Pundits’ Picks Walleye: Devils Lake

Staff gets first victory, Harsh maintains lead

Round 2 of the walleye version of Pundits’ Picks was a major improvement over Round 1, as scores were up across both divisions. Much of that had to do with the fishery itself. Several pros live on or near Pools 3, 4 and 5 of the Mississippi River and to no one’s surprise, those local river rats provided plenty of Pundit points.

Pete Harsh, known around the walleye world for his four PWT victories, is making a nice name for himself in the land of punditry. At the midway point in the regular season, Harsh leads with 1169 points, followed closely by Eric Olson with 1165. Olson picked both the pro winner at Red Wing, Jason Przekurat, and the second place pro, Nick Johnson, yet still didn’t achieve the highest score for the tournament. That distinguished honor went to yours truly. I can’t help but imagine how high my score would have been had Todd Riley checked in on time on day one. Riley finished the tournament with roughly 28 pounds, but caught another 13 or 14 on day one that couldn’t be weighed. If Riley makes it back in time, I think all five of my picks are in the top-20. Ah professional fishing, the wonderful world of what ifs.

Last thing, the disclaimer: The picks in this column in no way represent any sort of favoritism on the part of FLW Outdoors staff or its pro anglers. These are merely guesses – only arguably educated – as to who we think might do well at any given tournament. With that in mind, here are the picks.

– Brett Carlson

Tournament site

Stop No. 3 on the 2007 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour takes us to the vast prairie pond of Devils Lake near the town of Devils Lake, N.D. Perhaps the most enjoyable of any event on the schedule, this lake is home to absolutely incredible walleye fishing. Anglers truthfully have caught more than 100 walleyes during a single day on this lake. And the best part is that they can be caught on a number of presentations. The two most popular tactics are fishing slip bobbers with leeches and casting crankbaits, but trolling and jigging usually play a role. The bobber bite is unbeatable during stable weather. But when the prairie winds howl, casting crankbaits is usually the best route to the top of the leaderboard. Each of the past two years, high winds have squelched a hot bobber bite on the final day of competition. Last year, in an eerily similar fashion to 2005, Portland, N.D., native Troy Sand dug deep and came back from seventh place to win his first Walleye Tour event. Just like Dustin Kjelden, the pro winner on Devils Lake in 2005, Sand began day four in seventh place. And also like Kjelden, Sand used an assortment of crankbaits to complete his improbable comeback. Look for this year’s winning weight over four days to be right around 90 pounds.

Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour stop No. 3

Devils Lake, Devils Lake, N.D.

June 6-9

Rick LaCourse FLW Walleye Tour pro Port Clinton, Ohio Record: 1-1 Points: 1088	VS.	Sharon Reynolds Tournament administrator FLW Outdoors Record: 0-2 Points: 955
1) MARK COURTS.Mark is always a threat on Devils. Just look at his track record you’ll see several top finishes. He’ll pull out all the tricks like casting cranks, rigging, or slip bobbering to catch big weights this year. 2) JASON PRZEKURAT.Again, I’m riding this horse until he drops. The BP pro, in my mind, is on track for his second Angler of the Year title and will not let me down at Devils. He has proven in the past that he can make the right decisions when needed. 3) KEVIN MCQUOID.Kevin will be tough this year. He always seems to find the fish on Devils Lake, even under the toughest conditions. His brother Aaron now lives and guides on the lake, so he will have the most up-to-date info on the bite. 4) RICK FRANKLIN.Rick is having a good year on tour. Coming off a top-10 finish at the last event, I look for him to make a big move here. His versatility and hard work will pay off big time. 5) JERRY HEIN.A past winner on Devils Lake, along with several other top-20 finishes, make Hein one to keep an eye on next week. Jerry has all the tools in his tackle box to chase these nomadic walleyes, and has faired well using them in the past.		1) JERRY HEIN.Jerry is a great fisherman and has done really well on Devils Lake, including a win in 2004. Now whether Jerry will be using crankbaits or jigs, that’s up to him. I just know he will be in the top 10. 2) PETE HARSH.Pete has paid his dues on this lake and now it is time for this lake to pay Pete. A win on Devils is just what the doctor ordered. He is always in the top 10 and last year he took second to Troy Sand, although Pete should have won that tournament. Pete, we have heard your mom’s health is not good and we just wanted you to know we are thinking of you and your family. We wish her well. 3) KEVIN MCQUOID.Kevin is an awesome fisherman and knows this lake probably better than anyone. He has had several top-10 finishes plus a win here in 2001. Who else would I pick for a top-10 finish or a win? 4) PAUL MELEEN.Paul has had several great finishes on this lake but has come up short of a win. This just might be Paul’s time to take back what Devils Lake has taken from him – several wins. 5) SHANNON KEHL.Shannon also has had a lot of top-10 finishes on this lake through the years. Again, I think Shannon will be another top-10 contender in this tournament.

Pete Harsh FLW Walleye Tour pro Sauk Centre, Minn. Record: 2-0 Points: 1169	VS.	Brett Carlson Editor FLWOutdoors.com Record: 1-1 Points: 1155
1) TOM KEENAN.Based on his past performances, I think Tom will do well. If he gets momentum at this event, watch out for Bays de Noc, his home waters. 2) TROY SAND.Sand, who lives in nearby Portland, N.D., won it last year and proved he could find the fish as conditions changed. When most struggled on day four, Sand came through with a heavy limit. He should be competitive again this year. 3) PETE HARSH.I might as well throw myself on the list. I’m going to try to do my best. Over the past few years I’ve been real close to a victory on Devils. 4) SCOTT FAIRBAIRN.Fairbairn has done very well as of late and I expect that to continue next week. He has the ability to adapt to whatever the system will require. 5) TODD RILEY.Just like Fairbairn, Riley has the experience necessary to adapt. Each of the last three years, we’ve had a front blow in during the tournament. When conditions change, veterans like Riley have the upper hand.		1) PETE HARSH.If we ever get four days of relatively stable weather on the prairie pond, Harsh will win. Each of the last two years he’s been on tournament-winning fish, only to have a major front blow in – allowing crankbait anglers to steal the tournament. I say the third time is the charm and Mr. Tiller finally gets his first victory on the Walleye Tour. 2) SCOTT LARSON.Another angler who thrives on the big Devils Lake bobber bite. Much like Harsh, Larson is willing to sit for hours on end without getting a bite. But when the activity finally picks up, the rewards are fish in the 23- to 27-inch range. You know Devils Lake is an amazing fishery when the top pros don’t even bother screwing around with 17- and 18-inch fish. 3) MARK COURTS.If you look at his past finishes you’d think the Lowrance pro is from North Dakota, but he actually calls Harris, Minn., home. By the way, Harris is also home to the best bait shop on the planet – Fish Lake Bait and Tackle just off Highway 35. This is no plug, as the local bait shop has been churning out the best jumbo leeches for years. I bet Courtsy brings about 5 pounds of them to Devils Lake. 4) SCOTT FAIRBAIRN.After picking Fairbairn at Red Wing and reaping the benefits, I’m firmly on the bandwagon. In his last five tour-level events spanning the Walleye Tour and PWT, the Hager City, Wis., native has placed in the top-10 in four of them. How can you argue with that? No offense to Jason Przekurat or Chris Gilman, both awesome anglers in their own right, but if I had to place money on one pro to win Angler of the Year, my money would be on Fairbairn. 5) HANS HALVORSON.Can you say sleeper? Halvorson’s not exactly a household name, but when it comes to walleye fishing on Devils Lake, few are more consistent. The Grafton, N.D., local will be dialed in come tournament time. Simply put, Halvorson is this year’s Troy Sand. Apologies to Przekurat, Shannon Kehl, Dustin Kjelden and Troy Morris, who narrowly missed the list.

Eric Olson FLW Walleye Tour pro Red Wing, Minn. Record: 2-0 Points: 1165	VS.	Mark Dorn Director of Operations FLW Outdoors Record: 0-2 Points: 1024
1) SCOTT LARSON.A perennial favorite on this water, it’s actually a tossup between Hans and Scott. Scott won the coin toss and should do well. A bobber sensation, Scott can read current in the trees which equals high percentage bobber placement. Patience is also one of his virtues so look for the Devils Lake expert to be near the podium. With no championship aspirations, Scott will be swinging for the fence which is always dangerous and something to watch out for. 2) PETE HARSH.Pete had a great tourney here last year and has a need to do well here again. Playing it safe isn’t his game so look for Pete to be scouting out those 20-pound bags in practice and shooting for at least that when it counts. His experience and patience will pay off when it comes to staying on a bobber spot just long enough or keeping to a time plan to make sure he’s bringing his five to the stage. Pete should be near the top after the scales settle on day four. 3) PAUL MELEEN.Paul’s experience with walleyes and bobbers is tremendous. Knowing the key tactics in this body of water make him a threat every year. Knowledge of the walleye movement in the trees is important for anyone fishing floats in this pond. Paul has this down and just needs to put one or two more solid weights together for a podium finish. Look for the Duracell pro near the top when the dust settles. 4) JASON PRZEKURAT.I’ve already picked Jason, but when you have a feeling you go with it. Jason’s experience, success and confidence on Devils Lake are going to play well for him again. Coming off a win on my home water has really given him the confidence it takes to make good decisions, critical to winning any tournament. I expect to see the BP boat heading out on day four looking for win No. 2. 5) MARK COURTS.Courtsy is one of those guys you like to root for. A good all-around fisherman and nice guy, Mark has done well here and knows the casting bite as well as the bobber bite. Good balance could prove to be a factor in making the top-10 as conditions change and warming weather changes the walleye habits. Coming off a good tourney in another circuit, Mark could be smelling blood for his first win on the FLW Walleye Tour.		1) DUSTIN KJELDEN.Dustin logged his first major victory here in 2005 with a spectacular final day charge. He has a good understanding of walleye movements on prairie lakes and knows how to respond to changing conditions. 2) RICK OLSON.He has a handful of good finishes on Devils Lake over the years and Rick should be ready to register a win. One of the most versatile anglers, Rick has the full package of presentations for this one. With the typical Devils Lake big bite likely to occur, Rick has the tactical knowledge to sort through to the winning pattern. 3) DAN STIER.A consistent finisher on Devils Lake, Stier is overdue in the FLW win column. Running a tiller Ranger, Dan could gain an advantage if the wind blows. 4) PETE HARSH.Another tiller guy who also does traditionally well on Devils Lake. By choosing the two top pros who fish tillers, I’m hedging my bet towards windy weather, which seems to appear at almost every June event in North Dakota. Pete has the patience to wait for the right bites, often giving up the numbers pattern for fewer, but better quality bites. 5) CHRIS GILMAN.Never neglect a hot angler and Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year leader Chris Gilman is definitely hot. With two top-10s this year and a good track record on Devils Lake, it would be hard not to include him. With Chris, it doesn’t matter if the winning pattern ends up being crankbaits, jigs or live-bait rigs, he’s good at all of them.