Bismarck Walmart store to host Walmart FLW Walleye Tour Pro Night

Pro anglers available for autographs Wednesday, Sept. 24

Coppertone pro Dustin Kjelden holds up his two biggest walleyes from Wednesday's competition. Photo by Brett Carlson. Angler: Dustin Kjelden.

September 17, 2008 • MLF • Archives

BISMARCK, N.D. – Fishing fans will have the opportunity to meet some of the most accomplished anglers in the world of competitive walleye fishing at the Walmart store located at 1400 Skyline Blvd. in Bismarck Sept. 24, from 6-8 p.m.

The world-class anglers will be signing autographs, posing for photos and offering fishing tips to store visitors during the two-hour event, which is held in conjunction with the $650,000 Walmart FLW Walleye Tour Championship on the Missouri River Sept. 24-27. The prestigious tournament featuring 108 competitors from 18 states and Canada will award as much as $150,000 cash to the winning professional and as much as $20,000 cash to the winning co-angler.

Among the anglers participating will be Coppertone pro Dustin Kjelden of Brookings, S.D., who won $150,000 at the 2007 Walleye Tour Championship on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio. Joining him will be Folgers pro Dennis Lantzy of Warren, Mich., Duracell pro Paul Meleen of Isle, Minn., and Pringles pro Julia Davis of Port Clinton, Ohio.

At pro night, Walmart visitors can enter into a drawing for a chance to win an authentic FLW Outdoors angler jersey.

MacLean Bottoms will host daily takeoffs for the year-end championship 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.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits. FLW Outdoors also took fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million in cash and prizes.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.