Wisconsin co-angler wins $120,000 in Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship
GREEN BAY, Wis. – John Campbell of West Dundee, Ill., climbed to the top of the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship’s Pro Division Friday with five walleyes weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces while helping his partner Gary Hettenhaus of Fond du Lac, Wis., capture $120,000 in the Co-Angler Division.
The pair’s impressive catch came during a blustery semi-final round that prompted Operation Walleye officials to designate Green Bay off limits due to a small-craft advisory issued by the Coast Guard. A northwest wind gusting to 25 mph made travel on the bay hazardous, so anglers were restricted to the relatively safe confines of the Fox River.
In Saturday’s final round, Campbell will be casting for $300,000 – the richest award in walleye tournament history. That is three times more money than he’s won in his 12-year walleye fishing career.
“Everything went right for us today,” Campbell said. “Going out with the cold front had me worried, but everything worked out great.”
Only six of the original 400 pro and co-anglers from the United States and Canada remain in the hunt for the sport’s richest cash prize. Co-Angler competition ended Friday. The remaining pros, however, will start the final round from zero and fish for the heaviest one-day catch.
Pro Scott Glorvigen of Grand Rapids, Minn., advanced to the final round with a catch of five walleyes weighing 15-11 that earned his co-angler, Greg Reimer of Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada, second place and $50,000. Mike Gofron of Antioch, Ill., qualified with a five-walleye catch weighing 13-10 that won his co-angler, Pat Kotowski of De Pere, Wis., third place and $13,600.
Rounding out the remainder of the pro field are Patrick Byle of Colgate, Wis., with five walleyes weighing 13-5; John Nelson of Wahkon, Minn., with five walleyes weighing 12-6; and Jason Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., with five walleyes weighing 12-4.
Darrell Charles of Sterling, Colo., took fourth place and $8,600 in the Co-Angler Division followed by Jim Milewsky of Des Moines, Iowa, who earned $6,600 for a fifth place showing and Gary Darling of Fort Collins, Colo., who took sixth and $6,300.
Byle and Charles won Friday’s big walleye award with a 4 pound, 15 ounce heavyweight. Byle collected $1,200 for the catch, and Charles won $600.
Frigid temperatures and piercing winds forced many semi-final round anglers to change game plans as most fished the open water of Green Bay at least once during the first two days of competition. Forecasts for Saturday’s finale call for further drops in the temperature along with continued strong winds and possible snow flurries.
“I pre-fished planning on bad weather,” Campbell said. “I’m a big river fisherman, so the weather is playing into my strategy. If it’s cold and windy, that would be good for me.”
The final day of pro competition will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday at the Green Bay Metro Boat Launch followed by a 3 p.m. weigh-in at the Green Bay Wal-Mart located at 2440 West Mason Street. The RCL Family Fun Zone at Wal-Mart opens at noon Saturday. The Fun Zone features children’s games, product displays and giveaways.
Up to $1.4 million will be awarded during the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship presented by Transamerica. The event will be broadcast Dec. 20 on ESPN2.
Wal-Mart has made a major commitment to walleye fishing as title sponsor of the RCL Championship. Additional title sponsors are Ranger Boat Company, Crestliner and Lund Boats (RCL). Evinrude Outboards, Energizer, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Poulan/Weed Eater, and Coleman are also sponsoring the tournament. Locally, the Green Bay Area Visitors and Convention Bureau is a sponsor.