Rost and Danforth Lead From Start to Finish on Missouri River

Rost and Danforth Lead From Start to Finish on Missouri River

Presented by: Ranger Boats

 

Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD – April 28, 2024 – Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River is known as a very “fishy” place to hold a tournament and there was no disappointment during this event. On the first day of the 2nd stop on the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) all 76 teams brought fish across the scales to set the stage for what would be an exciting finale on the second day of competition for this tournament, presented by Ranger Boats.

The purse that anglers were vying for totaled $67,753. The eventual first-place team of Corey Rost and Ryan Danforth, South Dakota natives, held a commanding lead of over 3 lbs. with a day-1 total of 15-12. The next three teams on the leader board were also from South Dakota that were looking to overtake the leaders on day-two.

The walleyes on Lake Francis Case were in post spawn patterns and that meant there were fish scattered throughout the entire system. Some teams made the trek over 30 miles south of the Chamberlain/Oacoma area while others chose to head up river in search of a few bigger fish holding closer to the dam after the spawn. South Dakota regulations allow only one fish over the 20-inch mark each day per angler and those big fish are what pushed the top teams into the lead. Finding numbers of walleyes was never an issue. Getting those “overs” into the boat was what proved challenging for some.

The day-one leaders came to the scales towards the end of the weigh-in on day two. Anticipation and nervousness showed on their faces as they listened and watched the final few teams weigh their fish, wondering if they had enough to hold their place at the top. When Rost and Danforth came to the stage as the last team, a little bit of doubt could be seen in their body language. The second-place team from day one of Shawn and Scott Kuhnert weighed another solid bag coming in at 10-02 lbs. earlier for a two-day total of 23-03 lbs. When Corey and Ryan came up to the scale, the team from Madison and Sioux Falls, SD only needed a little over 7 lbs. to win. When the scales locked, their emotions turned to happiness and disbelief as the scale read 7-10 lbs. The weight gave them a three-ounce lead over second place and solidified a 1st place win on Francis Case with a two-day total of 23-06 lbs. With their win, the team won a total of over $20,000 of cash and prizes that included $10,600 cash, a $8,000 Ranger Cup Bonus, $1,000 NTC prize package and two (2) Okuma reels worth $200.

Rost and Danforth had this to say right before and after they weighed their catch, “I don’t know. We weighed our fish in the boat before we came up to the scales and we didn’t think we had it. Sitting in the bump sink and waiting to weigh-in felt like an eternity. At first, we just wanted it to be over. We thought, there’s no way we were going to win with the weight we have today. This is just unreal and we’re happy it all turned out like this.”

Let’s take a look at how the rest of the top 5 finished:

2nd Shawn and Scott Kuhnert 23-03 lbs. $5,600 cash plus $3,850 option pot

3rd Matt Surrell and Ryan Long 22-04 lbs. $3,750 cash plus $2,800 option pot

4th Tony Herting and Mike Maurer 22-03 lbs. $2,600 cash

5th Brian Dahl and Brennan Lockwood 21-14 lbs. $2,150 cash plus $2,060 option pot

There was a total of 152 anglers from 10 states that competed in the Francis Case event. The largest bag weighed was from the first-place team of Rost and Danforth weighing in at 15-12 lbs. The largest fish also came from the winning team on day-one and weighed 7-02 lbs. There was a total of 663 fish caught with an overall total of 1237-09 lbs.

Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center and Cedar Shore hosted the rules meeting and weigh-in and was the perfect venue to hold this event. The next stop for the MWC brings anglers to the inland largest body of water in Wisconsin, that has been home to some of the largest fields of competitive anglers in tournament walleye fishing, Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, WI. To find out more information or to register your team for the May 31st – June 1st event, go to www.masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is North America’s longest-running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 40 years. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2024 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Registration is now open for all events. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are in their 23rd season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, and Lews Fishing. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD to Host 2nd Stop of Masters Walleye Circuit 2024 Season on The Missouri River Presented By – Ranger Boats

Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD to Host 2nd Stop of Masters Walleye Circuit 2024 Season on The Missouri River Presented By – Ranger Boats

 

Ponca City, Okla. – 29 March 2024 – The second stop of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC), presented by Ranger Boats, takes the field to a familiar and exciting body of water for most anglers, the Missouri River in the Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD area on April 26th and 27th 2024. Lake Francis Case and this section of the river boast huge numbers of walleyes and the MWC will be visiting at a perfect time that coincides with a hot post spawn bite after the annual spring “run” up from the lake and into the river and into the back of creek arms on Lake Francis Case itself.

This impoundment on the Missouri River is over 100 miles long and will challenge anglers as they come to South Dakota in search of post spawn walleyes and saugers. After the rigors of a long journey to the spawning grounds, these fish only have one thing on their mind. And that is to eat and recuperate. This leaves the door wide open for “The Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth” to target these fish with almost any presentation they want.

South Dakota native and MWC Premier team member Tom Albrecht had this to say about the river out west, “This should be a fun tournament. The entire field of anglers should be able to catch fish using multiple different presentations. These fish will be on the move up and down the river and those two “overs” (over 20” walleyes) will make all the difference. There are a lot of miles of river that teams will be looking at to bring in their fish.”

Event specifics include a 7:00 am (CDT) take-off each day and live weigh-ins both at the Arrowhead Cedar Shore Resort at 3:15 pm (CDT) on April 26th and 27th, 2024. Spectators are welcomed to witness the excitement in person weigh in are free and open to the public, or follow the action live online at masterswalleyecircuit.com or on the official Facebook page, facebook.com/MastersWalleyeCircuit

As part of the 2024 MWC season, anglers will vie for a coveted spot in the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, MN. Teams can participate in as many events as they wish, with points earned in at least three qualifiers necessary for an invitation to the World Walleye Championship. Those earning points in at least four qualifiers compete for “Team of the Year” honors, including a $10,000 sponsorship package and thousands more in cash and prizes to the top 10 teams in the final “best of 4” final standing each year.

While everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and fish all MWC events or just 1 that gets close to you, for a shot at a great payback and prizes, the NEW points structure for 2024 better protects those teams fishing 3 or more events. It is based in part on angler feedback received during previous seasons.  MWC Rule #14 now explains that MWC teams that register for the last two (2) events each year and have not fished any previous MWC events that season, can still fish and win BIG, but with only two possible scores from the last two events they cannot advance so points don’t matter to those anglers and so they will receive none. They do matter to MWC teams who have fished all year and are working on qualifying for the World Walleye

Championship (WWC) or a Team of the Year (TOY) titles, their points at the last two events of the season will now be awarded based on their fishing abilities against others on in same position. I.E. those fishing 3 or more events.

Each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entering that event. New for 2024 is a GUARANTEED minimum $10,000 first place prize at every event. Overall payout is still awarded to 20% of the field, providing more inspiration to sign up and join the fun. In addition to a hefty check, the first-place team also earns a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s National Team Championship (NTC) prize package including: paid entry, a travel stipend, team jerseys, and plaques. Additionally, the big-fish pot, option-pot and sponsor bonuses from Ranger Cup, Lowrance and Okuma will add thousands more for distribution among the field.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is North America’s longest running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 40 years. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2024 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Registration is now open for all events. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are in their 23rd season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, and Ranger Boats. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Illinois River Shows Off Big for the First MWC Event of the Season

Illinois River Shows Off Big for the First MWC Event of the Season

Presented by: Mercury Marine

 

Spring Valley, Illinois – March 24, 2024 – The first event of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) 2024 season on the Illinois River is all wrapped up and it was an exciting event to kick off the season. Anglers experienced a little wind, a little rain, some sleet, and even some welcome sunshine to finish off the second day of competition on the Illinois River, presented by Mercury Marine.

Up for grabs was a total purse totaling $83,113. At the end day-one, it was a father and son team from Wisconsin, Jason and Ethan Kline, that stood in the lead with a whopping 18-09 lbs. that was caught within sight of several other boats in the event. The next closest team of Jasen Schine and Eddie Michniewicz had 13 lbs.

The weather on the second day was a little more hospitable. With the sun shining and lighter winds, teams were able to make bigger moves and feel more confident with their boat control and presentations. It usually takes five really nice saugers to cash a check on the Illinois River event and this year was no different. Most of the teams that weighed the heaviest sacks over the course of two days were able to key on those larger female saugers. What can really push a bag of fish over the top is a nice walleye or two.

It is usually anyone’s event to win at Spring Valley until the last fish is weighed as weights are tight. So tight this year, that as the final bag was weighed in there was a tie for the largest two-day total.

Jason and Ethan Kline held what appeared to be a very commanding lead after day-one and just needed to hold on and put five more quality fish in the live-well on the second day. The Klines experienced what can happen when conditions change and fish move from your top spots and were only able to bring three fish to the scales that weighed 4-05 lbs., giving them a two-day total of 22-14 lbs. As anyone in tournament fishing knows, when there are multiple days of competition, anything can happen.

Ross and John Hertensteiner, also a father and son team, from River Falls and Webb Lake, WI finished in 10th place with 10-05 lbs. after the first day. The Hertensteiner’s proved the old adage that consistency pays and on day-two brought in a second five fish limit weighing in at 11-15 lbs. Also completing the event with a total of 22-14 lbs.

According to the 2024 Masters Walleye Circuit rules, in the case of a tie, the first tie-breaker goes to the team that weighed the most number of fish over the course of the tournament. The tie breaker positioned the Hertensteiners on top of the final standings and awarded them the win. Their total earnings for this tournament were $12,700 cash, a $1,000 NTC prize package, $8,000 Ranger Cup bonus, and two (2) Okuma reels worth $200 for a grand total of $21,900.

The Illinois River allows anglers from every angling discipline to compete. Many of the teams this year stuck with the tried-and-true methods of trolling small stick baits on 3-way rigs or vertical jigging a variety of plastics and live bait. Ross and John stuck with the tried-and-true 3-way trolling method for both days and edged out the win. “We fished primarily down river from the launch area. We tried vertical jigging a couple small areas but went back to trolling for the remainder of the time. We’ve been coming to the Illinois River for years and usually end up finishing somewhere in the middle of the field every year. It really hasn’t sunk in yet that we won. We’ve always dreamed about it but this year it finally happened. My dad, John, has been fishing tournaments for a very long time and it was special to be able to get this win with him as my partner.” Said Ross Hertensteiner.

 

Let’s take a look at the rest of the top 5 teams finished in Spring Valley:

2nd Jason and Ethan Kline 22-14 lbs. $6,300 cash plus $5,133 option pot

3rd Jasen Schine and Eddie Michniewicz 22-03 lbs. $4,050 cash plus $3,040 option pot

4th Sam Cappelli and Anthony Naples 21-14 lbs. $3,150 cash plus $2,120 option pot

5th Adam and Steve Sandor 21-08 lbs. $2,250 cash plus $1,680 option pot

There was a total of 190 anglers, representing nine states from across the United States that competed in this event on the Illinois River. The largest sack from the tournament was caught by Jason and Ethan Kline that weighed in at 18-09 lbs. The largest fish caught was a 6-12 lbs. walleye, also caught by Jason and Ethan on day-one of the event. There was a total of 788 fish caught, weighing a total of 1403-08 lbs.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources was on location to assist with fish handling and care, to examine each fish and to take all of the saugers that were weighed during the tournament. The DNR collects eggs from healthy, female saugers and raises the fry at a hatchery until the saugers are big enough to be released back into the river. The partnership between the Masters Walleye Circuit, The Walleye Federation, and the Illinois DNR has helped bolster the fishery on this stretch of the Illinois River and other waters across the state over the years and ensures that this resource will continue to provide quality angling opportunities for many generations to come.

The Spring Valley Boat club has hosted the MWC for nearly a decade and proves to be a great location to kick off the season. A big thank you goes out to the boat club for hosting the MWC for all of these years.

The next stop for the MWC takes anglers over to the Missouri River in Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD on April 26th and 27th. There is still time to sign up. Registration closes on April 22nd, 2024. Visit www.masterswalleyecircuit.com for details or to register a team.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is North America’s longest-running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 40 years. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2024 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Registration is now open for all events. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are in their 23rd season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, and Ranger Boats. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

 

Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit 41st Season Starts at Spring Valley March 22-23, 2024

Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit 41st Season Starts at Spring Valley March 22-23, 2024 Presented by: Mercury Marine

 

New For 2024 Is GUARANTEED Minimum $10,000.000 First Place Prize At Every Event And A New Points Structure To Benefit Those Who Fish 3 Or More Events!

Ponca City, Okla, — Feb. 13, 2024 – The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) is excited to get started on its 41st season, which is quickly approaching. MWC has once again chosen the Illinois River in Spring Valley to kick this season off as it has done 38 out of MWC’s storied 41-year history as the longest running national walleye circuit in North America. This is sure to be a captivating kick-off to the 2024 MWC season.

Scheduled for March 22-23, 2024 at Spring Valley, Illinois, on the renowned Illinois River, the two-day event will attract anglers from across the walleye world and serve as a welcome departure as winter loses its grip. Anglers have struggled through the past few months trying to find a place to fish with ever changing ice conditions and record warm weather. The MWC season opener at Spring Valley annually marks the first major walleye event in the country each spring and brings with it a little bit of anticipation to bend some rods and knock off the dust that’s been collecting since last fall. It also serves as a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

Although the Illinois River is known for its phenomenal sauger fishing, there are some big walleyes to be caught. During the March 2023 event last year at the Masters Walleye Circuit and other early events, anglers tied into some big pre-spawn walleyes pushing that 6 plus-pound envelope. It’s no secret at this event, that finding that one big walleye amongst all the quality size saugers can be the key to taking home a trophy and can also make up a lot of ground on day 2.

Beyond the thrill of competition, great payouts including a $10,000 guaranteed minimum first place prize at all 2024 MWC events, and angler camaraderie, this event also plays a vital role in supporting the state’s successful sauger stocking program. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will once again collaborate with the Masters Walleye Circuits and its angler’s conservation efforts as it has for decades to collect sauger for the state hatchery stocking program as well as DNA samples and eggs, contributing to the conservation and enhancement of these resources.

Event specifics include a 7:30 am (CDT) take-off each day and live weigh-ins at the Spring Valley Boat Club at 3:30 pm (CDT) on March 22-23, 2024. Spectators are welcomed to witness the excitement in person weigh in are free and open to the public, or follow the action live online at masterswalleyecircuit.com or on the official Facebook page, facebook.com/MastersWalleyeCircuit

As part of the 2024 MWC season, anglers will vie for a coveted spot in the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, MN. Teams can participate in as many events as they wish, with points earned in at least three qualifiers necessary for an invitation to the World Walleye Championship. Those earning points in at least four qualifiers compete for “Team of the Year” honors, including a $10,000 sponsorship package and thousands more in cash and prizes to the top 10 teams in the final “best of 4” final standing each year.

While everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and fish all MWC events or just 1 that gets close to you, for a shot at a great payback and prizes, the NEW points structure for 2024 better protects those teams fishing 3 or more events. It is based in part on angler feedback received during previous seasons.  MWC Rule #14 now explains that MWC teams that register for the last two (2) events each year and have not fished any previous MWC events that season, can still fish and win BIG, but with only two possible scores from the last two events they cannot advance so points don’t matter to those anglers and so they will receive none. They do matter to MWC teams who have fished all year and are working on qualifying for the World Walleye Championship (WWC) or a Team of the Year (TOY) titles, their points at the last two events of the season will now be awarded based on their fishing abilities only against others on in same position. I.E. those fishing 3 or more events.

Each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered into that event. New for 2024 is a GUARANTEED minimum $10,000 first place prize at every event. Overall payout is still awarded to 20% of the field, providing more inspiration to sign up and join the fun. In addition to a hefty check, the first-place team also earns a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s National Team Championship (NTC) prize package including: paid entry, a travel stipend, team jerseys, and plaques. Additionally, the big-fish pot, option-pot and sponsor bonuses from Ranger Cup, Lowrance and Okuma will add thousands more for distribution among the field.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is North America’s longest-running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 40 years. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2024 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Registration is now open for all events. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are in their 23rd season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, and Ranger Boats. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.