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Onamia, MN .... After years of working as a guide on his home lake, Isle, MN, angler Aaron McQuoid has struck out on the quest of a lifetime, pursuing his dream of fishing as a professional angler in a national walleye tournament. His first-ever event as a Pro has ended in bangup fashion, as he won the fourth tour stop, the Lund/Mercury "Viking Quest" on Lake Mille Lacs.
Like many of the top anglers in this field, McQuoid coaxed walleyes from the shallow-water rock piles that can be found surrounding the main basin of this massive natural lake. He banked his chances on walleyes that were devouring schools of baitfish that were feeding in and around the rock islands.
"I^ve been fishing on this lake for 120 days this year," the soft-spoken McQuoid told a press contingent. "And I have a pretty good idea what is going on out here on the lake. All of these fish I caught this week were taken from 12 feet or less of water. I^ve been hitting a lot of spots and takings one or two fish from each location."
McQuoid, like many of the other anglers in this star-studded field, was using slip-bobber rigs. He says a lot of anglers fail to realize that bobber fishing is nothing more than a precision vertical jigging approach in shallow water.
McQuoid^s Day Three weight was 20.58 pounds, earning him the top Pro prize, valued at more than $22,000, including a new Lund 1800 Pro-V Tournament Series boat, 150 horsepower XR6 Mercury motor and trailer.
Finishing in the runner-up spot was veteran NAWA Pro Chuck Miller, of Suamico, WI. After fishing Mille Lacs in several past tournaments, Miller has come to believe that the rock bite is totally dependent upon wind. Miller, too, found his fish on the shallow water rock piles. He feels the wind and wave action shakes loose tiny organisms upon which baitfish feed. When this happens, it also creates something of a smorgasbord for hungry walleyes.
"With the wind blowing, I knew we could find fish on the rock piles," Miller said at the press conference. "When those waves kicked in today, so did the walleyes."
Miller^s Day Three catch of 15.33 pounds earned him a total of $5,943.
Michael W. Herrick, the St. Louis Park, MN pro and former NAWA "Quest" Champion, finished in third with a catch weighing 12.62 pounds. Like the first and second place finishers, Herrick banked on the walleyes he found feeding on the rocks.
"It^s no secret that the rock bite turns on when the wind blows," Herrick told reporters after the awards ceremony. "Not every rock pile has fish on it, but the ones that do will produce fish. We all knew there were walleyes biting on Three Mile Reef, so many of us spent a great deal of time fishing that spot. This is a bite that has just turned on these fish are just at the starting point of their late-season transition. There will be a lot of anglers that find good fishing on these spots when the wind is blowing and then find the fish gone once the wind diminishes."
Herrick^s third place finish earned him $5,200 in cash winnings.
Sitting atop the amateur standings at the conclusion of the final day was John Madson of Cokato, MN, who came to the scales with 20.58 pounds, having been paired with Aaron McQuoid, Madson takes home a new Lund 1700 Angler SS boat, 90 horsepower Mercury motor and trailer valued at $14,000.
Finishing second in the amateur division was Jack Marcus of Tinley Park, IL. Marcus received a $520 payday for his efforts. Third place and $446 in winnings went to Iron River, MI, amateur Rick Erickson.
Pros and Amateurs and their place of finish after today^s competition include:
PL ANGLER^S WGT $ WON
1. Aaron McQuoid, Isle, MN
John Madson, Cokato, MN 20.58 lbs $22,286
$14,000
2. Chuck Miller, Suamico, WI
Jack Marcus, Tinley Park, MN 15.33 lbs $5,943
$520
3. Michael Herricks, St Louis Park, MN
Rick Erickson, Iron River, MI 12.62 lbs $5,200
$446
4. Mark Broderick, East Bethel, MN
John semenchuk, Camden, SAC 11.63 lbs $3,714
$371
5. Rick Olson, Mina Lake, SD
Bob Brand, Hugo, MN 10.80 lbs $2,971
$371
6. Mike Livermore, Wyoming, MN
Douglas Coles, Mendota Heights, MN 10.59 lbs $2,006
$371
7. Todd Riley, Amery, WI
Jonathan Vogues, Anoka, MN 10.27 lbs $1,486
$297
8. Kevin McQuoid, Isle, MN
Steve Semenchuk, Duluth, MN 9.82 lbs $1,114
$297
9. Norb Warlock, Conover, WI
Joe Puccio, Madison, WI 11.63 lbs $891
$297
10. Dean Nate, Sartell, MN
Call Clause, veradale, WHA 8.80 lbs $743
$297
11. Im Bell, Blaine, MN
John Carney, West Valley, NY 7.58 lbs $743
$223
12. Jim Paterson, Elk River, MN
Jim Lind, Harris, MN 5.05 lbs $743
$223
13. Gill Mallet, Jefferson, SD
Chad Christianson, White Bear Lake, MN 3.98 lbs $743
$223
14. Eric Naig, Cylinder, IA
Ray Davidson, Webster City, IA 2.60 lbs $743
$223
15. Dan Stier, Pierce, SD
Dan Galbincea, Cortland, OH 3.21 lbs $743
$223
As well as taking the top prize, Aaron McQuoid, Isle, MN, and John Madson, Cokato, MN, captured the $500 Day Three "winnebago Whopper" Award for their 8.75 lbs walleye Blaine, MN, Pro Im Bell earned the $500 kawasaki Come Back Award here today after climbing 34 places after the first day of competition.
Tournament anglers will return to the water tomorrow for Day One of the Lund/Mercury "Team Challenge" the sixth of NAWA^s exciting high-profile two-day team competition.
Uploaded: 9/4/1999
Uploaded: 9/4/1999