |
9 |
Michael Herrick
Thomas Herrick |
St Louis Park
Brooklyn Center |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
9.90 |
$250.00 |
10 |
Tom Diercks
Scott Allan |
Hager City
Welch |
Minnesota
Minnesota |
9.84 |
$210.00 |
John Dingrando of Ellsworth Wisconsin, and Ralph Diercks of Red Wing Minnesota
captured the "Boot
Full of Bucks" big fish award for day two and grabbed a fast $500.00 for
a fine 8.17 lb. walleye. A total of 11 teams brought six fish limits back
to the scales on day two compared with 17 brought in on day 1.
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