Fishing as a Co-Angler in the RCL

[Guest]

I fished all Four Tournaments in the RCL. And I have some pics to share from Lake Erie.
I left for Port Clinton on the Friday before the tournament so I had 6 days to fish Lake Erie. 6 Days I will never Forget!

I had caught quite a few 9 pders in Red Wing MN but that took YEARS to do. In Lake Erie we would catch about 10 a day.

During prefishing I spent my days in the boat with Steve Delain whos also from Red Wing MN.

Most of the fishing we did out there was trolling large crank baits about 50 60 ft back with a planner board cruzin from 1.0mph up to 3.5mph.

Trolling big water like that was way differnt then trolling back home. We had trolls that would last an hour, and rarely were you bored!

We would have troubles keeping the rods in the water(It was the best "night mare" ever to happen!!)There were so many times where you would have all 4 rods bent over it was crazy trying to get them all in and keeping them untangled.

[This message has been edited by Brian Sander (edited 06-25-2003).]

[fishermann222]

a couple good buddies of mine fish the RCL as pro's. I was asked to come out and pre fish with one of them but unfortunately I missed out. I heard it was AWESOME. lots of pics like I see you have also. how was devils? when I talked to my buddies up there a few days before the tournament they said it was tough. hwo did ya do?

[Guest]

We did have a couple of days where the cranks were not working very well, so we would switch to crawlers and spinners.

You would be trolling along and the boards would point straight up then go under. It was unbelieveable!!!

During the tournement I fished with Day 1 Christian Barnett who was from Ohio. (Also Robert Smith of the Vikes collage roomate)
And we had an awsume day fishing 32 pds, and the first 3 hours of the day we couldnt keep all the lines in the water.

Day 2 I had the chance to fish with Rick Olsen. Which was another Awsume day on the water!!! (Plus I got to drive my first HUMMER )
We weighed 38 Pds and had a great day of fishing in Canada!

I ended up in 27th place which qualified me to fish in the Championship which is at home for me in Red Wing $75,000.00.
Im pretty pumped up for this Oct, and definitly glad I fished a year as a co-angler you sure learn alot of information fishing with that many pros !!!

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RiverTown Guiding
Mississippi River Pools 3-4
http://www.geocities.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[This message has been edited by Brian Sander (edited 06-26-2003).]

[SpringerGuy]

Nice job Brian!

I fished the PWT a few years on the am side and yes ut is worth the time & money to go out with the pros. Would recommend it to everyone to try it for at least one tournament. Walleye or Bass.

Try a Pro/Am format someday.

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Tom Miller
Tournament Director
Minnesota Walleye Trail
www.polebender.com

[walleyewacker]

Do all of these big tournys have an am or co-angler side like that or do alot of the pros bring their own sidekicks? What do these generally cost for an amateur? I am 18 and waiting for the time and money to make a run at some of these and try something out. I live for this stuff and want to get my foot in the door somehow.

[Deerslayer]

WALLEYEWACKER

ALL THE PWT & RCL HAVE CO-ANGLER SIDE, THE PRO'S DO BRING PEOPLE WITH TO PREFISH BUT ALOT OF THEM LOOK FOR GUYS TO GO OUT WITH, IT HELPS THEM WHEN THERE IS MORE RODS IN THE WATER AND TO GIVE A LITTLE HELP AT THE END OF THE DAY. THE DAY BEFORE THE TOURNY THEY HAVE A RULES MEETING. THERE YOU FIND OUT WHO YOUR GOING TO FISH WITH, IT'S DONE BY COMPUTER, SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU MIT DRAW. AS FAR THE MONEY THE PWT IS ABOUT $600.00 AND THE RCL IS $500.00 THEY PAY BACK A LONG WAYS SO THE CHANCE OF GETTING YOUR MONEY BACK ARE GOOD PLUS WHAT YOUR GOING TO LEARN AND THAT'S PRISELESS! I FISH BOTH PWT & RCL ON THE CO-ANGLER SIDE. IT'S BEEN A BLAST AND I HAVE MET ALOT OF NEW FREINDS, I WOULD TELL ANYONE TO GIVE IT A TRY. IF YOU HAVE ANYMORE ?'S I WOULD GLADLY TRY TO HELP.

[walleyewacker]

Thanks alot you guys thats what I was looking for. I live in the wrong area for the big tourny lakes and like I said before it is only a matter of time because of college and cash and my job now but I hope to be there soon. Maybe I can get a few things straight and see you around next summer.

[Mille Lacs Guy]

You may want to look into the RCL League if you want to fish as a Co-Angler. The RCL League is different than the regular RCL. In the RCL league it is either $75 or $100 depending on if it is a 1 day or a potential for 2 days, which is the Super Tournament. In Minnesota this year there are/were 3 events scheduled. The 1st one was the Mississippi near Red Wing, the second was Mille lacs in early July, and the last one is a Super Tournament at Leech lake the last weekend in July. I am signed up for the Leech lake event. The RCL league is a good place to start tourny fishing and is a lot cheaper than the PWT or RCL, although I plan on giving them a try next year.

[gamakatsu]

Hey guys
how about a little info on how i would go about getting signed up for next year tourneys as a co-partner. Who would you talk to or call on this? Any info on this would be appreciated.

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gamakatsu

[Scott Steil]

Tounament schedules come out in December for the next year. That is the time to see how things fit into your calendar and make some calls. The sooner you sign up the better. If you are thinking about fishing any of the RCL events as a Co-Angler let me know. I am fishing all of them as a pro and if we sign up together, your odds of getting in are much better.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[walleyewacker]

I am thinking about it, would be next year cuz it probably too late for anything this year. It all depends on the schedule set for next year. Where can I check this out when it does come out?

[Guest]

walleyewacker,

Like Scott said the entry form comes out in Dec.

You should try and get a packet and then fill out the entry form and send it in.

I think you can do it on flwoutdoors. com /RCL.

Depending on how I do this fall I might just fish as a co-angler 1 more year, You can never learn enough!

Fisherman222,
Devils Lake was a great trip, caught alot of fish but not many huge ones.

Thats alot differnt way of fishing. It was like bass fishing (pitchin in the trees).
I prefished a week with Rick Nasack from MN and that was really his gig. We caught alot of fish!


After the first day of the tournament I was in the middle of the pack, but for day 2 I drew the guy in first place!!! BUT the wind blew us off the spots.
But it was fun!

-------------
RiverTown Guiding
Mississippi River Pools 3-4
http://www.geocities.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[This message has been edited by Brian Sander (edited 07-22-2003).]

[can it be luck?]

Brian, Isn't L. Erie just plain nuts! I spend 1-3 weeks a year fishing Kelly's Island and its reef complex. I think it's a must do for any walleye fisherman, or even bass for that matter. Trophy fish are to be expected on a daily basis and not just one or two, they're all big! I dont know if you did any drift fishing, with the tournament and all, but when you get a hit on the crawler harness the poles doubles over and you feel like you're snagged until you feel the thumpin. Planer boards, they pull them down like bobbers! Definitly a must do for all. Cheap too. can it be luck?

[walleyewacker]

I was in the waubay area a week ago, mostly for the crappies, but obviously had to tap into some walleyes on the side. It was my first time in that area and I gotta say you dont see many lakes with houses and barns under water, much less all the timber. Like you said it is more like bass fishing and is a whole new style to learn. Is it possible to prefish and not enter the tourny or is it all connected?