Doc Bruce Nets 4th PWT Win at Ottertail
Category: Tournament
Jun 16th, 2006 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jun 16th, 2006 at 12:00 AM
Bruce “Doc” Samson won his fourth PWT tournament, the Lund Pro-Am, part of the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail Super Pro series. He was competing against the top 60 walleye pros in the world on Otter Tail Lake in west-central Minnesota. The Super Pro series, presented by MinnKota, is an invitational, based on past tournament successes. Samson, Minnetrista, Minn., won the $55,000 first prize. Second-place pro Daryl Christensen, Montello, Wis., won $15,000. Mark Christianson, Walker, Minn., was third for $10,000. Samson’s 34.49 pounds was six better than second and nearly 10 more than third. He primarily fished slip bobbers, with the key being 1/16th ounce Northland Thumper jigs. “The tiny spinners on the bottom of the jigs made the difference,” he said. He also credited a tremendous number of hours studying maps over the winter, then saving his trails and best spots each evening on his computer, and reviewing his findings. Samson fished rocky reefs mostly in the mid-lake area. He also found some rock piles on Diamond Flat that produced. Christensen captured second place by casting one-fourth ounce Hopkins spoons with Mustad round bend red #6 hooks. He added no bait and jigged the spoons back to the boat in short hops in 7 to 14 feet of water. The third place Christiansen rigged his way to success. Anglers trolled crankbaits, ran spinners behind bottom bouncers, plus the tactics described by the top three, and tried everything imaginable to put a PWT limit of four walleyes in the boat each day. The walleyes were donated to the Ottertail Nursing Home, the Battle Lake Good Sam Home and the Fergus Falls Veterans Home. The Ottertail Country Association and Lund Boats cooperated to bring the PWT to the area and provided the many volunteers necessary for the success of the mission. Both received PWT Superior Achievement Awards. The final day crowd of 2,000 walleye fans enjoyed the stage ceremonies and the PWT Outdoor Festival. Special awards went to amateur/co-angler winner Bruce Boyne, Wadena, Minn. He won the $15,000 Lund boat, which he announced on stage would be traded immediately on the new Lund 2010 model, a 20-foot tiller with a Merc 175. Boyne also won $500 for the Coleman Big Fish he caught with Christianson on day two. Christianson won $1,500. Christianson also won the E-Cell Heavyweight award of $1,000 for the largest catch of the tournament, 14.22 pounds. Coleman Cool Under Pressure awards went to Dan Plautz, Muskego, Wis., for advancing 44 places, and amateur Chris Roehl, Elizabeth, Minn., for moving up 48 places. Bill Ortiz, Richland Center, Wis., took over the Johnsonville Brats Angler of the Year race. He finished fourth at Ottertail, and was 15th at Chamberlain, SD, the first Super Pro. Standings, photos and bios are posted on the PWT website: professionalwalleyetrail.com. The Super Pros next tour stop is in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in Houghton June 28-30. The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America’s leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, E-Village, Kwik Pfyt, Raymarine, Rapala, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing’s Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport Marketing, Yo-Zuri , Reef Runner and the Ottertail Country Tourism, 218.758.2716.