BISMARCK, N.D. – Although he weighed 24 pounds yesterday, Todd Riley was noticeably displeased. On day two he traveled 66 miles south towards the North Dakota-South Dakota border and brought back the heaviest limit of the tournament. But Riley might not be able to make that run today – for a variety of reasons.
For starters, Riley runs a 2008 Ranger 620 with a 250-horsepower Evinrude E-Tec. But on days three and four, he won’t be able to use his boat. During the final round of the FLW Walleye Tour Championship, the pros compete from an assortment of FLW Outdoors-issued boats. Riley will still be in a Ranger-Evinrude package but the Amery, Wis., pro claims it won’t be as finely tuned as his rig.
If Riley attempted his 131-mile roundtrip with the FLW Outdoors boat, it is very possible that he would run out of fuel.
“I’m already missing my boat,” he said. “I’m trying not to be overly critical but this pre-rigged boat won’t do it. My boat is broke in; this boat isn’t.”
Consider it the latest development in an already chaotic championship. In addition to the boat issue, a strong northeast wind will make all the boats less fuel efficient. The blustery weather will also make contour trolling extremely difficult.
Just moments before the 7:30 a.m. takeoff, Riley was still weighing his options.
“There’s just an incredible number of 20- to 22-inch fish down there,” Riley added. “I fully anticipated that it would take 17 or 18 pounds a day to make the cut. If we hadn’t had the cold front it would’ve taken that much.”
If he does deem the long run too risky, Riley will regroup and fish 15 miles north of the border around Fort Yates, S.D.
“It’s really disheartening to think I might not get to the spot where I’ve got all the fish I could want to myself.”
Logistics
MacLean Bottoms, located just off Highway 1804, is hosting daily takeoffs at 7:30 a.m. Daily weigh-ins will be held at the Bismarck Civic Center, located at 315 S. 5th St., beginning at 4:30 p.m. The community is invited to attend takeoffs and weigh-ins as well as the Family Fun Zone, which opens at 2 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday. Saturday is free fishing rod and reel day at the Fun Zone, where the first 200 children 14 and under receive a free fishing rod and reel.
Anglers in both divisions start today from zero and co-angler competition concludes with the winner determined by the day’s heaviest catch. Pros carry their weights over to day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.
On the Web
For walleye-fishing fans unable to attend the festivities in person, you can catch all the weigh-in action live at FLWOutdoors.com with FLW Live. Show time starts at 4:30 p.m. Central today.
Friday’s conditions
Sunrise: 7:36 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 56 degrees
Expected high temperature: 73 degrees
Water temperature: 63-66 degrees
Wind: NNE at 16 mph
Maximum humidity: 58 percent
Day’s outlook: partly sunny