On the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Walleye Tour, presented by Progressive, Duane Hjelm’s name is synonymous with commitment and excellence in the walleye tournament fishing world. He roughly estimates he’s on the water two hundred days a year. Living in a region where fishing is possible year-round, Duane stays fresh, conditioned, and constantly dialed giving him the edge to fine-tune his equipment and stay sharp throughout the season.

This year, that relentless dedication earned him his second Progressive Angler of the Year (AOY) title.

“When I first started tournament fishing, I didn’t even know what Angler of the Year was,” Duane recalls. “I was just addicted to the competition and wanted to learn.” Once he understood the prestige and challenge behind the title, it became a goal he pursued with laser focus.

Introduced to fishing at a young age by his parents, Duane’s passion burned hot early. Mentors and friends like Josh Brown and Tyson Keller from Pierre, South Dakota played a pivotal role in shaping his tournament mindset and skills.

His first AOY title felt like it came out of nowhere—he was in third place, chasing heavyweights like Max Wilson and Kevin McQuoid. “I didn’t give it much thought back then,” Duane says. “But being in first this time? I lost a lot of sleep. I’m way more comfortable being the hunter.”

Duane began seriously thinking about the Progressive Angler of the Year after the second event of the season. He likes to go into every event fishing for the win. Even though he may not be on the winning fish his strategy is going to be to fish his areas as efficiently as possible. With a 23-point lead heading into the final tournament and only 40 boats in the field, the pressure was intense, and his normal strategy changed. “It was my title to lose,” said Hjelm. Due to the circumstances, he played it smart and didn’t take any risks during competition.

As far as equipment goes, Hjelm had a few different tools that were keys to his success. Consistently throughout the year his go to jig head minnow combo was a VMC Redline Series Tungsten Swimbait Jighead paired with a Crush City Mooch Minnow or Crush City Jerk. This was thrown on the 13 Fishing Myth and Oath Series in either the 6’9 or 7’1 models. Duane also got to use a rod that he played a big hand in designing from 13 Fishing. It’s made specifically for the Rapala Jigging Rap and comes in a 6’10 Medium Light + that will be available in the Myth and Oath series late this fall. His go-to line was 10 lb. Sufix Revolve braid or 15 lb. Sufix 832 if he wanted the bait to hang a little more. He tackled the big water all year long in a Ranger 621FS Pro powered by Mercury.

Duane’s season was a masterclass in preparation, adaptability, and mental toughness. From humble beginnings to becoming a two-time AOY, his journey is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when passion meets precision.