Debernardi/Wilson Win at Spring Valley in “Mikey’s Spot” Presented by Mercury Marine

Debernardi/Wilson Win at Spring Valley in “Mikey’s Spot”

Presented by Mercury Marine

Spring Valley, Ill. — March 21, 2022 — There are moments in life where things seem to happen that were just “meant to be”. These are the times when all the items that have to fall into place do and the unbelievable nature of it all isn’t realized until one special moment. That moment and those things, all lined up for J.J. Debernardi (Wayne, IL) and Max Wilson (Campbellsport, WI) at the 2022 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) event on the Illinois River, presented by Mercury Marine.  

The pair weighed a respectable 10 lbs. and 3 oz. on the first of the two-day event, but faced rapidly changing water levels and stiff competition from others, trailing the leaders by over 3 lbs. The team had made plans originally to fish closer to the launch site, the Spring Valley Boat Club, but something inside told them to head to “Mikey’s Spot”, the term coined to honor their late friend and former MWC angler, Mike Hanson. An up river spot near Starved Rock State Park that is difficult to navigate to in the best of conditions, let alone low river levels. Dodging rocks and logs like a NASCAR driver dodging “the Big One” at Daytona, the team found themselves in a spot nearly alone, with hungry fish both days of the tournament.

Mike was J.J’s tournament partner for years in the MWC.  As a team they finished in the Top 5 multiple times, but Mike and J.J. could never quite find the perfect recipe to win the event on Mike’s home body of water, the Illinois River. Mike sadly passed away in early February after an extended battle with Covid 19.

“We did it for Mikey.” J.J. said after the event. “He always wanted to win this one. He even has a spot in his house near his fish and plaques where he made room to put an MWC Spring Valley trophy if we won one.” That spot can now be filled, J.J. wishes to honor Mike by making sure there is a trophy where it rightfully belongs, in that spot in Mike and Cheri Hanson’s house.

Max Wilson decided to fish this event along with J.J. to immortalize his bond with a special friend. “Mike was like a father-figure to me.” Said Max through tears on the stage. ”I shouldn’t be here, I really just want my friend back, but I know he’s proud of us and of J.J. for doing what we just did.” What they just did was weigh 22lbs 12oz in total and win $19,000 in cash and prizes, including a spot in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s National Team Championship.

As the team hoisted their trophies on Saturday afternoon, one more small sign came from the heavens itself.  After two full days of fishing and weighing-in with cold, clouds, rain and wind, the sun burst through, the wind died down and the temperature climbed. The story writes itself, for those that were there to witness this, no way they’ll forget it. The entire field of anglers came together to congratulate J.J. and Max and although no one likes to lose, it’s safe to say they were alright with who won.

Let’s have a look at the rest of the top-five teams and what they’ve won:

2nd: Barb & Danny Plautz 21-15, $6,400 cash and $3,023 option pot cash

3rd: Paul & Ted Mathews 21-09, $4,100 cash

4th: Tom Albrecht & Todd Connor 21-07, $3,200 cash and $2,100 option pot cash, $1,000 Lowrance Bonus, (2) Okuma Reels

5th: Joe & Michael Perez 20-14, $2,600 cash and $1,650 option pot cash

With 96 teams competing in this year’s tournament the total purse eclipsed $82,200 and paid 19 places along with 10 Option Pot places and $4,400 in the Big Fish bonus. The competitors caught 885 fish weighing a total of 1516 lbs. 02 oz. during the event. The biggest fish of the event was 5lbs. 8oz. caught by Paul and Ted Mathews.

In partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Recourses, the MWC once again made its annual conservation commitment to this and other fisheries in the area as it has for more than three decades at the Spring Valley event. That conservation donation was the actual live fish from the event that will be used by the hatchery as brood stock and valued at thousands of dollars annually. The Illinois DNR will be utilizing the saugers specifically for their wildly successful sauger stocking programs among other things.

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 38 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 2022 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus a berth into the 2023 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 21th season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats. 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.

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Anglers-MWC Ready for the 2022 Season Starter on the Illinois River Presented by Mercury Marine

  • Filed under MWC News

  • February 28, 2022

Anglers-MWC Ready for the 2022 Season Starter on the Illinois River

Presented by Mercury Marine

Ponca City, Okla. — February 28, 2022 — After what seemed like the coldest, most drawn out winter we’ve had in decades the anglers, hosts, and staff of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC), are ready to get this 38th season started in Spring Valley, Illinois with some jigging, trolling, and hopefully some netting of big fish and a couple high fives! This first event of the season will be held March 18-19, with launch and weigh-ins happening at the Spring Valley Boat Club.

The stretch of the Illinois River by Spring Valley is teaming with a healthy population of saugers, with some of the biggest saugers in the Midwest along with some big walleyes if you can find them! The 2022 kick-off event can expect to see full live wells of saugers and walleyes with some saugeyes mixed in. Teams will have two days to find a total of ten fish, five each day, to bring to the MWC stage and grab a chance at winning the coveted trophy and top prize.

In one of the longest running conservation partnerships in all of walleye fishing each year MWC partners with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at Spring Valley in a large conservation project. Illinois DNR takes all the sauger caught by MWC anglers back to the state’s fish hatchery to be spawned under ideal, controlled conditions to further the brilliantly successful Illinois River sauger stocking program. In just the last decade the MWC has provided over 5,000 fish for the program.

Daily live weigh-ins will be held at the Spring Valley Boat Club beginning at 3:30pm both days March 18-19.  We welcome everyone to watch the weigh-ins live, online, at masterswalleyecircuit.com or on our Facebook page facebook.com/MastersWalleyeCircuit.

Anglers competing in the 2022 MWC season events will be attempting to earn a coveted spot in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s World Walleye Championship. We are pleased to announce that in late September of 2023, the city of Pierre and Hughes County, South Dakota is excited to host the “Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth” to their historic city in the center of their state! The 2023 World Championship qualifiers will compete on one of the best the walleye fisheries in the west, Lake Sharpe in Pierre, SD, on the Missouri River system.

MWC Teams may fish as many events as they wish during a season. Teams must earn points in at least three qualifiers to have a chance at earning an invitation to the World Walleye Championship in the final “best of 3” final standing each year.

Those earning points in at least four qualifiers compete for “Team of the Year” honors, including a $10,000 sponsorship package and thousands more in cash and prizes to the top 10 teams in the final “best of 4” final standing each year.

Each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered into that event, and 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 from Ranger Cup, Lowrance, Okuma, and T-H Marine Atlas Awards 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 and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 38 years. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2022 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2023 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 21th season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats. 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.

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Registration Set to Open for 2022 Masters Walleye Circuit Season, 2023 World Walleye Championship Announced Presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s

Registration Set to Open for 2022 Masters Walleye Circuit Season, 2023 World Walleye Championship Announced  Presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s

Ponca City, Okla.—December 31, 2021

With 2021 and all of its challenges behind us, the walleye fishing world is ready to get back on the water for the 39th season of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC). Once again teams that fish the longest running national walleye circuit in North America will via for their share of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes that will be awarded in 2022 and a total payback that exceeds well over 100% of entry fees on the season.

Registration for the 2022 season opens at 12 noon (CST) January 4, online at masterswalleyecircuit.com  or by calling the MWC offices at (580)765-9031.

MWC will once again offer “Premier Team” status for those teams that sign up for at least (3) events at once, prior to fishing their first event of the year. Premier Team status is our way of saying “Thank You” for their commitment to fishing the Masters Walleye Circuit and come with multiple benefits each year such as, the use of a pre-designated substitute, delayed billing Premier Team swag and more.

Anglers competing in the 2022 MWC season events will be attempting to earn a coveted spot in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s World Walleye Championship. We are pleased to announce that in late September of 2023, the city of Pierre and Hughes County, South Dakota is excited to host the “Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth” to their historic city in the center of their state! The 2023 World Championship qualifiers will compete on one of the best the walleye fisheries in the west, Lake Sharpe in Pierre, SD, on the Missouri River system.

MWC Teams may fish as many events as they wish during a season. Teams must earn points in at least three qualifiers to have a chance at earning an invitation to the World Walleye Championship in the final “best of 3” final standing each year.

Those earning points in at least four qualifiers compete for “Team of the Year” honors, including a $10,000 sponsorship package and thousands more in cash and prizes to the top 10 teams in the final “best of 4” final standing each year.

With that, the 2022 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Season looks like this:

March 18-19, 2022 – Illinois River, Spring Valley, IL

                                    April -22-23, 2022 – Lake Erie, Sandusky, OH

                                    May 20-21, 2022 – Big Stone Lake, Ortonville, MN

                                    June 3-4, 2022 – Bay of Green Bay, Marinette, WI

                                    June 17-18, 2022 – Lake Huron, Oscoda, MI  

                                    August 19-20, 2022 – Lake Oahe, Gettysburg, SD                           

                                    September 16-17, 2022 – Cass Lake, Cass Lake, MN

Sept 29 – Oct 1, 2022 – 2022 MWC World Walleye Championship –

(2021 Qualifiers) Bay of Green Bay, Oconto, WI.

Each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered into that event, and 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 from Ranger Cup, Lowrance, Okuma, and T-H Marine Atlas Awards 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 and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 38 years. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2022 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2023 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 21th season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats and The Walleye Federation. Associate sponsors include: Church Tackle, Berkley Fishing, Okuma, Power-Pole, Soft Steel and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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Peter and Ted’s Excellent 2021 World Walleye Championship Adventure Presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s

Peter and Ted’s Excellent 2021 World Walleye Championship Adventure

Presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s

Lake City, Minn. — October 4, 2021 — When Peter and Ted Mart (Utica, MN) learned of their qualification for the 2021 Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) World Walleye Championship (WWC) they went right to work planning, knowing it was going to be on a familiar body of water, the Mighty Mississippi. Lake City, MN hosted the 2021 WWC and only the best thirty-one teams in the walleye world were allowed to take part in what turned out to be a runaway win by the father-son duo.

Water levels were lower than expected for this time of the year as the winter of 2020-2021 and much of the summer did not provide significant water runoff, leaving far fewer places to look for the five best walleye or sauger the teams could find. Peter and Ted concentrated on a hole in the southern third of the WWC allotted boundaries. Anglers could choose to fish within Pools 3, 4 or 5 over the course of the 3-day event.

Day one provided a glimpse into what was expected for the remaining competition with the majority of the teams weighing five fish, a mix of walleye and sauger, for around or near 10.5 lbs. The Marts however had a great day, weighing over 16lbs with their five-best fish, solidifying them as the top team after day-one in front of Carl Holten and Marty Stuefen (Harpers Ferry, IA).

It was clear at the scales on the second day that anglers had learned how to catch all the fish they needed to fill out a 5-fish limit with all but one team weighing a tournament limit of fish. Once again Peter and Ted Mart found themselves at the top of the leaderboard, with a weight only one ounce shy of the previous day. Carl and Marty were once again in a position to grab the lead at any moment and Peter and Ted knew they had to fish clean or they would be caught. When the scales closed on the second day, Peter and Ted were almost two pounds ahead of 2nd and only three pounds out from 4th. With Tom Davis (Mankato, MN) and Jim Davenport’s (Saukville, WI) 10 lbs. 3 oz. walleye smashing the Berkley Big Fish award, it was clear to all involved that you could be a number of places back, but one fish could catapult you into the lead.

The third and final day, with a mix of cloud cover and sunshine, along with very little to no wind, the father-son team had all eyes on them, anglers and spectators alike. As word grew in the riverside town of Lake City that a team from just down river, a couple of locals, were leading in such a large nation-wide event, everyone had to turn out and cheer them on. Turn out, they did. A large crowd gathered around at Lake City Marina, the weigh-in site for the WWC on the final afternoon, hoping to witness. As the team rolled in and came across the stage for the first time, the rumors swirled, the crowd stirred as teams from all over the walleye world were weighing solid bags of fish, knocking each other out of first place with nearly each basket. Team after team, basket after basket many had the fish to win, if Peter and Ted didn’t catch the same weight, they had the previous two days.

Sitting in first after 28 teams had weighed-in was Dan Stier (Mina, SD) and Mark Michael (Princeton, IL), with 44lbs 4oz., they had a great three days of fishing. The 29th team to weigh, Wayne Butz (Abrams, WI) and Scott Cisewski (Stevens Point, WI) fell just shy of the lead, landing 43lbs. 8oz. Then Holten and Stuefen boxed 44lbs. 8oz., enough to lead for the moment. The rain began to fall as the crowd collectively held its breath. Peter and Ted needed over 11 pounds of fish, just over the average size bag to win. When the fish settled and the crowd fell silent, tournament emcee, Jeff Kelm shouted “14 pounds, one ounce!” and the onlookers went crazy. “Peter and Ted Mart are World Walleye Champions here in Lake City!”

The payout for the World Walleye Championship is designed to pay out to all qualified teams that fish in all qualifying days of the event. The total payout in cash and prizes topped $120,000.00, with the first-place family duo, Peter and Ted walking away with over $21,799.99 in cash and prizes, including $15,000 in cash, custom World Championship rings, trophies, a Mercury 9.9hp kicker motor, a Power Pole Pro II, Power Pole Drift Paddle and (2) Okuma reels.  The top 10 teams in the team of the year standings split over $22,000 and the balance was spread throughout the 31-team field. Overall MWC paid back over 135% on entry fees on the full season and over 500% on entry fees for the championship!

Second and third place walked away with a hefty load of cash and prizes as well – Carl Holten and Marty Stuefen won over $9,700 in cash and prizes which includes $7,100 in cash, $1,000 Lowrance Bonus, a Lowrance 7 LIVE, Power Pole Drift Paddle and TH Marine Gift Pack. Dan Stier and Mark Michael pocketed $3,500 cash and a TH Marine Hydro Wave, valued at $299.99.

The teams in Lake City caught 428 fish weighing a total of 1019 lbs. 08 oz. during the event. 4th place team of Wayne Butz and Scott Cisewski were the Ranger Cup bonus winners, winning a $1,000 cash bonus thanks to Ranger Boats.

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 37 years. MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2022 schedule includes seven qualifiers in six states, plus the 2022 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship in Oconto, WI. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 20th season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats and The Walleye Federation. Associate sponsors include: Church Tackle, Berkley Fishing, Okuma, Power-Pole, Soft Steel and T-H Marine. For more information, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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