FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BRADT, MONSON WIN WAL-MART RCL WALLEYE LEAGUE EVENT ON BIG STONE LAKE
ORTONVILLE, Minn. (May 18, 2004) – Boater Steve Bradt of Hudson, Wis., and co-angler Marjorie Monson of North Branch combined for a total of four walleyes weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces to win the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League Minnesota Division tournament held Saturday on Big Stone Lake near Ortonville. Bradt claimed $2,135 plus a $500 contingency bonus for the win, with Monson earning $1,068. Saturday’s event was Bradt’s fist RCL League event, and Monson became the first woman to win an RCL League event on either the boater or co-angler side.
Bradt and Monson caught the winning creel of walleyes by back trolling in 8 to 12 feet of water. Walleyes were sitting on the drop. The pair nearly missed the tournament altogether. Bradt missed a flight and barely made registration and Monson – on the waiting list – got in only after more boaters registered at the last moment.
Finishing second were Steve Bradt’s son, Geoff Bradt of Osceola, Wis. ($1,006.50) and Tom Berscheid of Avon ($503.50) with four walleyes weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Todd Steffensen of Watertown, S.D. ($1,006.50 plus $400 bonus) and George Bjorgaard on Inver Grove Heights ($503.50 plus $200 bonus) caught four walleyes weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces to tie for second place. David Sonsteby of Annandale ($793) and Joe Vandermey of Mazeppa ($396 plus $125 bonus) claimed fourth place with three walleyes that weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces. Finishing fifth were Jim Gregory of Big Stone City, S.D. ($549) and Bryan Berscheid St. Joseph ($274 plus $100 bonus) thanks to a two-walleye catch that weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces. Bryan and Tom Berscheid are brothers.
The Minnesota Division’s next stop will be June 26 on Mille Lacs followed by the final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, July 24-25 on Leech Lake. Boaters and co-anglers who finish in the top 25 in final points standings in each RCL Walleye League division will advance to the $100,000 RCL League Finals Sept. 2-4 on Bays de Noc in Escanaba, Mich. The winning boater at the finals will receive an Evinrude-or Yamaha-powered Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat. Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points awarded to the winner, 199 points for second, and so on, except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 298 to second, and so on.
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League boaters and co-anglers fish together for a combined boat weight, with boaters competing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing against other co-anglers. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League meets the needs of America’s fishing masses by providing professionally administered, close-to-home, affordable events with lucrative cash purses.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League is administered by FLW Outdoors, the world’s leading marketer of competitive fishing. Other FLW Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour, the world’s most lucrative walleye-fishing series; the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world’s most lucrative bass-fishing series; the EverStart Series, designed as a pathway to the FLW Tour; the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League for weekend anglers; and the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com.
For more information about the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or visit FLWOutdoors.com.