OVER $15,000.00 AWARDED AT MINNESOTA WALLEYE TRAIL’S
OTTER TAIL LAKE QUALIFIER

    The fourth and final Qualifier of the Minnesota Walleye Trail (MWT) 2004 season was held on Otter Tail Lake near Battle Lake, MN on Sunday, August 8^th.  The event was won by the team of Wayne Johnson of Miltona and partner Tom Johnson of Ottertail, with one of only two tournament limits of 6 walleyes to be weighed in.  Their catch would tip the scales to 10.12lbs entitling them to a $2,500.00 first place check and plaques by less than ½ pound.  Team Johnson were also fishing out of a Warrior Boat, the Official Boat of the MWT, which would earn them an additional $1,000.00 through the Warrior Cash Tournament High Achievers program offered by Warrior Boats.  Capturing 2^nd place were Jack and Jay Benson from Oakdale and Becida.  Their catch of 3 walleyes, which included a 4.43lber, weighed 9.65 lbs, which landed them a $1,500.00 check along with the 2^nd place plaques.  Their biggest walleye was also the 2^nd largest of the tournament and earned them an additional $180.00.  Netting 3^rd place were Pat and Jim Gibbons from Lino Lakes and St. Paul.  Team Gibbons would weigh 5 walleyes for a total of 9.35lbs and would cash a $1,250.00 check.

    Big Fish honors for the tournament went to Tim Damon and Jason Syring from Wyoming and Forest Lake, respectively, with a 5.68 lb walleye for which the pair received $500.00 cash and a pair of Beckman landing nets.  Damon and Syring also finished in 6^th place in the 75 team tournament for an additional $800.00.

    MWT “Team of the Year” was also determined at Otter Tail Lake as this was the last Qualifier of the season before the State Championship.  Mark Daschner of Armstrong, IA and partner Troy Behsman of Cleveland would claim the title and $2000.00 cash for their efforts.  Daschner and Behsman would lead the Team of the Year point standings from wire to wire as they won the first Qualifier of the season and follow it up with two impressive 4^th place finishes in the next two Qualifiers.  They would finish in the middle of the field at Otter Tail Lake, but it was enough to hold onto the lead in the point standings and capture the title by 6 points over Bryan Winterfeldt of Dassel and partner Don Neubarth of Hutchinson.

    The next stop on the MWT schedule is the State Championship, September 11^th & 12^th, on the Woman / Girl Lake chain at Longville.  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 Championship.  Total payout for the 2004 MWT season will exceed $63,000.  The entire MWT series has been “sold out” since mid-March.