Michael Sitko and Erick Schenavar Take Top Spot in Lake Erie’s Western Basin
Presented by Mercury Marine
Monroe, Michigan – April 23, 2023 – Lake Erie and the Detroit River are well known in the walleye fishing world as two of the top spring-time walleye fishing destinations in the country. 120 anglers traveled to Monroe, Michigan to try their luck and put their skills to the test to fool these big post-spawn walleyes for a shot at bringing home the 1st place trophies. With favorable fishing conditions, two anglers inched ahead of the rest of the field and found what was needed to bring those trophies home. Michael Sitko (Pinckney, MI) and partner, Erick, Schenavar (Newport, MI) took home top honors with a win at the second stop of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) in Monroe, MI, presented by Mercury Marine.
After the scales closed on day one of the tournament, it was the 2022 MWC Team of the Year from Wisconsin, Wayne Butz and Joseph Sommers, that was holding the top spot with 30-15 lbs. Only two other teams in the field had cracked that 30 lb. mark on the first day. Not far behind them, almost half of the field sat within striking distance with over 20 lbs. per team brought to the scales.
One of the teams that also topped the 30 lb. mark on day one was Sitko and Schenavar with 30-04 lbs, just 11 ounces shy of the leaders. On day two, there was a little bit of a shift in the standings but Sitko and Schenavar’s trolling game was strong enough on Lake Erie’s western basin and allowed them to stand out amongst the field to bring in an even bigger bag than from the first day, 31-06 lbs, and give them a two-ounce lead over second place and secure the top prize with a two-day total bag weight of 61-10 lbs. Their win of $10,600 included a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s NTC prize package, along with the $3,900 option pot 1st prize, $1,000 Lowrance Bonus, and (2) Okuma Reels worth $200 for a grand total of $15,700.
Here’s a break-down of what the rest of the top 5 teams brought to the scales:
2nd. Jerry and Liza Plourde 61-08, $4,800 cash and $2,500 option pot
3rd. Steve and Dan Bodinger 60-01, $3,300 cash and $1,800 option pot
4th. Adam Hume and Mike Karner 59-02, $2,400 cash
5th. Jeff Cecile and Matt Lefaive 57-15, $1,800 cash
New for the 2023 season, Dakota Lithium Batteries has partnered up with the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC to offer a come-back award for the team that makes the biggest leap from day one to day two in the standings. The team that won this award, which includes a Dakota Lithium battery package to outfit their boat for the next tournament, was Michael Kopock and Alex Demers with a change in places from 39th to 19th.
The total payout for the 2nd event of the 2023 MWC season was $58,732 in cash and prizes. The anglers fishing Erie’s western basin and the Detroit River caught a total of 530 fish for a total two-day weight of 2449-10 lbs. The biggest fish of this event was caught by the 2nd place team of Jerry and Liza Plourde and weighed 9-10 lbs.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to the Monroe County CVB and the Monroe Boat Club for hosting this event. Events like this are made possible and run even smoother when there is an outpouring of support like what was seem from the surrounding community. Thank you to all of the volunteers that made this event a success!
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 39 years and has directly donated hundreds of thousands and helped raise millions of dollars to support walleye & conservation programs nationwide. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2023 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus a berth into the 2024 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.
Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 22nd season as the title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, and Dakota Lithium. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, Power-Pole and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.
