Doc Bruce Nets 4th PWT Win at Lund Pro-Am in Ottertail
Bruce "Doc" Samson won his fourth PWT tournament,
the Lund Pro-Am, part of the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye
Trail Super Pro series. He was competing against the top 60
walleye pros in the world on Otter Tail Lake in west-central
Minnesota.
The Super Pro series, presented by MinnKota, is an invitational,
based on past tournament successes. Samson, Minnetrista, Minn.,
won the $55,000 first prize. Second-place pro Daryl Christensen,
Montello, Wis., won $15,000. Mark Christianson, Walker, Minn.,
was third for $10,000.
Samson's 34.49 pounds was six better than second and nearly
10 more than third. He primarily fished slip bobbers, with the
key being 1/16th ounce Northland Thumper jigs. "The tiny
spinners on the bottom of the jigs made the difference,"
he said. He also credited a tremendous number of hours studying
maps over the winter, then saving his trails and best spots
each evening on his computer, and reviewing his findings. Samson
fished rocky reefs mostly in the mid-lake area. He also found
some rock piles on Diamond Flat that produced.
Christensen captured second place by casting one-fourth ounce
Hopkins spoons with Mustad round bend red #6 hooks. He added
no bait and jigged the spoons back to the boat in short hops
in 7 to 14 feet of water. The third place Christiansen rigged
his way to success.
Anglers trolled crankbaits, ran spinners behind bottom bouncers,
plus the tactics described by the top three, and tried everything
imaginable to put a PWT limit of four walleyes in the boat each
day. The walleyes were donated to the Ottertail Nursing Home,
the Battle Lake Good Sam Home and the Fergus Falls Veterans
Home.
The Ottertail Country Association and Lund Boats cooperated
to bring the PWT to the area and provided the many volunteers
necessary for the success of the mission. Both received PWT
Superior Achievement Awards. The final day crowd of 2,000 walleye
fans enjoyed the stage ceremonies and the PWT Outdoor Festival.
Special awards went to amateur/co-angler winner Bruce Boyne,
Wadena, Minn. He won the $15,000 Lund boat, which he announced
on stage would be traded immediately on the new Lund 2010 model,
a 20-foot tiller with a Merc 175. Boyne also won $500 for the
Coleman Big Fish he caught with Christianson on day two. Christianson
won $1,500. Christianson also won the E-Cell Heavyweight award
of $1,000 for the largest catch of the tournament, 14.22 pounds.
Coleman Cool Under Pressure awards went to Dan Plautz, Muskego,
Wis., for advancing 44 places, and amateur Chris Roehl, Elizabeth,
Minn., for moving up 48 places.
Bill Ortiz, Richland Center, Wis., took over the Johnsonville
Brats Angler of the Year race. He finished fourth at Ottertail,
and was 15th at Chamberlain, SD, the first Super Pro. Standings,
photos and bios
are posted on the PWT website: professionalwalleyetrail.com.
The Super Pros next tour stop is in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
in Houghton June 28-30.
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 , Reef Runner and the Ottertail
Country Tourism, 218.758.2716.
|