By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
    Back to basics was worth $1200 for the team of Chad Benson and Joe
Edlund from Bemidji as they won the first Minnesota qualifier of the Grand
National Walleye Cup, Sunday, May 18 at Lake Waconia.
    Benson and Edlund, who along with most teams had struggled putting
anything together during pre-fishing, turned to a Lindy Rig, and1/8-ounce
sinker and a leech. They found their fish on the inside weed edges in 4-6
feet of water and ended up with a four-fish basket weighing 8.12 pounds.
    Second place and a check for $600 went to the team of Travis Frank from
St. Bonifacious and Jon LaVelle from Waconia with two walleyes weighing 5.64
pounds. Frank and LaVelle also captured the Abu Garcia Big Fish Award of two
6500 Linecounter reels with their 3.76 pounder.
    Meanwhile, Dustin Gesinger from Mound and Jason Wagener from Waconia
took third place with 3.02 pounds and cashed a check for $300.
    Dave Vogt from Brainerd and Tom Vogt from Owatonna captured both fourth
place and also The Berkley Family Angler Award as the top placing family
team by weighing 2.71 pounds. They took home $250 in Berkley prizes for
their efforts.
    GNWC Executive Director Bernie Barringer said, "Benson and Edlund did
what very few people thought could be done right now on Lake Waconia. With
the walleyes in such a negative bite, most everybody felt two, maybe even
one good fish might win it. What these guys did was remarkable. They
actually went back to a pre-fishing mode, found the fish and did what they
had to do!"
    Barringer continued, "Even though the bite was tough, these teams
battled hard. I think this Minnesota Circuit of the GNWC will be very
exciting as we head through the four qualifiers. The next one will
definitely spark some interest as we head to Otter Tail Lake on Sunday, June
1. Otter Tail was hot for the opener a couple of weeks ago, and it sounds as
if they're still going strong."
    Interested anglers can call 1-800-890-3474, email the GNWC at
info@walleyecup.com or check out the official GNWC website at walleyecup.com
for all of the latest in GNWC information.
    Major sponsoring partners for the GNWC include Ranger Boats, Mercury
Outboards, Berkley, Abu-Garcia, The Sportsman Channel and
UpNorthOutdoors.com.
    Those television viewers who do not have The Sportsman Channel and want
to watch the GNWC's television series Walleye Wisdom, are encouraged to call
their cable company or satellite television provider and ask to have it
included in their package.

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