Female angler poised to make history
PIERRE, S.D. – Robert Propst of Fort Pierre, S.D., will lead 10 Pro Division anglers into the final round of the $346,000 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit tournament on Lake Sharpe after landing six walleyes weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces Friday with co-angler Michael Coats of Byron, Minn.
The duo’s catch was the result of casting 1/8-ounce jigs tipped with 3-inch Berkley Power Minnows to wood cover. If Propst can duplicate his performance Saturday, he stands to win $50,000 cash and a Lund boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha. Coats will be fishing for a top award of $15,000 cash.
“I feel good,” said Propst, a veteran pro whose largest tournament payday to date is $12,000. “I’m just going to fish and do the best I can. I look at it as if I have nothing to lose, so I’m going for broke.”
Pro Shannon Kehl of Menoken, N.D., and co-angler Reid Widvey of Pierre, S.D., advanced to the final round in the No. 2 position with six walleyes weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces.
Rounding out the top five qualifiers were pro Dan Dolinski of Alberta, Canada, and co-angler Duane Hons of Laurel, Mont., with six walleyes weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces; pro Charles Johnson of Merrifield, Minn., and co-angler Flo Swank of Pierre, S.D., with six walleyes weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce; and pro Jim Klick of White Bear Lake, Minn., and co-angler John Henderson of Pierre, S.D., with six walleyes weighing 12 pounds.
Swank, the only female angler advancing to the finals, will make fishing history if she wins. No woman has ever won a national walleye tournament. And with just 1 pound, 4 ounces separating the 10 finalists, Saturday’s action promises to be close, too.
Competition resumes at 7 a.m. Saturday at Downs Marina in Pierre followed by a 4 p.m. weigh-in at the Pierre Wal-Mart located at 1600 North Harrison Ave. Catch weights will be cleared with the winners determined by the weight of Saturday’s catch alone.
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 will be held on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, Wis., May 29-June 1 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.