Masters Walleye Circuit 2024 Year End Review
Presented by: Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s
Ponca City, Oklahoma – November 18, 2024 – As the anglers of the Masters Walleye Circuit rounded out their season with the last event in Cass Lake, Minnesota completed, it is now time to look back on the season and recognize the winners of events, and the winners of the coveted Team of the Year (TOY) title. After 7 events in 7 different states, teams from 6 different states qualified for the 2025 World Walleye Championship, either by points or by securing a win in one of those events. After the first 6 events of the season, it was a very close race, with John and Ross Hertensteiner holding the lead and fighting for their first Team of the Year win, the team of Wayne Butz and Joe Sommers close on their tail, and Joe and Colton Marx in the same competition. These 3 teams laid it all on the line fishing Cass Lake to round out the regular season.
Starting the year off with a win by tiebreaker, John and Ross had an early lead for TOY in the beautiful March weather in Spring Valley. Butz and Sommers finished 7th, also a good position to start in. The second event was on the Missouri River, where the local team of Corey Rost and Ryan Danforth secured a win with their tournament leading 15lb 12oz day 1 bag. They only needed 7lbs on day 2 to hold on and earn their trophies.
Moving into Wisconsin at the end of May, Gordy and Carl Rose, locals to Lake Winnebago, took home their own set of trophies weighing a whopping 34lbs and 3oz. It was an incredible showing for Winnebago, and some much-needed points for the Marx team with a 7th place finish. After Lake Winnebago, the MWC ventured to Lake Huron out of Au Gres, Michigan. Battling high winds and large waves, Chris Pavlichek and Andrew Pionk took home their checks and trophies with 22lbs and 12oz. Butz and Sommers had an excellent showing, taking 2nd place, with the Hertensteiners in 10th place, heating up the points competition for the year.
Traveling to Lake Erie in July, the MWC awarded trophies to Mike Miller and Bryan Fisher, after their crushing performance weighing over 80 pounds in two days and leading the pack by 10 pounds. Butz and Sommers earned more necessary points with a 13th place finish weighing over 59lbs. Following that with the August event on Bitter Lake out of Webster, SD, teams had to work hard to consistently get big bites. Austin Ellingson and Justin Strutz weighed 31lbs and 2oz to cash their winning check and earn their trophies. The Hertensteiners again had a phenomenal finish in 5th place, proving to be consistently competitive anglers.
Finally, to round out the regular season, the annual return to Cass Lake, MN was the perfect battleground to solidify the leader in Team of the Year points. Zothman and Foehrenbacher had the win locked up after day 2 for their first ever tournament win after years of fishing together. The points race going into day 2 was incredibly tense, with the teams of Hertensteiner and Marx only 2 pounds apart. At the end of day 2, John and Ross Hertensteiner won the race and were crowned Team of the Year, winning a huge prize package worth over $10,000. The package consists of a paid entry into the 2025 National Team Championship including lodging, and fully paid entry into 4 MWC events including lodging and travel stipends.
In all, the MWC totaled over 150% for the 2023 season after wrapping up the World Walleye Championship where payback numbers were a staggering 480%. 2024’s regular season qualifiers payback was 146%, with the World Walleye Championship in October 2025 expecting to push that number even higher. Registration for the 2025 season will be opening in January of 2025, with a press release prior to then outlining the exact details of registration open. To view the full 2025 schedule, visit our website at WWW.MastersWalleyeCircuit.com.
As part of the 2024 MWC season, anglers vied for a coveted spot in the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, MN. Teams could 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 “best of 4” final standing each year.
The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to find a partner, sign up and fish all MWC events, or even just one that is local to you, for a shot at great paybacks. Additionally, the points structure for 2024, based in part on angler feedback received during previous seasons, better protected those team’s efforts who are fishing 3 or more events each season. MWC Rule #14 details the specifics of how to earn points, based on the number of events attended. For anglers looking to compete for “Team of the Year”, and/or gain entry into the World Walleye Championship, it is recommended to fully understand the necessary steps to ensure they are earning points as intended.
MWC pays back more than 100% in cash and prizes each season and each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered. For the entire 2024 season, the winners of each event were GUARANTEED a minimum of $10,000 First Place prize, powered by Dakota Lithium. The top 20% of the field at each qualifying event earned a check providing more inspiration to sign up and join the fun. In addition to a hefty check, the first-place team also earned 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 added 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 2024 schedule included seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, MN. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details and the recently announced 2025 schedule.
Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are rounding out 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, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.
