Devils Lake Guide Wins PWT Tournament on First Try
Jason Feldner, fishing his first In-Fisherman Professional
Walleye Trail tournament as a pro, claimed the victory on Devils
Lake. This North Dakota lake, now about 130,000 acres, has grown
four-times since the mid-1990's, and all of this former marsh
and farmland is great walleye habitat.
Felder, a fishing guide who lives on the west side of the
lake in Minnewaukan, ND, said, "Walleyes are everywhere,
and people love fishing here." That was the sentiment of
the contestants as they crossed the PWT stage at Graham's Island
State Park, May 24-26. The Outdoor Channel/Berkley Pro-Am was
the second stop on the Regional Series presented by MotorGuide.
Feldner won a $53,000 prize, including a Lund boat, Mercury
outboard and an E-Z Loader trailer for weighing 75.18 pounds
(15 total fish).
Feldner, like many of the anglers, watched slip bobbers in
and among the thousands of standing, dead cottonwoods. Depths
ranged from 4 to 7 feet. When the wind came up following a cold
front, he left some slips out, but dragged jigs slowly to give
walleyes another chance. "They liked the change-up,"
he said, as his amateur partners really got in the act by catching
many walleyes.
Second-place angler Ron Gazvoda, Lakewood, Col., won $15,000,
and said he and his partners caught as many as 80 fish some
days. Third went to pro Gary Maher, a rancher from Menoken,
ND. He won $13,000. The top amateur, Brad Hedstrom, Wilton,
ND, won a $15,000 Lund/Mercury walleye boat.
Special awards included the E-Cell Heavyweight $1,000 award
to pro Keith Carlson, Goodhue, Minn., for his first day catch
of 32.80 pounds. The Coleman Big Fish winners were Rick Zachowski,
Milwaukee, Wis., and Greg Pregorki, Libertyville, Ill. They
won $1,000 and $500 respectively. Pro Jim Carpenter won the
Coleman Cool Under Pressure award by advancing 88 places. Amateur
Steve Gineris, Oshkosh, Wis., advanced 93 places to win.
Leading the Tommy Docks Regional Championship race is pro
Tom Gatzke, Merrill, Wis., who won the previous Regional event.
Second is Tom Kemos, Oconomowoc, Wis. Gazvoda is third. Pro
Jeff Edwards, Shoreview, Minn., is at the top of the Aqua-Vu
Rookie of the Year standings.
Two groups were recognized by the PWT on stage. Dick Horner
accepted the PWT Superior Achievement award on behalf of his
Graham's Island State Park staff. The Devils Lake Chamber of
Commerce was also a recipient of the Superior Achievement award
for their many monthso f details and managing the event with
volunteers.
The final two Regional series tournaments take place in late
July (Mobridge, SD) and August (Escanaba, Mich.). Amateur/co-angler
openings remain; to enter call PWT headquarters, 218-829-0620.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications
Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA,
America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional
partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel,
Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota,
Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland
Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman,
Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, E-Village, Kwik
Pfyt, Raymarine, Rapala, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's
Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics,
Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport Marketing,
Yo-Zuri and Reef Runner. The PWT is an integral element of the
In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd,
Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted
media and Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce, 701-662-4903. |