MWC Heads to Cass Lake for Season Finale and Team of the Year Showdown
Presented by: Mercury
Ponca City, Oklahoma – August 28, 2026 – The Masters Walleye Circuit will be rounding out its regular season once again with an angler favorite of Cass Lake, out of Stony Point Resort in Cass Lake, MN on September 18-19. The Team of the Year points race is heated, with James Campbell Jr. and Randy Vike leading with a 14-point lead over the competition. They will fish right to the end to hold their place and hopefully walk away with the “Livin the Dream” package awarded to Team of the Year.
With teams both travelling and local, it is always a battle at Cass Lake. The 15,000+ acres of fishable water combined with the timing of Mid-September allows for anglers to search for fish in many different areas and use a large array of tactics, making it anybody’s ballgame. Cass Lake does have a slot limit in place – allowing 1 fish over 20” per angler, per day – with the rest being between 15”-20”. This often forms the outcome of the event, with teams needing a perfect understanding that their “unders” will have be as good as they get, just under that 20” mark.
Excitement runs high at Cass Lake each year the MWC returns with anglers and families looking back on the season and celebrating, while also looking forward to a break from the traveling. Often discussion will drift to the following year’s schedule, in this case the 2027 schedule, which will be announced before the event. Keep your eyes open for that press release, coming soon.
Tournament days will start each day with a 7:30 am (Central Time) take-off given safe light conditions, and live weigh-ins beginning at 3:30 pm (Central Time) on Friday and Saturday, September 18-19, 2026, both of which will be held at Stony Point Resort in Cass Lake, MN. Spectators are encouraged 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 Bitter Lake closes on Monday, September 14th, 2026. Teams that are interested in signing up should visit:
www.masterswalleyecircuit.com/registration
or call
Federation National Office at (580) 765-9031.
Updated points for the WWC are posted on the website and can be found HERE. These will be updated the week following each of the remaining events. For teams competing for the Team of The Year “Living the Dream” title and the rewards that come with it, points can be found HERE.
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.
