Kevin McQuoid Comes From Behind to Win the FLW Walleye Tour at Winnebago-Sponsored by Evinrude

It was one of the most exciting finishes to an FLW Walleye Tour event this season when Kevin McQuoid of Isle, MN came to the scales with enough weight to knock Rick Oslon, of Mina, SD off the 'Hot Seat', to take over the lead.

Rick, who went out in 6th place today brought in the largest basket of fish, with 13.13 pounds, and sat in the 'Hot Seat' while three anglers weighed in. It wasn't until Kevin brought in his 13.11 pounds of Walleye that he would be asked to give up the seat. This is "Ole's" 42nd top ten finish, and he's happy about that, but said that, "It sure would be nice to win one, you know? I think I'm coming to the end of my career before too long.  I don't know if I'm going to get one or not. I guess it's got to be up at Bismarck then". (laughs)

Juls: That would be the right one to win!

Rick: You've got that right. I would have a lot of people there, because it's so close to home. That would be a really good one to win. (smiles)

With only two anglers to weigh in, Kevin waited nervously as Brad Davis of Jackon, WI brought his 5 fish to the stage. Brad was in second place going out today, and brought in a basket of walleye that weighed in at 9.14 pounds, but came up short when the total over four days was revealed.

With only one Pro and Co Angler left to weigh in, Kevin McQuoid and his Co Angler, Larry Oleson of Wisconsin Rapids were sweating in the 'Hot Seats'. Tom Hoinacki has been the most consistant angler this week, and was pegged to win it all by speculators, but brought in his smallest limit of the week with only 9.5 pounds, and loud cheers from the McQuoid camp were soon to be heard.

(see video #7 for a post win interview between Kevin and the Linder Media Group)

LMG: Kevin, you just won $70,000.00...how does it feel?

Kevin: This is awesome. This is one lake that I've fought for many many years and to come out on top this time is incredible. I had a plan that worked 4 days in a row, flawlessly, and it's awesome. I couldn't of asked for any better tournament.

We got into  some weed fish earlier, and they were consistant right on through. Each day I got lucky and got one nicer fish out in the mud, trolling, and the combination of the two was definitely the key.

LMG: What does this mean for your career and your family?

Kevin: Well, 70,000.00...it's hard to grab it and run, so I'm hoping I'm going to be around here for a few more years.

LMG: It appears you have a lot of support from your family here...

Kevin: Yeah, I really do. My wife and son came out from Minneapolis yesterday, and my Dad and Linda came out from Mille Lacs Lake today, just to watch us, and at that point I had no idea I was going to win this....it's an awesome feeling!

Co Angler, Larry Oleson's goal was to make the top ten (see day3PM article on the Live Leader Board), but wanted more than anything to win a second event this season on the Co Angler side, and he did it.

Juls: So, Larry, how does it feel to not only have made your third top ten this season, but to have also won two of them?

Larry Oleson: Outstanding! I'm just happy! I'm just happy it's all come to an end, and come to an end the way it has. I've looked forward to this now for four years. I've been very competitive all my life, and you've seen it, and now I've seen it, and other guys have seen it, and I just...I can't thank these Pros enough. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be talking to you right now.

Juls: It must be your military training, or your lifestyle that keeps you so young and in good shape. My Dad is only two years older than you, and he's in good health, but I wouldn't let him get in a boat with some of these guys (laughing)...what's your secret?

Larry: Well, I've got a good wife and she takes care of me, and I'm a hard worker, and it all paid off.

Larry took home a nice check for $14,133.00 for his efforts this week.

(For a quick glance at the final moments before Kevin wins $70,667.00 please see video number 6 on the Live Leader Board at www.liveleaderboard.com)

The top ten winners on the Pro side are:

1. Kevin McQuoid of Isle, MN with a 4 day total of 50-5 pounds
2. Tom Hoinacki, of Waupun, WI with a 4 day total of 48-15
3. Rick Olson, of Mina, SD with a 4 day total of 48-7
4. Brad Davis, of Jackson, WI with a 4 day total of 47-13
5. Chris Gilman, of Chisago City, MN with a 4 day total of 47-3
6. Jimmy Hughes, of Oshkosh, WI with a 4 day total of 45-12
7. Robert Crow, of Paterson, WA with a 4 day total of 43.7
8. Brian Deffner, of Eland, WI with a 4 day total of 42-13
9. Pat Neu, of Forestville, WI with a 4 day total of 42-3
10. Bill Shimota of Lonsdale, MN with a 4 day total of 39-0

The top ten winners on the Co Angler side are:

1. Larry Oleson, of Wisconsin Rapids with a 4 day total of 48-7
2. Del Ringling, of Valley, NE with a 4 day total of 48-3
3. Robert Brunz, of Madison Lake, MN with a 4 day total of 47-1
4. Donald Doran, of Sun Prairie, WI with a 4 day total of 45-14
5. James Muntean, of Maplewood, MN with a 4 day total of 45-2
6. Richard Dobbs, of Woodridge, IL with a 4 day total of 44-15
7. Don Cozzie, of Orland Park, IL with a 4 day total of 41-12
8. Tad Saunders, of Fond du Lac, WI with a 4 day total of 41-7
9. Mike Wiza of Stevens Point, WI with a 4 day total of 41-1
10. Korey Sprengel, of Beaver Dam, WI with a 4 day total of 38.5

To find out how each of the top ten pros were fishing, and where they were fishing, please see the FLW Bago Day4AM article on the LLB.

For more information on fishing an FLW event, please see their website at www.flwoutdoors.com

The top 50 Pros and Co Anglers who qualified for the No Entry Fee Championship in North Dakota Oct. 3-6th are posted on the FLW website at: http://walleyetour.flwoutdoors.com/standings.cfm?cid=5&did=0&tyear=2009&redirect=0

Thanks for joining us here on Walleye Central for the FLW Walleye Tour event in Oshkosh, WI.

The next FLW Walleye Tour event will be the Championship out in Bismark, ND October 3-6th, 2009.

The next Live Leader Board event is the MWC/NTC out at Devils Lake July 25th and 26th, 2009. Jake and Dennis Kraus will be the men in charge of interviews, photos, and daily articles. They also plan to have a live feed of the event, so anyone who can't make the event, can watch it on their computers from anywhere there is an internet connection! There will also be a chat set up, so you can talk with your friends while you watch the weigh in.

Hope to see you all there!

• More articles by Julia (Juls) Davis
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