Walleyes Inc. Action packed adventures in walleye fishing on the internet.

Maps of tournament sites go to 

‘Doc’ Samson Stitches Together 3 Days; Wins Devils Lake PWT

    Devils Lake, North Dakota.....Bruce ‘Doc’ Samson, a professional walleye 
angler who is also a medical doctor from Minnetrista, Minn., led 
wire-to-wire to win the $53,000 first prize in the Trilene Midwest Pro-Am. 
He fished Devils Lake on deep rocks, rigging live bait for his second 
victory in the last two In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) 
tournaments on this ever-expanding system.  He won in 1999, and now has a 
total of three PWT wins.

    The PWT is a Pro-Am, and amateurs fish three days in a new pro’s boat each 
day, as a partnership.  They fish together to learn all about walleye 
fishing and the weight they catch counts for both.  The top amateur, Kevin 
Corrigan, Des Plaines, IL, fishing his first tournament, won a $15,000 
Lund/Mercury walleye boat on an Eagle trailer.

    Devils Lake presented anglers with too many choices.  The lake has tripled 
in size over the past 10 years, and sprawls over 130,000 acres, most of them 
former marshes and farm fields.  With bridges allowing access to most of the 
lake, anglers fished slip bobbers in the standing timber (1,000,000 flooded 
trees), trolled crankbaits over the expansive flats, used weedless jigs, 
cast Shad Raps near weed beds, and ran bottom bouncers and spinners.

    Second place pro Troy Morris, Bismarck, ND, had 77.21 pounds (winning 
$15,000) compared to Samson’s 84.50 pounds.  John Kolinski, Menasha, Wis., 
was third with 71.65 pounds to win $12,000. A total of $250,000 was awarded. 
  The Miller/In-Fisherman Angler of the Year leader is now Kolinski.  This 
is the first time he has been the Number One professional in the standings. 
As Number One, he will go out first at the next PWT event, Saginaw Bay at 
AuGres, Mich., July 31, Aug. 1-2, where some amateur openings still remain.

    The Dee Zee West Division top 10 pros invited to the Mercury Championship 
as a result of their cumulative weights include the leader James Randash, 
Rapid City, SD, who won a Yamaha ATV 4-wheeler valued at $5,200.  The pros 
from second through tenth:  John Peterson, Bemidji, Minn.; Tom Backer, 
Fargo, ND; Samson; Rick Franklin, Louisburg, KS; Royce Drye, Spokane, WA; 
Ross Grothe, Apple Valley, Minn.; Rick Gardner, Greeley, CO; Jay Weber, 
Annandale, Minn.; and John Butts, Dryden, Ontario.

    The Mercury Top Amateur of the west division (best place average for three 
tournaments) is James Sigman, Hazen, ND.  Either the west or east Top 
Amateur will represent all amateurs at the Championship.

    The Miller High Life Big Walleye was a 9.08-pounder caught by pro Randash. 
It was worth $3,000.  Samson won $1,000 for a day one 8.50 pound walleye, 
and amateur Todd Acheson, Battle Creek, NE had a 8.92-pounder fishing with 
pro Karyl Walcher, Minneapolis, Minn.  Of the 2,154 fish weighed, most were 
released (75 percent), and it averaged that each contestant donated slightly 
more than one and one-half walleyes over the 3-day event to the senior 
citizens and nursing home residents of the Devils Lake region.

    The Coleman Cool Under Pressure award, given out every PWT tournament since 
the inaugural event in 1989, went to pro Tom Backer.  He advanced 102 places 
and won $1,000.  On the amateur side, Flo Swank, Pierre, SD, moved up 121 
places and earned $600.  Samson and his amateur partner Walt Erdman, West 
Fargo, ND brought 34.21 pounds to the scales on day one to win $500 and $300 
shopping sprees respectively from Gander Mountain.

    A huge crowd of walleye fans camped out in the oak-tree shade at Grahams 
Island State Park too cheer the exciting catches and learn more about how 
and where to fish Devils Lake.  Dick Horner, park superintendent, was 
honored with the PWT “Host Award” for accommodating the pros, amateurs, tech 
service crews and their trailers, and the PWT stage.  Barb Britsch, Devils 
Lake Chamber of Commerce received the PWT “Key Award” for her diligent 
detail efforts.

    The PWT is part of The In-Fisherman Communications Network and PRIMEDIA, and its sponsors include

	Ocean Waves  Sun Glasses
	Real Tree Outdoors
		Macks Lures
	Leer
	COTTON CORDELL	DuBro Fishing  Line
Raytheon Electronics	GUEST Marine Products

Now you can Join all of Walleyes Inc. mailing lists from one spot.  Sign up  to receive notice of updates in the Walleye fishing world and be eligible for great Members only discounts on  and Church Products. Only  from your one stop resource Walleyes Inc. Enter your email address below, then click the 'Sign Up' button