A team from the Edmonton area is the winner of a $43,000 payout for the 23rd annual Golden Walleye Classic.

Merv Edel of Spruce Grove and Ron Rule of Sherwood Park won the prize for a two-day weight total of 26 pounds. It’s Edel’s seventh time in the tournament and his first time winning big money.

“It’s a great tournament,” says Edel. “It’s always been one of the better paying tournaments. They run it really well and have great volunteers. I really appreciate all the work they do.”

He also likes fishing on Lesser Slave Lake and has been coming for 25 years.

With the exception of a few years, Rule has participated in the tournament since the beginning.

“I like it because the possibilities are there,” says Rule. “You can win some big money.”

He also likes the event because he can catch up with people he hasn’t seen in a long time.

He and his wife, Fay Rule, won the tournament in 2007 and they took home $25,500.

The tournament was held at Shaw’s Point Resort Sept. 3-4, with 86 teams of two competing. The entry fee was $1,000 per team and each team could catch a maximum of four fish per day for weighing. It’s a catch and release event.

There were payouts for both days, for first to tenth place. There were also other payouts, including the youngest angler, Mackenzie Ballek, who received $250, and the oldest angler, Jim Nahrbeski, who also received $250.

Ken Sperling, the organizer, says they had great weather, something of a rarity for the event, when it usually rains.

There was also the Captain and Kids fishing derby, held by Brian Reading, owner of the Canadian Tire Store in Peace River. It was held Sept. 2 and there were prizes for all participants.



Day 1 Weights and Payouts

Placing, Team - Weight (pounds) - Payout

1. Aaron Cook and Reg Cook - 14.55 - $1,000

2. Ken Porisky and Lloyd Stevens - 13.10 - $750

3. Merv Edel and Ron Rule - 12.35 - $600

4. Trevor Moar and Randy VonHagen - 12.25 - $500

5. Ron Fibke and Mark Filewich - 12.20 - $450

6. Brandon McGrath and Dale McGrath - 12.15 - $400

7. Dennis Blais and Dave Mackenzie - 11.95 - $350

8. Tina Dunnett and Paul Walzack - 11.95 - $300

9. Craig Hutton and Wayne Schlaht - 11.85 - $250

10. Cory Naulat and Dennis Porisky - 11.85 - $200



Day 2 weights and payouts

Placing, Team - Weight (pounds) - Payout

1. Merv Edel and Ron Rule - 13.65 - $1,000

2. Peter Griston and Blair Mombourquette - 12.50 - $750

3. Dennis Blais and Dave Mackenzie - 12.45 - $600

4. Luckie Bethel and Rob Jimenez - 12.25 - $500

5. Darwin Graff and Miles Johnston - 12.25 - $450

6. Doug Shea and Shelley Shea - 12.00 - $400

7. Ken Porisky and Lloyd Stevens - 11.95 - $350

8. Len Dick and Len Giroux - 11.75 - $300

9. Brent Domenbal and Xavier Perez - 11.75 - $250

10. Robert Gall and Scott Lawrence - 11.70 - $200



Overall Winners (Top 10)

Placing, Team - Weight(pounds) - Payout

1. Merv Edel and Ron Rule - 26.00 - $43,000

2. Aaron Cook and Reg Cook - 25.40 - $15,480

3. Ken Porisky and Lloyd Stevens - 25.05 - $4,300

4. Dennis Blais and Dave Mackenzie - 24.40 - $3,440

5. Cory Naulat and Dennis Porisky - 23.55 - $2,580

6. Peter Griston and Blair Mombourquette - 23.50 - $1,800

7. Luckie Bethel and Rob Jimenez - 23.35 - $1,550

8. Craig Hutton and Wayne Schlaht - 22.85 - $1,460

9. Doug Shea and Shelley Shea - 22.80 - $1,380

10. Brandon McGrath and Dale McGrath - 22.65 - $1,250