2019 MWC World Walleye Championship Set for Oshkosh, WI Oct. 3-5

 Presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s

Ponca City, Okla. — September 25, 2019 — The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) will cap off their 35^th anniversary season in Oshkosh, WI, October 3-5, as the Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau hosts teams from across North America at the 2019 World Walleye Championship (WWC).

Jack Baker, tournament director, believes Lake Winnebago is a great place to hold a championship. “The Winnebago system is really packed with fish right now, but this will also challenge these anglers at this time of year. These are the best-of-the best teams from last season, they will find them.”

Teams qualified for this opportunity to fish in the WWC by points while fishing the 2018 MWC regular season events across the country, including the Illinois River, Detroit River, Lake Francis Case, Lake McConaughy, Lake Erie, Lake of the Woods, St. Mary’s River and Cass Lake.

Payout at the World Walleye Championship will once again exceed over $100,000 in cash and prizes, thanks in part from Ranger Boats and the $1,000 Ranger Cup Bonus, Lowrance and their $500 Carbon/HDS Live bonus, $500 Airwave Seat Pedestals, T-H Marine Atlas Awards, custom made trophies and the always flashy championship gold rings.

As a bonus benefit to all MWC anglers as well as all TWF members nationwide, Official Sponsor Lowe Equipment Attachments offers a 20 percent discount off the MSRP on all its auger, trenching and grapple products available through Midwest Attachments, LLC. For information on that program, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com/tournaments/contingencies.

Daily live weigh-ins at the Menominee Park, are free and open to the public beginning at 3:00pm all three days October 3,4,5.  If you can’t make it in person you can watch the weigh-ins live, online, at masterswalleyecircuit.com or on our Facebook page.

For the area youth, there is something for you immediately after the day-two weigh-in on Friday, we offer a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic in conjunction with the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA). The first 50 youth will receive a free rod-and-reel combo!

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 35 years and is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. For more information visit masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 18th 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: AirWave Pedestals, Church Tackle, MotorGuide, Okuma, Power-Pole and T-H Marine. For more information, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Walker, Minn. — September 23, 2019 — This season’s race for “Team of the Year” (TOY) saw 3 different lead changes and the final challenge came down to who would have the better weekend when the “Toughest Walleye Anglers on Planet Earth” took to the water on Minnesota’s Leech lake. Presented by Lowe Equipment, Chase on the Lake hosted the eighth stop of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC).

With a shot at TOY looming and the tournament lead after day one (21-04), the 2018 MWC Team of The Year, Max Wilson (Campbellsport, WI) and Isaac Lakich (Richfield, WI), set their eyes on something they hadn’t yet achieved, a Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC win. With a win, they would sweep the weekend, securing back-to-back TOY and reaching the top spot at the final event of the 2019 regular season.

“Isaac found something out there that has worked all week.” said Max on stage after weighing-in on day one. “He found this on Tuesday and if it goes tomorrow, I think we can win this.” Leech Lake has lots of different places to find large walleye, most anglers at the event will tell you the challenge was finding the 17-19” fish to go along with the 25-27” fish seemingly found easily.

On the second and final day, Wilson and Lakich, now with a target on their back, set out to secure the win and a second TOY award. They had to wait to weigh-in until the final moments of the event. Needing 16-03 to win, together Max and Isaac set their basket down on the scale. As the scaled locked, the 19-00, 5-fish limit set elation and emotion coursing through many who were there. None more than Max and Isaac. With total weekend weigh of 40-04, the duo were now champions.

“We just went out and fished.” Said Isaac as the crowd continued to clap” we knew that if we could repeat what we have been doing every day since Tuesday, this would work. We knew that if we didn’t worry about others, we just did what we had to do, this could happen” Isaac and Max used their electronics to target specific fish in the schools and cast directly to them to. “This is so special to us,” Max continued. “this year just felt different to us, you know? We really worked well together and stuck to what we knew.”

Wilson and Lakich took home $26,950 in cash and prizes, including the $10,800 first-place cash payout, $3,800 option pot cash, $500 AirWave certificate, $850 Day-One Big Fish, and a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package, include paid entry into the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. The team also won the $10,000 Team of the Year “Living the Dream” package, including travel stipend, entry fees and lodging for the 2020 MWC season.

The rest of the top five teams:

2^nd: Jake Caughey & Dan Steffen 38-01, $5,650 cash, $500 Lowrance bonus, (2) Okuma fishing reels

3^rd: Dylan Maki & Colt Anderson 38-0, $3,850 cash

4^th: Chuck Hasse & Randy Topper 37-09, $2,750 cash, $2,600 option pot cash

5^th: George Wells & Wil Neururer 37-06, $2,200 cash

The 8^th place team of Nate Leininger & Nick Willardson won the $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus.

All together the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit awarded $58,523.50 in cash and prizes in Leech Lake.

497 fish weighed a total of 1750lbs- 05ozs during the event. Ryan & Cory Hylla took home “Big Fish” honors with their 8-15 walleye on Saturday. National Professional Angler Association members Stephen and Brenda Picht presented the NPAA’s Youth and Family Fishing Clinic Friday afternoon, immediately following the weigh-in and gave away fishing rods to attendees.

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 35 years and is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2019 schedule includes eight qualifiers in six states, plus the 2020 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 18th 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: AirWave Pedestals, Church Tackle, MotorGuide, Okuma, Power-Pole and T-H Marine. For more information, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Ponca City, Okla. —August 23, 2019 ­­– The anglers of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) will round out the 2019 season by fishing one of Minnesota’s highest ranked walleye destinations, Leech Lake, Walker, MN. With a super close “Team of the Year” (TOY) race and many still vying for a spot in the 2020 World Walleye Championship, there will be plenty on the line come September 20-21.

“It’s incredible how often these points races come down to the last event.” Mentioned Jack Baker, MWC tournament director, as he spoke of the 2019 season. “All of these fishermen have been having fun, yet working so hard at beating each other. It will be exciting to see who pulls it off at Leech, who has the plan that works.”

The team of Max Wilson and Isaac Lakich once again leads the TOY race into the final event, much the same as they did during the 2018 season. Though, this time, the lead is not as comfortable. “All of these guys that could beat us in points, can beat us on the water. We don’t have room to stumble this year, not if we want to repeat.” Said Wilson when asked his thoughts about going to Leech with the point lead.

Presented by Lowe Equipment, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC will send the teams out and weigh them in at the award-winning resort, Chase on the Lake, in Walker, Minnesota. Anglers staying at Chase on the Lake will enjoy a resort atmosphere that can be enjoyed by the whole family, making this stop a great chance for a family vacation along with healthy competition.

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 and Cabela’s National Team Championship (NTC) prize package including paid entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. Additionally, the big-fish pot, option pot and sponsor bonuses from Ranger Cup, Lowrance, Okuma, AirWave and T-H Marine Atlas Awards add thousands more for distribution among the field.

Teams earning points in at least three qualifiers each season compete for coveted berths in a World Walleye Championship. Qualified teams from 2019 will fish the 2020 World Walleye Championship, set for October 2020 on the mighty Mississippi River in the Quad Cities. 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.

As a bonus benefit to all MWC anglers as well as all TWF members nationwide, Official Sponsor Lowe Equipment Attachments offers a 20 percent discount off the MSRP on all its auger, trenching and grapple products available through Midwest Attachments, LLC. For information on that program, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com/tournaments/contingencies.

Daily live weigh-ins at the Chase on The Lake are free and open to the public beginning at 3:00pm both days September 20, 21.  If you can’t make it in person you can watch the weigh-ins live, online, at masterswalleyecircuit.com or on our Facebook page.

For the area youth, there is something for you immediately after the day-one weigh-in on Friday, we offer a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic in conjunction with the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA). The first 50 youth will receive a free rod-and-reel combo!

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 35 years and is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2019 schedule includes eight qualifiers in six states, plus the 2020 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Registration is now open for all events, and the registration deadline for the Leech Lake tournament is close of business September 16^th.  Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 18th 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: AirWave Pedestals, Church Tackle, MotorGuide, Okuma, Power-Pole and T-H Marine. For more information, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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Devils Lake, North Dakota — August 18, 2019 — After spending 13 days on the water prior to the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) event at Devils Lake, Chad Lunde and Luke Schultz of Littleton, CO thought they had seen all they needed to know.  This just wasn’t going to be “their weekend.”

Presented by Ranger Boats, the Devils Lake MWC tournament sent teams out across the vastness that is Devils Lake in North Dakota. With so many places for fish to hide and so many techniques to try, it was anyone’s guess as to who would have them locked down come Friday and Saturday. At the rules meeting Thursday night, Lunde and Schultz had no idea that less than 48 hours later they would be sitting with a chance to walk away with the win.

“We really had no plan and very low expectations.” Luke said in an interview after the win. “We had already used every rod and every lure in the boat while pre-fishing and thought we were just there to have some fun.” The team had zero fish when the clock struck 12:30pm on Friday afternoon, then something changed their entire weekend. “We saw something on the Lowrance side-imaging that caught our attention in 40 feet of water.” Said Luke.

Lunde talked about what happened next. “We got the idea to fish this spot like we would at home, pitching jigging-raps in deep water. At home we do it in 85 feet of water, here was only 40 feet, but it worked.” The anglers compiled a 5-fish, 26-02 limit in less than an hour on day one, good enough for second place, behind Jake and Gene Brueggemann’s 28-05.

“We didn’t go right to our spot on Saturday morning, honestly, we were worried that we were going to be followed, so we messed around a little to calm ourselves down and then found those fish once again.” Chad said. They once again put together a bag over 26 lbs. on day two for an impressive win, with 52 lbs. and 6 oz. “All we have wanted, for years, was to win an MWC event, we wanted that trophy, now we got it!”

Lunde and Schultz took home $14,085 in cash and prizes, including the $9,700 first-place cash payout, $3,685 option pot cash, $500 Lowrance Bonus, $500 AirWave certificate and a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package, including paid entry into the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

The rest of the top five teams:

2^nd: Jarrod Fredericks & Steve Alverson 45-09, $4,800 cash, $2,500 option pot cash, $1000 Ranger Cup

3^rd: Jake & Gene Brueggemann 39-07, $3,350 cash

4^th: Terry Schlieve & Mearl Nelson 38-01, $2,600 cash

5^th: Chris & Joe Kujawa 35-11 $2,250 cash, $1,500 option pot cash

All together the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit awarded $48,565 in cash and prizes in Devils Lake.

431 fish weighed a total of 1189lbs- 10ozs during the event. Travor Diegel & Paul Steffen took home “Big Fish” honors with their 8-00 walleye on Saturday. National Professional Angler Association member Spencer Deutz presented the NPAA’s Youth and Family Fishing Clinic for a rain-soaked group, Saturday afternoon, immediately following the weigh-in and gave away fishing rods to attendees.

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 35 years and is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2019 schedule includes eight qualifiers in six states, plus the 2020 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 18th 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: AirWave Pedestals, Church Tackle, MotorGuide, Okuma, Power-Pole and T-H Marine. For more information, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.