Michael and Trenten Juelson Conquer Cass Lake
Presented By: Mercury
Cass Lake, MN – September 21, 2026 – Stony Point Resort on Cass Lake has become an angler-favorite location to send off a season, though fishing is not always easy. Being on the tail end of summer, some years it’s hot and the fishing is on fire. Some years, like here in the 2026 season, the fall transition is just starting. Water temps begin to drop, and fish start to move and become very picky about their diets due to the multitude of forage bases in the lake. What works one day, may not work the next morning. Being consistent through two days, culling until you get the right two “overs” – fish over 20”- and continuing to cull to get the perfect “unders” – fish as close to 20” without going over- are the keys to winning a Cass Lake Event.
Day 1 take-off came with a perfect lack of fog, which often plagues fall weather take-offs, and temps in the 50’s, giving teams the option to make a run to wherever they chose. In the first flight due in, taking an early lead with a bag of 20 pounds and 3 ounces was Michael and Trenten Juelson. Within that bag they brought a giant 7lb 10oz walleye that certainly helped them jump into the lead.
Day 2 for the Juelsons was a rinse and repeat scenario, knowing they had to be as consistent as possible to keep their lead. Searching for walleyes in 25’-40’ of water on the main lake, casting jigs and crawlers at over 100 of them, and hoping that just 5 would bite. Catching only 6-8 fish per day made it tough to cull and upgrade, but Saturday afternoon they landed one good upgrade and it sealed their victory with a day 2 bag of 18 pounds and 12 ounces, the win secured by over a full pound.
Winning the final qualifier of the 2026 Masters Walleye Circuit on Cass Lake with a total of 38lbs and 15oz, Michael and Trenten Juelson earned a champions trophy and a paid berth into the 2027 National Team Championship. The Juelsons took home $10,300 in Cash, the NTC prize package valued at $1000 consisting of custom NTC jerseys, custom NTC plaques, and a cash travel stipend, as well as the Big Fish Award on day 1 consisting of $1,350 in Cash, for a total of $12,650.
Consistency was the key to making the top 5 and earning their respective rewards:
2nd: Zac Christenson & Toby Kvalevog, 37-08, $5,250 Cash, $2,656 Option Pot Cash
3rd: Jason Slipy & Jack Slipy, 36-04, $3,500 Cash
4th: Colt Anderson & Benjamin Olson, 34-10, $2,600 Cash
5th: Nick Cekella & Mitch Hackenmueller, 34-05, $2,100 Cash
Overall, 69 two-man teams consisting of 138 anglers competed in this event representing 8 different states caught 520 fish for a total of 1547 pounds and 7 ounces of Cass Lake Walleye.
In total, the top 14 teams went home with cash and prizes. Before this MWC event in Cass Lake, MN began, Wayne Butz and Joseph Sommers won the Premier Team Bonus Drawing duffle bag prize. As an added benefit, Lowrance adds two contingencies for anglers that come in the form of the Lowrance Exclusive Bonus of $750, won by Dusty and Kyle Minke, and the Lowrance Trolling Motor Bonus of $500 for running a Ghost or Recon on your boat, won by Corey Heiser and Nick Dornfield.
The Big Fish Award on Day 1 was won by Michael and Trenten Juelson with their healthy 7lb 10oz Cass Lake walleye that anchored their 20lb 3oz day 1 bag and set them up with over a 1lb lead going into day 2. Big Fish Award for day 2 went to Zac Christenson and Toby Kvalevog at 7lb 14oz and was their ticket to run up the leaderboard from 10th place on day 1, to a 2nd place finish on day 2. The cash pot for big fish was $2,700, meaning each day the big fish winners took home $1,350.
Team of the Year was crowned at Cass Lake, and with the final regular season event concluded, qualifying points for the 2026 World Walleye Championship are being verified. Keep your eyes open for the follow-up press release!
As part of the 2026 MWC season, anglers can compete for a coveted spot in the 2026 World Walleye Championship held in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. The 2026 WWC will be a one-time Dual Event with qualifying teams from 2025 and 2026, with a combined pot and, new to 2026 – a Brand-New Nitro ZV20 Powered By Mercury as the top prize. 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 $10,000 which includes a spot to compete in the National Team Championship and up to four, paid-in-full, 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 Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) 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. MWC has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for 42 years. The 2026 schedule includes six qualifiers in five states, plus berths into the 2026 MWC World Walleye Championship presented by Nitro boats in Devils Lake, North Dakota. Stay tuned for more 2026 announcements at:
www.MastersWalleyeCircuit.com.
Masters Walleye Circuit Official Level Sponsors: Mercury Marine, Lowrance Electronics, and Nitro Boats. Associate Sponsors: TH Marine, Airsafe Hitch Products, National Professional Anglers Association, and The Walleye Federation.
For more information, contact support@masterswalleyecircuit.com or call (580) 765-9031.
