LAST UPDATE 07/02/01
In Fisherman
Professional Walleye Trail

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Lake Sakakawea June 27 - 29 
Western Pro-Am

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Beulah Bay, North Dakota....After an hour's worth of natural 
fireworks that delayed the start of the Lund Boats Western Pro-Am, 
the contestants headed out  with expectations of another great 
fishing day on Lake Sakakawea.  For one In-Fisherman Professional 
Walleye Trail (PWT) angler, Terry Ryckman, Toledo, Oregon, the 
fireworks occurred when he won $50,000.

Ryckman caught 17.39 pounds  the final day of the June 27-29 
tournament, for a 3-day total of 61.92  pounds.  This is his first 
"money" finish in three seasons, while fishing the western division. 
The PWT pro-am format allows six walleyes per boat per day, which 
count for both pro and amateur.  Finishing second was pro  Rick Olson,  Mina, SD, who made this his 16th PWT top 10 place finish.  He weighed  60.58 pounds.  They won $50,000 and $15,000 respectively. 

Mike Kulm, Rapid City, SD placed third and won $10,000 with 56.70 
pounds, while  Mike Gofron, Antioch, IL won $7,500 for fourth.  He had  56.63 pounds.  The top amateur, Scott Kolling, Dickinson, ND, towed 
home his first prize Lund Boat, Mercury outboard and Eagle trailer 
valued at $12,500.  A total of nearly $250,000 was awarded  in front 
of a cheering hometown Beulah and Hazen, North Dakota crowd estimated 
at more than 1,000 spectators. 

Anglers fished Lake Sakakawea from Deepwater Creek to the Highway 83 
embankment and dam.  The most popular method was jigging with 
crawlers or minnows in back bays in two to 12 feet of water.  Rigging 
with nightcrawlers or leeches proved the ticket on main lake points, 
humps and shallow sand flats.  Some crankbait trolling in the 12 to 
16 foot depths proved effective.

Bass Pro Shops big fish of the tournament was 7.78 pounds, caught by 
Kevin Kraft, Maple Grove, MN on day one.  He won $2,500.  The final 
day big fish weighed 6.93 pounds and was worth $2,000 for pro Doug 
Burns, Estherville, Iowa.  Local pro fishing his first PWT tour Jeff 
Zbasnik, Hazen, won $1,200 for a 6.05 pound walleye.  Amateur Gary 
Bordewyk, Pueblo West, CO, won $1,025 for a 5.83 pounder, while a 
5.78 pound walleye earned $950 for amateur Kirk Lauer, Bismarck, ND.

Winner Ryckman also netted the Storm Heavyweight award of $500, while 
amateur winner Kolling won $300.  For advancing the most places, 92, 
pro Leon Houle, Little Canada, MN, won $1,000.  On the amateur side, 
Royal Handegard, Almont, ND, moved up 112 places and won $600. 
Ryckman also won the T-H Marine Live Release $500 award for bringing 
the most releasable walleyes to the scales and placing the highest. 
Nearly 70 percent of the walleyes weighed were released.  The 
remainder were cleaned and iced for a St. Martin's Catholic church 
and St. Matthews Lutheran church youth benefit and fund raiser in 
Hazen.

A special award honored the Beulah Park Board for the reception they 
showed  contestants.  Bill Keller, president of the board, accepted 
the PWT "Host Award" for the extra efforts of Beulah Bay Park 
employees and the condition of the park.  Earlier in the week, 
tournament committee chair Kay Ramsbacher, Beulah, ND was honored as 
the PWT "Key Award" winner for her efforts.  Nearly 100 volunteers 
worked behind the scenes and welcomed the PWT event to Beulah and 
Hazen. 

Bruce Samson, Cambridge, MN, placed first in the Dee Zee Western 
Division, winning a Yamaha ATV.  Samson, winner of a PWT tournament 
last month, will lead the west division into the Championship.  Also 
qualifying are pros Jimmy Bell, Ham Lake, MN; Les Vietz, Bismarck, 
ND; rookie Rick Walter, Casper, WY; Jim Peterson, Elk River, MN; and 
Tom Backer, Fargo, ND. They will compete with the top 30 pros who are 
fishing all six tournaments, the top six from the Dee Zee Eastern 
Division and last year's Champion Ron Seelhoff, Lewellen, NE. 

After four tournaments, the In-Fisherman Angler of the Year leader is 
Kim Papineau, Escanaba, MI.  If he maintains that lead, he will win 
$10,000 cash and a Mercury outboard valued at $12,000.  The PWT tour 
stops next in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, July 18-20, then heads east to 
Lake Erie with headquarters in Dunkirk, NY, Aug. 8-10, prior to the 
Championship.

The PWT is part of PRIMEDIA, Inc., America's leading producer of 
targeted media headquartered in New York City.PWT sponsors include: Beulah Chamber of Commerce (701-873-4585), Hazen Chamber of Commerce (701-748-6848) and North Dakota Tourism (800-HELLO-ND).PWT sponsors include: Beulah Chamber of Commerce (701-873-4585), Hazen Chamber of Commerce  (701-748-6848) and North Dakota Tourism (800-HELLO-ND),

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