PIERRE, S.D. – Pro Jack Neuman of Naperville, Ill., and his opening day partner Doug Iverson of Pierre, S.D., landed a six-walleye limit weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces Wednesday to lead the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit tournament on Lake Sharpe.
If Neuman can maintain his lead throughout the four-day tournament, he will collect $50,000 cash plus a fully rigged Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha. Iverson is fishing for a top co-angler award of $15,000 cash. Both men will be challenged by 144 competitors in their respective divisions.
“I feel very good being in this position,” said Neuman, whose biggest tournament payday to date is $14,500. “My goal is to make the top 20, so I’d be comfortable with another 10 pounds [Thursday].”
Neuman estimates that he and Iverson caught 10 walleyes throughout the day using a 1/8-ounce jig along a mud line that was holding fish.
Pro Perry Good of Eagan, Minn., and co-angler Duane Hons of Laurel, Mont., finished opening day in second place with six walleyes weighing 13 pounds, 7 ounces followed by pro Dan Dolinski of Alberta, Canada, and co-angler John Henderson of Pierre, S.D., in third with six walleyes weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces.
Competition resumes at 7 a.m. Thursday at Downs Marina in Pierre when competitors from more than a dozen states and Canada take off for the final day of opening round competition. Following Thursday’s 3 p.m. weigh-in at Steamboat Park in Pierre, the field will be cut to the top 20 pros and top 20 co-anglers. These anglers will advance to the one-day semifinal round Friday where they will compete for a spot in the final round. Only the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers will advance to Saturday’s final round. Catch weights are carried over during the opening round, but anglers start the semifinal and final rounds from zero. Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins start at 4 p.m. at the Pierre Wal-Mart located at 1600 North Harrison Ave.
Directed by FLW Outdoors and named after Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit is the world’s most lucrative walleye fishing series. The circuit features four regular season tournaments each with a $346,000 cash purse and a championship with a $1.4 million cash purse. Cash payments are presented through 50th place.
The third Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit tournament is May 29-June 1 on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, Wis., followed by a tournament on Saginaw Bay in Bay City, Mich., June 26-29.
After four regular season tournaments, 200 pros and 200 co-anglers from the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit and other sanctioned tournament organizations and events will compete in the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship for a top pro award of up to $400,000 cash and a top co-angler award of up to $150,000 cash. The championship will be held on the Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minn., Oct. 2-5. Green Bay hosted the Wal-Mart RCL Championship last season when Dean Arnoldussen of Kaukauna, Wis., won $400,000 and instantly joined the sport’s top all-time money winners.
Entry fees for regular season tournaments are $1,250 for pros and $500 for co-anglers. A limited number of co-angler spots are still available in each tournament. To enter, register online or call (270) 362-5259.