2001 PWT Championship Final Results
September 13 - 15

Gofron Caps Remarkable Career with PWT Championship $100,000 Victory

Bismarck, North Dakota....To a tremendous 6,000-walleye fan ovation, crowd favorite Mike Gofron captured the prestigious $100,000 first prize today. The Dodge/Mercury Championship in Bismarck brought the “Best-of-the-Best” walleye anglers under one roof.

The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) touring pros also cheered Gofron, the Antioch, Illinois, angler who has the most top 10 PWT finishes (24). This pushes the jigging expert to winnings over $300,000. He fished the Porcupine Creek area, 18 - 22 feet deep, but the key to his success was the Buck-Shot rattling jig he fished vertically. Tipped with fathead minnows, Gofron was catching five times the fish as other jiggers. “Going through numbers and making the right decision about which ones to keep made the difference,” he said. He weighed 27.49 pounds for a new Dodge truck, 20-foot Lund boat, Mercury 200 outboard, Eagle Trailer and $45,000 cash. He also won a $10,000 bonus from Mercury Outboards.

The tremendous enthusiasm inside the Bismarck Civic Center became electrifying as the winner of the past two Championships, Ron Seelhoff, Burlington, CO, inched with ounces of his third straight victory. Seelhoff weighed 26.26 pounds over the three days, and won a $30,000 Lund/Mercury boat package. He has two firsts, three seconds and a fifth in the last six Championships. Close behind was Tom Backer, Fargo, ND, with 25.80 pounds. Bill St Peter was fourth overall and caught a 5.33-pounder, the Bass Pro Shops $800 big fish of the day. He won a total of $800. Overall, Daryl Christensen, won $1,000 for a 6.23 pound walleye on day two, the largest of the Championship.

Governor John Hoeven welcomed the anglers and fans saying, “Its really great to have the PWT pros in our state.” He also noted the special tribute made by the pros each day. On day two all pros pulled their lines from noon to 12:15 for a period of personal reflection and prayer.

Special awards went to Bill St Peter, Bay City, MI, for the largest one day catch, 11.16 pounds. He won $500 as the Storm Heavyweight winner. For advancing 26 places Ron Seelhoff, Burlington, CO, and Bill St Peter, Bay City, MI tied for the $1,000 Coleman Cool Under Pressure award. Gofron also won the $1,000 T-H Marine Live Release award. Of the 591 walleyes weighed, more than 95 percent were released into the Missouri River by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

The PWT and sponsor Yamaha All-Terrain Vehicles donated a Big Bear $5,000 ATV to the North Dakota group Lure’em for Life which conducts youth fishing camps. They also received $1,000 cash from Mid-Continent Communications, the local cable company, which assisted the PWT television show crew.

Hundreds of youngsters cheered their personal favorites. Each day 500 kids received the free tackle, free Plano tackle boxes and free Silstar spinning rods and reels.

A total of $250,000 was distributed to all contestants, raising the total PWT payout to more than $11,000,000 since 1989. One contestant, Mercury Top Amateur Rich Sidor, Clarendon Hills, IL, qualified and won $4,000 as the top ranking amateur. Fishing his first “pro” tournament, he said after the final day, “Now I know why the pros sit on the right side of the boat.”

The contestants praised the quality and quantity of walleyes on the river and the upper reaches of Lake Oahe. Even though they could only keep five walleyes, with one over 18 inches, two-thirds of the pros landed limits everyday.

The PWT is part of PRIMEDIA, Inc., America’s leading producer of targeted media headquartered in New York City. PWT sponsors include: Aqua Vu, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley PowerBait, Berkley Trilene, Blue Fox Tackle, Carhartt, Coleman, Cotton Cordell, Daiichi hooks, Dee Zee, Dodge truck, Eagle Claw, Eagle Trailers, Evercel, Flambeau, Guest chargers, IMCO Boat Buckles Lindy Little Joe, Lowrance Electronics, Lund Boats, Mack’s Lure, Marinco, Mercury Outboards, MinnKota, Rapala Lures, Northland Tackle, Oceanwave sunglasses, Pinnacle rods and reels, Plano, RAM, Raytheon Marine, Real Tree, Shimano rods, Storm Lures, T-H Marine, Yamaha all terrain vehicles, Bismarck/Mandan Convention & Visitors Bureau (800-767-3555) and North Dakota Tourism (800-HELLOND).