Hiller hauls in $11,000, wins Co-angler Division of Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship
Ada, Mich., native lands hefty walleye at critical time
MOLINE, Ill. – Partnering with Robert Lampman, Matthew Hiller found the winning formula on day three of the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship. While the rest of the field struggled with the high winds, Hiller and Lampman found a calm area and boated two sizeable walleyes, which earned Hiller an $11,000 payday.
Hiller boated the larger of the two fish around 11:30 a.m. using a live-bait presentation similar to a Lindy Rig. Hiller was drifting his bait over a wing dam in approximately 12 feet of water when the fish hit.
“I was very excited when that fish came to the surface,” said a delighted Hiller.
A tour rookie, Hiller landed one walleye weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces Wednesday while fishing with pro Joe Whitten of Toledo, Ohio, to secure 29th place heading into day two.
He then added five walleyes weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces to his total Thursday while fishing with pro Carl Grunwaldt of Green Bay, Wis., to advance to the final day of co-angler competition as the No. 9 seed with a two-day total of six walleyes weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces. Hiller’s day-three catch weighed 10 pounds, 8 ounces.
The Ada, Mich., native described his first FLW Walleye Tour victory: “It’s been unbelievable; it still hasn’t hit home that I did it.”
Strauss soars to second
Coming in second for the co-anglers was Keith Strauss of Syracuse, Ind. Strauss finished the opening round in fifth place, but leaped to second via a 9-pound, 4-ounce catch. Strauss earned a purse of $15,500 thanks to $9,000 in contingency awards.
“I’ll probably fish on the pro side before too long,” he said.
Hight finishes third in farewell tournament
Co-angler John Hight of Pierre, S.D., moved up three places with a 7-pound catch and finished in third. Hight, a veteran tournament angler, sadly announced his retirement to the Quad Cities crowd.
“This is my last hurrah,” said Hight, who fished with Carl Grunwaldt. “I don’t think I could have played it out with a finer man. I went out with a bang; it was a good run.”
Hight’s parting present is a check worth $7,500.
Barski moves up to fourth
Marty Barski of Crystal Lake, Ill., was able to catch three walleyes on Friday, moving up from eighth place to fourth place among the co-anglers with weight of 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Barski earned $6,500 for his fourth-place finish.
Cox finishes fifth
Fifth place went to Mizmo Baits founder Jimmy Cox of Bono, Ark., who boated two walleyes that weighed 3 pounds, 1 ounce, earning him a check for $6,500.
Rounding out the top 10 co-angler finalists at the FLW Walleye Tour Championship on the Mississippi River:
6th: John Solek of Indianapolis, one walleyes, 1-15
7th: Jeff Jandl of Minnesota City, Minn., one walleye, 1-9
8th: Peggy Severson of Fort Pierre, S.D., zero walleyes, 0-0
9th: Joseph Fallaw of McHenry, Ill., zero walleyes, 0-0
10th: Jim Lippens of Laporte, Ind., zero walleyes, 0-0