Saskatchewan fisherman defies odds to capture weekend walleye tournament

CUMBERLAND HOUSE, Sask. – Luck came in pairs for a Saskatchewan man who netted two whopping walleye over two days to win two major prizes in a fishing tournament.

Ronald Highway of Pelican Narrows was participating in the Senator Pierre Settee Memorial Heaviest Walleye Derby in Cumberland House on Saturday when he hooked a contender weighing nine pounds, 12 ounces.

The catch was good enough to win a truck.

Highway returned to his lucky fishing hole on the Saskatchewan River for the second day of the tournament on Sunday and reeled in another big walleye that weighed the same as his first one.

That catch garnered a sport utility vehicle.

Highway says he gave the SUV to his wife.

The lucky sport fisherman said he’s never caught a walleye that big before, let alone two.

“We started laughing, I couldn’t believe it, me and my brother in-law. I was holding first and second, I was pretty nervous the last couple hours.”

Bill Thomas, the tournament’s weight master, said the second fish was released several kilometres from where the first one was released after capture.

“I don’t think it swam back to its home. He must have pulled out the twin.” (CJLR)