Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Returns to Wisconsin for Lake Petenwell
Presented by: Mercury
Ponca City, Oklahoma – April 2, 2025 – As the Masters Walleye Circuit continues through the 2025 season to the third qualifier, anglers are watching their points carefully as the Team of the Year race starts to take shape. Teams will be competing this time on Lake Petenwell in the heart of Wisconsin. Lake Petenwell is a man-made flowage that is part of the Wisconsin River that brings with it a slot limit, and a need to be strategic in the decision-making process of which to fish to weigh and when to swing for the fences.
The slot limit on Lake Petenwell restricts anglers to 3 fish per person with a minimum length of 15” and walleye may not be kept between 20-28”. 1 of those 3 fish may be over 28”. The timing of this event should be set up nicely with anglers being able to target fish in multiple spring phases with a large variety of techniques.
Tournament Director Jeff Kelm is looking forward to the second visit to Lake Petenwell, “The last time the Masters Walleye Circuit visited Petenwell, it was an emergency move due to flooding on the Mississippi River in 2023. The anglers that fished that weekend came off the water, praising the lake up and down, telling me how many fish they caught and how much fun they had. It was a no-brainer to get it on the schedule as soon as I could.”
Event specifics include a 7:00 am (CST) take-off each day given safe light conditions, and live weigh-ins both happening at Petenwell County Park Boat Launch in Arkdale, WI at 3:00 pm on May 2-3, 2025. 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 the Petenwell Lake, out of Arkdale, Wisconsin closes on Monday, April 28, 2025. Teams that are interested in signing up should visit:
www.masterswalleyecircuit.com/registration
or call
Federation National Office at (580) 765-9031.
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. Additionally, the big-fish pot, option-pot and sponsor bonuses 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 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 and Salmo Java Coffee.
For more information, contact support@masterswalleyecircuit.com or call (580) 765-9031.
