Conchas Lake, New Mexico

Vicious winds of 60-65 mph from the cold front of October 26 muddied even the clear waters of Conchas Lake, New Mexico, usually the clearest lake in the Tri-State Region. It also turned off the walleye bite for the Texas Walleye Association in their Annual Fall Tournament on October 28, as only 9 teams were able to bring fish to the scales.

Of these, only two succeeded in bringing in a 5 fish limit. The Amarillo team of Jeff Cooper and Scott Manske brought in a limit weighing 13.6 lbs. to win 1st place and $480, plus also taking the big fish prize of $120.

The Fritch team of Ed Rodriguez and Donnie Tollison won 2nd and $300 with the only other limit of walleye weighing12.89 lbs.

It was very interesting that both of these teams were fishing exactly the same stretch of water across from one another in the Canadian arm of the lake.

The Kansas father and son team of Bryan and Kenneth Garrison took 3rd and $180 with 3 fish weighing 6.64 lbs.

The father and son team of Hank and Hunter McWilliams of Fritch came in 4th with 6.56 lbs.

Yet another father and son team, Dan Turner of Dumas and Shane Turner of Dalhart took 5th with 3.88 lbs.

The rest of the point winners were: 6th place to Brian Stangel and Dave Thielman of Albuquerque, NM with 2.86 lbs.; 7th Mark Murphy and Montie McMurphy of Woodward, OK with 2.25 lbs.; 8th Donnie Bell and Arvin Cowan of Fritch with 2.25 lbs.; and 9th Kevin and Kalin Audrain of Fritch with 1.65 lbs.

Of particular note, all but one fish were released successfully back into the lake.

The 2007 Tournament Trail resumes in the spring of 2007 with an April 14th Tournament at Ute Lake, New Mexico. For more information on the Texas Walleye Association contact either Donnie Bell at 857-2250, fishinbell123@yahoo.com or Dan Turner at 935-3176, dnturner@valornet.com.

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