The non-profit event is the largest in the state of Minnesota and possibly the nation. It is also one of the most unique as anglers compete in varies divisions besides competing for an overall tournament champion. Awards are given for teams such as "Top Adult/Child Team", "Top Male/Female Team", "Top All Female Team". Chip Leer, Tournament Director puts it this way, "The division format of the Mercury event allows participants to compete at the level or intensity they desire. Anglers may want to tournament fish, yet they believe they can’t compete with Pro’s or Guides. Therefore the divisional format of the tournament allows for a much smaller tournament within a tournament." There are also more typical awards for "Big Fish" each day, "Cool under Pressure" awards for the team most improved from day 1 to day 2. And no team is ever out of it with special awards for the team finishing in 100th place, otherwise known as the "Mediocre" Award, or the "You need Direction" Award for 150th place. All anglers qualify for the door prizes that will top $4000.00 including a new 2001 9.9hp Mercury Outboard. 

You may want to make plans to see the weigh-in’s each day at 3:00 P.M. Cochran’s Marina as anglers will cross the stage with their catch. Especially Sunday as there will be a FREE Kids Fishing Carnival with lots of games and FREE perch fishing and Underwater viewing trips leaving the dock every 45 minutes. The Kids events are set for 1:00-4:00 Sunday June 3rd. 

Major event sponsors include; Mercury Outboards, Leech Lake Area Chamber, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, Zercom Marine, Northland Fishing Tackle,Coleman, Aqua Vu, First National Bank of Walker, Northern Lights Casino and Marine Max Cochran’s.

For information on the kids events call the Leech Lake Area Chamber at 218-547-1313 or the First National Bank of Walker, 218-547-1160 .

FINAL PRESS RELEASE 
JUNE 4, 2001

Contact:  Tournament Director, Chip Leer 218-547-4714  chipleer@djam.com
Contact: Leech Lake Area Chamber, Stacey Lundberg, 218-547-1313

Lucky Penny Worth Over $10,000.00 

      200 teams competed for over $60,000.00 at the Leech Lake Mercury Walleye Classic June 2-3 for a record catch of 1607 fish. Yet only one team found “lucky penny” on the ground just before the tournament began. Their luck continued on Leech Lake catching 12 fish averaging 3.92 lbs. each and earning them the 1st place  check for $10,000.00.  The team also had Big Fish day two and won the Zercom Marine “real-time” catch award bringing their total earnings for the tournament to $12,173.33 in cash and prizes. 
      Brad Rassmussen, Grand Rapids, MN, found two penny’s on the ground at the the campground they were staying at and put one in his partners, Gordon Fothergill’s, also of Grand Rapids, pocket just before the tournament never telling him. The superstitious move proved effective as the two topped the field  weighing 47.06 LBS.  The 2001 Mercury Walleye Classic Champions explained,  “It was our 4th year fishing the tournament with two previous 6th place finishes and one bad year, this tournament, everything went right, it was a dream.  We had our fish by 12:30-1:00 each day, then moved and fished closer to the tournament headquarters so we wouldn’t be late returning”. 
     Fothergill and Rassmussen used numerous techniques to boat the winning catch. Concentrating their efforts in deeper water they found that versatility in fishing can pay big dividends. “We changed our presentations many times trying to see what the fish wanted” the Grand Rapids, MN team explained. The second place team of David Shogren and Dave Vannest gave Fothergill and Rassmussen a good scare with a large limit the second day.  However the 43.58 LBS. total Shogren and Vannest brought to the scales did leave them smiling as they cashed $6000.00 for second and also won prizes from Zercom Marine.   Third place team of Donald and Michael Olson tipped the scales with 39.88 LBS. and weighted their wallets with a check for $3500.00.

     The Mercury Walleye Classic is a very unique tournament as contestants not only compete for overall champions yet also compete for divisional awards as well.  Listed below are the divisional winners;

ABU GARCIA “ALL FEMALE”  DIVISION
     4 teams competed in the “all female” division during the 2001 tournament and topping the field was Janice Pomerleau and DeLavon LaMoore with 7 fish and a total weight of 20.12 lbs. worth $1500.00 courtesy of Abu Garcia Fishing Reels.

FENWICK “MALE/FEMALE” DIVISION
The husband wife combination of Judy and Dean Jehlicka caught 6 fish each day and a total weight of 33.55 lbs. to earn them a $1500.00 check courtesy of Fenwick Fishing Rods.

BERKLEY “ADULT/CHILD” DIVISION
A father and son team of Mark and Brandon Brandt put it all together for two days and weighed in 24.38 LBS.   Their teamwork earned them top honors of this division and a check for $1500.00 courtesy of Berkley Fishing.

COLEMAN “COOL UNDER PRESSURE” AWARD
Leech Lake Guide Coalition Guide, Mark Christianson and Harvey Lueck know pressure as they are 3 time Mercury Walleye Classic Champions.  After a difficult day on day 1 bringing only 7.27 lbs. to the scale they re-grouped and caught a beautiful limit day two advancing them 92 places and a check for $1500.00 courtesy of Coleman Outdoor Products. 

NORTHERN LIGHTS “HORIZON AWARD” 
The anglers call it the “incredibly mediocre” award because the team who finishes exactly in the middle, 100th place earns this title.  Worth $1500.00 courtesy of Northern Lights Casino, the happy mediocre team for 2001 is Jeff Eichorn and Dan Andrews. 

ZERCOM MARINE “REAL-TIME” CATCH AWARDS
   This award goes to the heaviest catch’s each day.  Day 2 honors go to the team that finished 2nd, David Shogren and Mark Vannest with a basket weighing 23.6 Lbs.  The big limit of the tournament was caught on the first day and by the event champions Gordon Fothergill and Brad Rasmussen.  The 6 fish limit weighed 24.76 LBS.  Each team was awarded fishing depthfinders courtesy of Zercom Marine.

LOWRANCE “YOU NEED DIRECTION”  AWARD
     At times tournament fishing doesn’t always go as anticipated.  Therefore Lowrance Electronics wanted to help anglers who may need some direction.  The team who finishes 150th overall does so Lowrance gives them a GPS system.  This year the team of Dion Pederson and Bill Conner now knows how to get there!

BIG FISH CASH POT
The big fish cash pot totaled $3820.00.  The cash is split 3 ways, big fish day 1, big fish day 2, and big fish for the tournament.  Day two the tournament champions of Gordon Fothergill and Brad Rassmussen caught a 6.83 LB walleye worth $1273.33.  The big fish honors for the tournament go to Allen Schaeffer and Jack Kedrowski with a 8.63 LB walleye caught day 1 and earning them a check for $2546.66.

9.9 MERCURY OUTBOARD WINNER
     $4000.00 in door prizes were given away during the event and the Grand Door Prize was a 9.9 Outboard donated by Mercury.  The winner of the 9.9 Mercury was Craig Kerpius.

EVENT SPONSORS:  LEECH LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MERCURY OUTBOARDS, ZERCOM MARINE, ABU GARCIA, FENWICK, BERKLEY, COLEMAN FISHING, NORTHERN LIGHTS CASINO, FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF WALKER, NORTHLAND FISHING TACKLE, AQUA VU, LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS,  MARINE MAX COCHRANS, LUND BOATS, CENTENNIAL NATIONAL BANK, AGENCY BAY RESORT, OFF SHORE TACKLE, BIELOHS FAMILY FOODS, ORTONS, SUBWAY, TRUE VALUE HARDWARE, THOMPSON RENT-ALL AND CATERING, FIRST FEDERAL BANK, BEST WESTERN BEMIDJI, MAXXUM RIGGING, MINNESOTA FISHING HALL OF FAME, CELLULAR 2000, REEDS SPORTING GOODS,