MWT at Lake Pepin (Pool 4)

[SpringerGuy]

TEAM BENSON CRANKS UP A MISSISSIPPI RIVER WIN
The fourth and final Qualifier of the Minnesota Walleye Trail’s (MWT) 2003 season was held on the Mississippi River (Pool 4) at Red Wing on Sunday, August 10th. The event was won by the team of Jack and Jay Benson, from Oakdale and Becida, respectively, with a six walleye tournament limit weighing 20.49 lbs.. The win earned the pair a $2000.00 first place check. Team Benson also had the largest fish of the day weighing 7.33 lbs to earn them an additional $500.00 cash. Finishing in second place, also with a six walleye limit, were brothers Mark and Brian Berle, from Gibbon and Prior Lake. Their catch weighed 14.79 lbs. and won them $1,250.00. Netting third place were Larry Hogan of North Mankato and partner Matt Yach of Janesville with a six walleye limit weighing 13.26 lbs. earning them a $1,000.00 check.
The MWT’s 44 mile long stretch of tournament legal water on the Mississippi River is a diverse section which includes Lake Pepin. Numerous fishing techniques can be employed here to catch walleyes. Team Benson won the event by trolling black and silver # 5 Shad Raps in 4’ to 6’ of water in the Wisconsin Channel. They caught their 7.33 lb big fish with only a ½ hour remaining in the tournament. Second place finishers, Team Berle, who also fished in the Wisconsin Channel, “dead sticked” nightcrawlers and small leeches on 3-way rigs with very limber rods held in rod holders. Hogan and Yach, in third place, used jigs with crawlers, lindy rigs with leeches, and bottom bouncers with spinners and crawlers to capture their 6 fish by the north entrance to Lake Pepin.
Over $12,000 in cash, trophies, awards, and prizes were up for grabs at this event, including the MWT “Team of the Year” title. The team with the fewest points after the 4 events is determined to be the MWT “Team of the Year”. Teams fishing all four MWT Qualifiers accumulate points throughout the season according to their place of finish in each tournament. The top 30 touring teams are invited to the MWT State Championship to be held on Lake Bemidji in September. Total payout for the 2003 MWT season will exceed $50,000. The popular MWT series has been sold out since last March.
MWT “Team of the Year” honors were awarded to Jeff White of New Brighton and partner Steve Resch, Jr. of Blaine. They received $1,000.00 cash, plus merchandise worth an additional $750.00.
Sponsors of the Minnesota Walleye Trail in 2003 include 4 Seasons Sports in Red Wing, Warrior Boats, Drift Control Sea Anchors, Reef Runner Fishing Lures, WristSaver Rods, Miller Brewing
Co., JB Lures, Whitecaps Splashguards, Phelps Tackle Co., FishingMinnesota.com, Sonny’s Color
Printing, J.D.R.C. Rod Builders, The Judge Tournament Rule, Erichsen Marine Canvas, Masters
Mortgage of MN and the Big Stone Lake Tourism Bureau. For more information call 507-764-2668, or log on to www.polebender.com.

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