Widvey, Taylor win RCL Walleye League event on Lake Francis Case

Boater Reid Widvey (pictured) of Pierre, S.D., and co-angler Ryan Taylor of Fort Pierre combined for a total of six fish weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces to claim victory at the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League tournament held May 17 on Lake Francis Case near Oacoma.

May 17, 2003 • MLF • Archives

OACOMA, S.D. – Boater Reid Widvey of Pierre and co-angler Ryan Taylor of Fort Pierre combined for a total of six fish weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces to claim victory at the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League tournament held Saturday on Lake Francis Case near Oacoma. Widvey claimed $1,960 plus a $500 bonus for the win, with Taylor taking home $817 from the Wisconsin Division event.

Finishing second were Jack Johnson of Brandon ($980 plus $400 bonus) and Daron Wheelhouse of Pierre ($490) with six walleyes weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces. Lamont Gall of Sioux Falls ($735 plus $300 bonus) and Jim Ellenbecker of Pierre ($367) caught six walleyes weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces to tie for third with Gary Sessions of Rapid City ($735) and Kyle Oldre of Luverne, Minn. ($367). Finishing fifth were Rocky Niewenhuis of Hartford ($523 plus $200 bonus) and Terry Cordell of Hartford ($261) thanks to a six-walleye catch that weighed 11 pounds, 7 ounces.

Bonuses are awarded to boaters who are the registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat and fish out of that boat during the tournament. Co-anglers earn bonuses if they are a registered owner of a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund.

Widvey also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

The South Dakota Division’s next stop will be June 14 on Lake Sharpe followed by the final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, July 19-20 on Lake Oahe. Boaters and co-anglers who finish in the top 25 in final points standings in each RCL Walleye League division will advance to the $88,000 RCL League Finals Sept. 6-7 on Lake Okoboji in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The winning boater at the finals will receive an Evinrude-or Yamaha-powered Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat. Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points awarded to the winner, 199 points for second, and so on, except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 298 to second, and so on.

Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League boaters and co-anglers fish together for a combined boat weight, with boaters competing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing against other co-anglers. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League meets the needs of America’s fishing masses by providing professionally administered, close-to-home, affordable events with lucrative cash purses.