Steve Weisman
07-10-2005, 09:30 PM
Ness, Schelhaas Take Lake Oahe Tournament at Spring Creek
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
With 25 teams catching six-fish limits, the teams fishing the South Dakota Region of the Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) put on quite a show at the Lake Oahe Tournament held on Sunday, July 10 at Spring Creek.
Cashing the first place check was the team of Richard Ness and Phil Schelhaas from Ruthton, MN with a six-fish limit weight of 18.17 pounds.
The team of Matt Lyon and Sabrina Lyon from Pierre, SD took the $700 second place check with a six-fish limit weight of 16.4 pounds.
The third place check of $520 went to the team of Scott Berry from Rockford, IL and Gerrick McComsey from Ft. Pierre, SD with a six-fish weight of 15.87 pounds.
"The combination of 100+ degree temperatures and 25 mph winds made fishing tough. However, we still had well over half the field bring six-fish limits to the scales," said GNWC Tournament Director Greg Liebel.
The Cabela's Big Fish Award of a $200 Cabela's shopping spree and $350 in cash from the optional Big Fish Pot went to the team of Dennis Foster from Mellette, SD and Rick Smith from Britton, SD with an 8.36-pound walleye.
Ness and Schelhaas fought off a tough week of pre-fishing to take the title. "We caught one fish each day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, we ran farther north and only caught small fish. Then on the way back, we stopped to fish two points on the east side of the river and right away we caught two fish. We knew that was where we would fish today," said Ness.
Ness and Schelhaas pulled Deep Thunderstick Juniors in 28-32 feet of water. They varied their depths by using Fireline on one rod and a Fireline and snap weights a second rod, but the other two rods with lead core caught more fish. "We worked between the two points and did catch some fish that were suspended in 28-32 feet out off the end of the points in 40 feet of water."
The Lyon duo trolled a flat in 16-25 feet of water with bottom bouncers, plain hooks and a nightcrawler.
McComsey and Berry took third place with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers working points in 18-30 feet of water.
The Yo So Close Award, provided by AMFYOYO, manufacturer of the innovative stowable folding landing net, went to the three teams just finishing out of the money. They include Brian Tordsen and Cal DeJong from Sioux Falls, SD in 11th place; Bob Stalley from Pierre, SD and Austin Earley from Brookings, SD in 12th place; and Jerry Cleveland, SR, from Pierre, SD and Devin Harris from Ft. Pierre, SD in 13th place.
In the race for the South Dakota Region's Yamaha Outboards Team of the Year award, the team of Doug Iverson from Pierre, SD and Rolfe Behrend from Brookings, SD used a 10th place finish at Spring Creek to capture that honor with 24 points. They were followed by Bob Stalley from Pierre, SD and Austin Earley from Brookings, SD with 38 points.
With the regular season now over, GNWC Executive Director Barringer talked about what is coming next for the South Dakota Region. "The top 30 teams will now be preparing for the South Dakota Regional Championship at Lake Angostura on August 27-28. I encourage people to check out our website at www.walleyecup.com to check out the standings and see how the races have gone in each of the seven regions."
Major national sponsors for the GNWC include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Lowrance Electronics, YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU, Aqua Innovations, Cabela's and UpNorthOutdoors.com. National championship sponsors are Towtector Shield and the FoodSource Lure Corporation.
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
With 25 teams catching six-fish limits, the teams fishing the South Dakota Region of the Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) put on quite a show at the Lake Oahe Tournament held on Sunday, July 10 at Spring Creek.
Cashing the first place check was the team of Richard Ness and Phil Schelhaas from Ruthton, MN with a six-fish limit weight of 18.17 pounds.
The team of Matt Lyon and Sabrina Lyon from Pierre, SD took the $700 second place check with a six-fish limit weight of 16.4 pounds.
The third place check of $520 went to the team of Scott Berry from Rockford, IL and Gerrick McComsey from Ft. Pierre, SD with a six-fish weight of 15.87 pounds.
"The combination of 100+ degree temperatures and 25 mph winds made fishing tough. However, we still had well over half the field bring six-fish limits to the scales," said GNWC Tournament Director Greg Liebel.
The Cabela's Big Fish Award of a $200 Cabela's shopping spree and $350 in cash from the optional Big Fish Pot went to the team of Dennis Foster from Mellette, SD and Rick Smith from Britton, SD with an 8.36-pound walleye.
Ness and Schelhaas fought off a tough week of pre-fishing to take the title. "We caught one fish each day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, we ran farther north and only caught small fish. Then on the way back, we stopped to fish two points on the east side of the river and right away we caught two fish. We knew that was where we would fish today," said Ness.
Ness and Schelhaas pulled Deep Thunderstick Juniors in 28-32 feet of water. They varied their depths by using Fireline on one rod and a Fireline and snap weights a second rod, but the other two rods with lead core caught more fish. "We worked between the two points and did catch some fish that were suspended in 28-32 feet out off the end of the points in 40 feet of water."
The Lyon duo trolled a flat in 16-25 feet of water with bottom bouncers, plain hooks and a nightcrawler.
McComsey and Berry took third place with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers working points in 18-30 feet of water.
The Yo So Close Award, provided by AMFYOYO, manufacturer of the innovative stowable folding landing net, went to the three teams just finishing out of the money. They include Brian Tordsen and Cal DeJong from Sioux Falls, SD in 11th place; Bob Stalley from Pierre, SD and Austin Earley from Brookings, SD in 12th place; and Jerry Cleveland, SR, from Pierre, SD and Devin Harris from Ft. Pierre, SD in 13th place.
In the race for the South Dakota Region's Yamaha Outboards Team of the Year award, the team of Doug Iverson from Pierre, SD and Rolfe Behrend from Brookings, SD used a 10th place finish at Spring Creek to capture that honor with 24 points. They were followed by Bob Stalley from Pierre, SD and Austin Earley from Brookings, SD with 38 points.
With the regular season now over, GNWC Executive Director Barringer talked about what is coming next for the South Dakota Region. "The top 30 teams will now be preparing for the South Dakota Regional Championship at Lake Angostura on August 27-28. I encourage people to check out our website at www.walleyecup.com to check out the standings and see how the races have gone in each of the seven regions."
Major national sponsors for the GNWC include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Lowrance Electronics, YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU, Aqua Innovations, Cabela's and UpNorthOutdoors.com. National championship sponsors are Towtector Shield and the FoodSource Lure Corporation.