The vast reservoir that is Lake Oahe will be full of competition on Saturday for the ninth annual Denny Palmer Memorial Fishing Tournament.
“The Tourism Committee is excited and honored to once again honor the memory of Denny,” said co-chair Jesse Konold.
There is still room for more teams. As of Tuesday morning, 95 teams are entered in the tourney. One-hundred or more teams are expected to be in the field by Friday. Teams can still enter the tourney for $250.
Konold said the number of teams is down a bit this year, but with the effects of the heavy snows that fell in late winter, that is to be expected.
“I think we’re being impacted by farming being late,” said Konold. “We understand that the crops need to be put in.”
This year’s tourney has a couple different features, the first being that it is going be a one-day tournament after there was two days of competition last year. The second is that they are going to 100-percent payout to 80-percent of the teams.
“The top end is still going to be a really good payout,” said Konold. “We’re also going to have some fun prizes and the five guaranteed spots in the ice fishing tournament. It should be a fun tournament. I’m excited for it.”
The weigh-ins will be at Scherr-Howe Event Center for the second straight year. Scherr-Howe will in fact be tournament headquarters. The rules meeting is Friday with a social from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by a short rules meeting at 8 p.m. All team members must be present for the rules meeting. They also have to be present to win prizes.
Tourney anglers can practice fish until 4 p.m. on Friday.
The anglers take off from the west bay at Indian Creek on Saturday morning at 8 p.m. and have until 3 p.m. to hunt their quarry.
The weigh-ins officially start at 3 p.m. at Scherr-Howe, but doors will be open by 2 p.m. and anglers can start weighing their fish at 2:30 p.m. The weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Last year’s winners were Josh Arnbrister and C.J. McHugh of Mobridge and Jason Gosch of Glenham. The rest of the winning teams are: 2017, Everett Iron Eyes, Ft. Yates, N.D., Garrett Fischer, Mandan, N.D., Ivan White Mountain, McLaughlin; 2016, Harlan Friesz, Peyton Friesz, Scott Hamre, Mobridge; 2015, Gary Beck, Brent Reilley, Cory Sandmeier, Selby; 2014, Chris Ryckman, Josh Carson, Tom Davis, North Dakota; 2013, Ken Lewis, Jack Voller, Mobridge, Gregg Voegele, Trail City; 2012 (tie) Mel Brewer, Jesse, Brewer, Jeff Bonn, Mobridge, and Steve Hopp, Mike Johnson, Adam Hickman, Nebraska; 2011, Rollie Watson, Mike Zell, Huron, Tony Watson, Redfield.
The Denny Palmer Memorial Fishing Tournament is the second leg of the Northern Oahe Walleye Championship Series. The series opened with the Wolves on Water tournament last weekend. The Pollock Men’s Club Tournament is June 15 and 16. The Whitlock Bay Walleye Tournament is June 22 and 23. The Grand River Casino Cup is July 12 and 13 and the South Dakota Walleye Classic at Akaska is July 18 through 21. The Northern Oahe Walleye Championship is in Mobridge July 25 through 27.
Ninth annual Denny Palmer Memorial tourney is Saturday
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June 05, 2019
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