PIERRE, S.D. – The $3.07 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour returns to Lake Sharpe near Pierre April 30-May 3 for its second regular-season tournament, a $386,000 event featuring the world’s top walleye anglers. More than 330 pros and co-anglers representing 22 states and Canada will compete, with Pro Division anglers vying for a top award worth $90,000, including $50,000 cash plus an Evinrude- or Yamaha-powered Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat and trailer.
RCL pro Mark Brumbaugh of Arcanum, Ohio, says Lake Sharpe walleyes are likely to be found in a postspawn phase in the upper half of the Missouri Reservoir. “The fish should be eating well, and I think that if the weather is good, anglers will find them in anywhere from 3 to 12 feet of water,” Brumbaugh said. “Minnow-jig combinations and trolled crankbaits in shad patterns will probably account for the most fish.”
Daily takeoffs start at 7 a.m. from Steamboat Park in Pierre. Wednesday and Thursday’s weigh-ins start at 3 p.m. at the park, and Friday and Saturday’s weigh-ins also start at 3 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 1600 N. Harrison Ave. in Pierre.
The tournament features Pro Division anglers and Co-angler Division anglers, with pros and co-anglers fishing for a combined boat weight. Anglers are randomly paired each day, with the winning co-angler earning $15,000 cash.
At the conclusion of a two-day opening round, the field is cut to the top 20 pros and top 20 co-anglers who start from zero and fish the one-day semifinal round. Only the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers advance to the one-day final round where weights are cleared again. Each boat is allowed a six-walleye limit on each day of competition.
The top 35 pros and top 35 co-anglers from each of four qualifying events earn entry into the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship. Another 60 spots in the championship are filled by anglers who compete in RCL-sanctioned events for a total of 200 championship contenders in each division. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship is the most lucrative event in professional walleye angling, with guaranteed cash awards through 100th place. Including sponsor bonuses, cash awards are available through 200th place. A guaranteed cash award of $150,000 plus potential sponsor bonuses totaling $250,000 go to the RCL Championship winner for a total pro award of $400,000. The champion co-angler wins a guaranteed cash award of $75,000 plus potential sponsor bonuses totaling $75,000 for a co-angler award of $150,000.
For more information about the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour, browse this Web site or call (270) 252-1000.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour and the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League are named after boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner and Lund. FLW Outdoors is named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood.
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