Rohloff and Henrickson Display Aptitude for Catching Bay De Noc Giants

Presented By: Lowrance

Gladstone, Michigan – July 21, 2025 – The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit ran its fifth qualifier of the season on Bay De Noc, launching out of Escanaba with weigh-in location in Gladstone, MI. Bay De Noc’s access to the entirety of Lake Michigan makes it a prime location for both resident populations and migrating populations of walleyes. With a large range of depths and many different reefs, anglers were able to search for these walleyes with a wide range of techniques, but only one would solidify a first place finish.

With the crystal clear waters in Bay De Noc, anglers were finding fish easily spooked in the calm and sunny conditions on day 1. That didn’t stop Austin Tomasek and Brad Arbes Jr from finding all the right fish. With a giant 11lb 9oz walleye to anchor a bag with near perfect “unders,” they weighed 30lb and 1oz for the heaviest bag of day 1 and a near 2-pound lead on 2^nd place.

Day 2 started with some rain shortly after take-off, that didn’t disappear until after fishing hours. For many, the cloud cover was needed to put fish in a feeding mood. Rohloff and Henrickson had already been on the right fish, weighing 26lbs and 2oz on day 1 and going out in the morning in 4^th place. Finding fish that were unpressured by other anglers seems to be a pattern this year, and they found nearly half a dozen spots that were producing. Fishing as far away as 30 miles to Big Bay and as close as 2 minutes from the weigh-in, they had options ranging from spots with a fish every other cast, to spots with overs they sorted through to find the right unders. The fish were fired up while sharpshooting, but the array of the baits needed to get fish to eat was “mentally draining,” said Scott. Throwing Berkley Rawlers and Finisher jigs, hair jigs, shiver minnows, and blade baits, the pattern was never clear.

Through perseverance and commitment, they caught 14 overs on day 2 and were happy with their choice to weigh a 29” and a 30” walleye. With the biggest bag of the event at 32lbs and 8oz, they stole that number one spot with a total of 58lbs and 10oz, and ran away with it by over 4 pounds. Rohloff has held up trophies with the MWC, NTC, and even local events to the area and said “…looking forward to coming back, the people and the area showed amazing hospitality and interest in having us here.”

Earning a champions trophy in this Bay De Noc Masters Walleye Circuit Qualifier comes with a paid berth into the 2026 National Team Championship. Scott Rohloff and Kurt Henrickson took home $11,00 in Cash, $3,900 in Option Pot Cash, $8000 Ranger Cup Bonus, and the NTC prize package valued at $1000 consisting of custom NTC jerseys, custom NTC plaques, and a cash travel stipend for a total of $23,900 in cash and prizes!

Bay De Noc showcased its incredible fishery for many teams in top spots:

2^nd: Lincoln Martin & Karl Martin, 54-08, $5,750 Cash, $2,648 2^nd Place Option Pot Cash,

            And a Lowrance Recon Trolling Motor Valued at $3,599

3^rd: Austin Tomasek & Brad Arbes JR, 54-06, $3,850 Cash, $1,900 3^rd Place Option Pot Cash

4^th: Tristan Beckwith & Isaac Lakich, 49-10, $2,700 Cash

5^th: Jordan Stokes & Jacob Bell, 47-10, $2,200 Cash, $1,700 4^th Place Option Pot Cash

Honorably, the 9^th place team of David Landsteiner and Chance Landsteiner weighed 43lbs and 10oz and took home the Lowrance Exclusive bonus of $750 alongside their 9^th Place check for $1,500. The 11^th Place team of Dawson Bastion and Bo Conner earned the Lowrance Trolling Motor Bonus of $500, for running either a Recon or Ghost Trolling Motor, in addition to their 11^th Place check of $1,250 and 7^th Place Option Pot check of $1,000.

Overall, 164 anglers competed in this event representing 14 different states and the country of Ireland, catching 403 fish for a total of 1,762 pounds of Bay De Noc’s golden walleye.

Michigan restricts each angler on Bay De Noc to one fish over 23” per day, making a difficult decision for anglers of “how big is big enough?”. On day 1 Austin Tomasek and Brad Arbes Jr didn’t have to struggle with that question, weighing the biggest fish of the event at 11lbs and 9oz, earning them the Salmo Java sponsored prize package consisting of an Aero-Press, hat, and a bag of their signature brand of coffee alongside their share of the big fish pot at $1,890. Day 2 Big Fish Prize of $1,890 was earned by Wayne Butz and Joe Sommers with a 10lb 5oz Bay De Noc Walleye.

As part of the 2025 MWC season, anglers will vie for a coveted spot in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s World Walleye Championship in Devil’s Lake North Dakota. 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. MWC’s “Living the Dream” team, using points from four qualifiers throughout the regular season, will earn a sponsorship package valued up to $15,000 which includes a spot to compete in the National Team Championship and up to four paid MWC events.

Each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered into that event. Overall payout is 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. Ranger Cup adds $8,000, alongside the big-fish pot, option-pot and sponsor bonuses which 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 since 1984 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 2025 schedule includes six qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2026 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship on Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are looking forward to their 24th 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, T-H Marine, SeaKeeper and Salmo Java Coffee.

For more information, contact support@masterswalleyecircuit.com or call (580) 765-9031.