–Presented by Zippo
AUGUST 10, 2012—MINNETONKA, MN—Two-person teams have until midnight Sunday, August 19 to register for their chance to enjoy great walleye fishing and a chance to win thousands of dollars in cash at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s St. Mary’s River tournament at scenic Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Set for August 24-26, the event offers two full days of competition on Friday and Saturday, with Sunday reserved in case foul weather prevents the teams from fishing either of the first two days. Teams are allowed to bring their best five walleyes to the Cabela’s MWC scale each day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total will walk away with more than $10,000 in cash.
Cabela’s MWC payouts are based on the number of teams fishing each event. Right now, 52 teams are registered for the Soo, guaranteeing a purse topping $27,000 in cash. Plus, sponsor contingencies from Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Lowrance, Berkley, Okuma, U2/The Oxygenator and the Big Fish Pot add thousands more to the total. And, the payout will grow as more anglers sign up prior to the deadline. At the Cabela’s MWC St. Mary’s River tournament last August, for example, brothers Joe and John Giuliani won $11,250 for first place, plus another $2,500 in sponsor contingencies and big-fish pot earnings.
The event is open to all anglers regardless of club or sponsor affiliation, and offers great cash payouts to the top 20 percent of the field. Plus, the late-August timeframe is known for producing epic walleye action on the beautiful St. Mary’s system.
Adding to the excitement, weigh-ins and on-the-water action will be filmed for national airing on the NBC Sports Television Network as part of the Cabela’s MWC TV series. Via the Circuit’s parent company, North American Media Group, tournament coverage also extends to North American Fisherman magazine—which serves more than 3 million readers, including 500,000 members of the North American Fishing Club—as well as 79,000 Fishing Club Facebook fans and a host of other media outlets. “This is a great chance to show the world the great fishing, community support and fantastic anglers the Sault Ste. Marie area has to offer,” adds MWC Executive Director Dan Johnson.
The public is invited to the weigh-ins, which will be held at William Gregory Park in Sault Ste. Marie, starting at 3 p.m. (EST) daily. Plus, children 12 and under can enjoy a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic, held immediately after the Day One weigh-in. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present the clinic awarding the first 50 youths free rod and reel combos, and offer fishing lessons with the anglers. One lucky family also will win a Zippo Family Camping Pack valued at more than $100.
Walleyes are winners as well. The Cabela’s MWC will donate $15 per boat to walleye conservation, for its efforts to protect and enhance the local fishery. Since 1984, the Circuit and its sister trail, the Cabela’s North American Bass Circuit, have donated more than $300,000 to fisheries-enhancement projects in states where its tournaments are held.
This is the eighth of nine Cabela’s MWC qualifying tournaments in 2012. The remaining schedule for 2012 includes Lake Oahe at Pierre, South Dakota, July 28-29; the St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, August 24-26; and Cass Lake, Minnesota, out of Stony Point Resort, Sept. 14-16.
The Cabela’s MWC registration costs $650 per tournament per two-person team, and remains open through the Sunday prior to each event. Payouts are based on the number of teams fishing each event. Overall in 2011, the Circuit paid back more than 120 percent of entry fees in cash payouts, team of the year awards, sponsor contingencies and winnings in the no-entry-fee Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. To register or for details, visit www.masterswalleyecircuit.com, or email events@masterswalleyecircuit.com.
