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    Chamberlain, South Dakota......After five seasons as a pro, Tom Backer, 
Fargo, North Dakota, claimed his first In-Fisherman Professional Walleye 
Trail (PWT) victory.  The $52,000 first prize doubled his career winnings.  
He weighed 42.37 pounds and beat second place pro Gil Mollet, Jefferson, 
South Dakota by eight pounds. Mollet won $15,000.

    Anglers competed on Lake Francis Case in the Miller/Lund Western Pro-Am, 
fishing this Missouri River reservoir in the Chamberlain and Oacoma, South 
Dakota area.  PWT pros fish with a different amateur each of three days for 
the maximum boat-weight, in an effort to win a share of the $250,000 purse.  
Backer’s prize included a Lund/Mercury boat package identical to the 
20-footer he drove to victory, and cash.

    Backer, with a second, a third and a fourth, completed his career “cycle” 
with a home run by trolling tiny white Walleye Divers and RS Shad Rap (shad 
pattern) crankbaits on lead core.  He concentrated on the 13 to 17 foot 
depths on the channel edge about six miles south of Chamberlain.  Most 
anglers either trolled cranks or slowly pulled livebait rigs with minnows.

    The winning amateur, Steve Anderson, Lincoln, Nebraska, also netted a 
Lund/Mercury boat package worth $15,000.  Other special prizes included pro 
John Butts, Dryden, Ontario, who split the $3,000 Miller High Life big fish 
award with his amateur Bill Comp, Presho, South Dakota.  Their big fish 
weighed 9.7 pounds.  Other big fish winners were pros Mitch Howe, Billings, 
Montana $1,000, 5.82 pounds, and Backer, 5.54 pounds, $1,000.   Butts also 
advanced 108 places to win the Coleman Cool Under Pressure $1,000 honors, 
and his final day catch of 17.93 pounds earned $500 as the Gander Mountain 
Heavyweight winner.  Butts also finished third overall, for a total payday 
of $13,000.  Comp won the amateur Gander Mountain Heavyweight award of $300, 
while William Schroeder, Stanton, Nebraska, won the amateur Coleman $600 
Cool Under Pressure award.

    The top 10 pros from the Dee Zee West Division qualify for the 
Championship; Backer leads the race, with Leech Lake, May 22-24, and Devils 
Lake, July 10-12, to follow.  Amateur openings still remain for Devils Lake. 
  The division winner also receives a Yamaha ATV.  The PWT has three events 
in the Dee Zee East Division, with Lake Winnebago, June 19-21, and Saginaw 
Bay (amateur spots still remain) in August.  The Championship in Bismarck, 
North Dakota takes place Sept. 12-14.

    Pros fishing the entire tour compete for the prestigious Miller High Life 
In-Fisherman $25,000 Angler of the Year title.  Tommy Skarlis, Walker, 
Minnesota is still leading after winning at Lake Erie last month, with 
Escanaba, Michigan pro Kim Papineau a pound back, and Gary Gray, Oshkosh, 
Wisconsin, only a three pound walleye behind.

    Forty pros caught limits each day, and 34 of them finished in the money, 
which was first through 45th place.  Of the 2,117 walleyes and saugers 
weighed, 89 percent were released.  The community benefited with 310 
anglers, many with families, in town for a week, and the PWT Host award went 
to Laurie Hoefert representing Cedar Shore Resort and Marina.  The Key Award 
was presented to Chamber Executive Director Cindy Peterson in honor of all 
the volunteers who assisted.

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