PWT Heads to Devils Lake for Early Walleyes
Category: Tournament
May 9th, 2006 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified May 9th, 2006 at 12:00 AM
Mike Gofron, one of the walleye world’s all-stars, and 2005 Johnsonville Angler of the Year said, “Devils Lake is one of the most versatile and challenging systems the PWT fishes. I can hardly wait to see it in the spring.”The full field of 120 pros fishing the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail’s Regional series, presented by MotorGuide, shares his sentiment. They compete head-to-head with the walleyes May 24-26 (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday), each trying to catch the largest 5-fish limits for the 3-day tournament.Bragging rights and more than $50,000 goes to the winner. The PWT Berkley/Outdoor Channel Pro-Am involves amateurs/co-anglers who share boats and gear and fish as partners with the pros. Devils Lake resident, guide and touring pro Johnnie Candle said, “Fishing and learning while riding with the pros is a great experience. I look forward to showing off ‘my lake’ to my co-anglers.” He would also like to show off some giant walleyes and win in his adopted hometown. Daily weigh-in activities take place at Graham’s Island State Park, west of the city of Devils Lake. The afternoon weigh-ins (beginning at 3 p.m. and running to about 6 p.m.) are informative and free of charge. Pros share their secrets, especially on day three. They talk about where they fished and what worked best. They describe their tactics. And, the stage show is fun to watch.Pro anglers and their partners will explore every inch of water they can access with their boats. That water has expanded from about 40,000 acres in the early 1990’s to more than 130,000 acres now. The rising water (there’s no outlet to the lake) swept over homes, farms, roads and everything in its path.Winner of the last two PWT trips to Devils Lake, Bruce “Doc” Samson, said, “Even though I won in deep water, this will be an entirely different system in May. It will be new to all of us this year.”The Regional series tour events following are at Mobridge, SD, and Escanaba, Mich., where amateurs may still enter. Devils Lake Chamber, 701-662-4903