Saginaw Bay for the 4th Stop of the 2024 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Season
Presented by: Lowrance
Ponca City, Oklahoma – June 7th, 2024 – The landing spot for the 4th stop of the 2024 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) is Au Gres, MI on the north shores of Lake Huron and the clear waters of Saginaw Bay. Lake Huron is the second largest of the great lakes and offers up a target rich environment for anglers hunting for trophy walleyes at this event presented by Lowrance.
Lake Huron and the waters of Saginaw Bay are teaming with massive amounts of walleyes just waiting to be caught by savvy tournament fishermen coming from across the country. The walleye population is so large in Saginaw Bay that the Michigan DNR raised the daily bag limits for walleyes from six fish to a generous bag of eight walleyes per person. These fish aren’t just your run of the mill 2-3 lb. walleyes found on most inland lakes around the country. Anglers competing in this event have a shot at landing fish over 10 lbs. every time they reach for the net. Although trolling is the most popular way to catch these fish, over the years, forward-facing sonar units like the Lowrance Active-Target have become a staple in the fishing industry with fishermen using them to target both suspended and structure hugging walleyes. It’s anyone’s game at this stop in Au Gres.
MWC Tournament Pro and former World Walleye Champion, Adam Hume, had this to say about the fishery on Saginaw Bay, “The sheer number of walleyes that are available to anglers is astounding on Saginaw Bay and just keeps increasing every year. There will be no shortage of fish no matter what direction teams go. Casting, jigging, or trolling. In June, everything comes into play out here.”
Event specifics include a 7:00 am (CDT) take-off each day and live weigh-ins both at the Au Gres Boat access on Harbor Road in Au Gres, MI at 3:15 pm (CDT) on June 28th and 29th, 2024. Spectators are welcomed to join in person as the weigh-in is free and open to the public, or follow the action live online at masterswalleyecircuit.com or on the official Facebook page, facebook.com/MastersWalleyeCircuit
Registration for this tournament on Lake Huron out of Au Gres, Michigan closes on June 24th, 2024. Teams that are interested in signing up should visit www.masterswalleyecircuit.com/registration or call the Federation National Office at (580) 765-9031.
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 one 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 powered by Dakota Lithium 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, Dakota Lithium, 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 in Alexandria, MN. 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, Lew’s Fishing, Dakota Lithium, and Ranger Boats. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, Salmo Java, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.
