Sanderson and Pavel Grind it out on Lake Francis Case for the Win Presented by Dakota Lithium Batteries

Sanderson and Pavel Grind it out on Lake Francis Case for the Win

Presented by Dakota Lithium Batteries

Wagner, SD – August 27th, 2023 – From the very beginning of practice, the “Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth” that came to battle it out on Lake Francis Case in South Dakota knew their mettle would be tested to the extreme. There were 84 anglers that came from seven states across the walleye belt to compete for $38,032 in cash and prizes during the sixth stop of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC), presented by Dakota Lithium Batteries. Upon arrival the teams were greeted with a heat wave that would rival temps found on the equator. With heat indexes soaring into the 120-degree range, these MWC teams put their noses to the grindstone and poured out everything they had to bring their best fish across the scales.

On day 1 of the tournament, temperatures had subsided a little from the previous week but still left the anglers battling ambient temperatures sitting in the mid 90’s. “It took a lot of patience to figure these fish out and make them want to eat.”, said Tim Sanderson and Brady Pavel from Bonesteel, SD. “It was frustrating at times seeing so many fish suspended in the tops of the submerged trees and they wouldn’t eat. We decided to just grind it out in hopes a few would bite. We trolled the entire tournament pulling bottom bouncers with worm harnesses through the tops of the trees. It wasn’t a fast bite but it all worked out in the end given the conditions we’ve faced over the past week.”

Pavel and Sanderson brought 9-00 lbs. of walleyes to the scales on the first day of the tournament. That was enough to land them in second place right on the heels of the day one leaders, Cody Wasylow and Derick Berhow who had 9-01 lbs. On the second day anglers were greeted with a minor cold front that dropped the temps another 10 degrees and made the fishing conditions a little more tolerable. Pavel and Sanderson stuck to with their game plan from the previous day and were able to pull off the win with a sack of walleyes weighing 8-12 lbs. that would give them a grand two-day total of 17-12 lbs. and crown them champions on Lake Francis Case in South Dakota. With this win Pavel and Sanderson took home a nice check worth $8,500, a $1,000 NTC prize package that includes a paid spot in the 2024 NTC, custom NTC Jerseys, custom NTC Qualifier Plaques, and a cash travel stipend, and two Okuma reels worth $200.

Here’s a look at how the rest of the top 5 teams did in South Dakota:

2nd Skip Young and Cody Palmer 17-02 lbs. $4,150 cash

3rd Mike Dorris and Douglas McDonough 16-13 lbs. $2,750 cash and $2,716 option pot cash

4th Tom and Scott Albrecht 16-09 lbs. $2,000 cash and $2,037 option pot cash

5th Alex Surrell and Brian Moen 16-01 lbs. $1,716 cash and $1,358 option pot cash

The Dakota Lithium Come-Back award went to Ryan Thompson and Ryan Neddo. They went from 27th place on day one to 13th place on day 2.  A jump in the standings that earned them three (3) 135ah deep cycle/marine starting/trolling batteries with chargers, totaling $4,296.

The MWC staff, anglers and their families would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you for the support from the Wagner, Pickstown, and Lake Andes community for welcoming our event into your communities. A special thank you also goes out to the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks and Rivina Fire Department for the help setting up and making this event a success.

The Team of the Year (TOY) race is heating up as the MWC heads into its final event of the 2023 season up in Cass Lake, Minnesota on September 15th and 16th. Tom and Scott Albrecht’s finish at Lake Francis Case will give them a much-welcomed bump in the standings and give them a shot at the TOY title. The current TOY leaders are Tony Karrick and Sam Cappelli looking for their first MWC TOY title. Wayne Butz and Joseph Sommers, the 2022 TOY along with Adam Hume and Mike Karner who are in the hunt for their 2nd TOY title in the past four years are hot on their tails. The event in Cass Lake will crown the top team of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit season.

There is still time to sign up for the final qualifying event of the season at Cass Lake, MN on September 15th and 16th. The Cass Lake area around Stoney Point Resort is a beautiful location to bring families up to enjoy the gorgeous scenery and great walleye and perch fishing the chain has to offer. A win here will give some team a free entry into the National Team Championship (NTC) on Lake Erie in 2024. Registration for this event is open until Monday, September 11th. Anglers can register by visiting masterswalleyecircuit.com.

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 Batteries. 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.

2024 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Schedule Release

2024 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Schedule Release

The Legacy Continues: “Best Waters at The Best Times – Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth”

Ponca City, Okla. – Aug 8, 2023 – The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) is keeping with its long-standing goal of fishing the “Best Waters at The Best Times” across the walleye world. The MWC is the longest running, team format, national walleye circuit in the country and boasts the “Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth” offers more than 100% payback in cash and prizes every single year. Anglers will have opportunities to compete anywhere from the walleye-rich waters of the Great Lakes in the east all the way out west, on the longest river in the US, the Missouri River, which holds some of the largest walleyes in the country.

Entry fees have not changed in the past 13 years and will remain unchanged for the 2024 season. Select events in 2024 will have even more added to the prize pool, such as Lowrance Ghost Trolling motors and other prizes.

Teams of anglers looking to compete in the 2024 season of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit will have the opportunity to qualify for the MWC’s World Walleye Championship (WWC) in the Fall of 2025. Teams that fish three or more events during the season, and accumulate enough points, will earn a berth into the longest-running walleye circuit championship in the North America, the WWC, and a have a shot at winning the most coveted title in the business, World Walleye Champions.

“Each year, when deciding where the MWC will travel to, we always try to visit places that offer anglers the best of everything. The best places available to us to fish and for us to stay.” Said Jeff Kelm, Tournament Director for the Masters Walleye Circuit. “We want to challenge anglers and test their abilities while visiting waters that are diverse enough that they could play to anyone’s advantage at any time.”

The 2024 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit schedule will look like this, pending permit approvals from the various state and federal agencies:

March 22-23, Spring Valley, IL (Illinois River)

April 26-27, Chamberlain, SD (Missouri River)

May 31-June 1, Oshkosh, WI (Lake Winnebago)

June 28-29, Au Gres, MI, (Lake Huron)

July 12-13, Geneva, OH, (Lake Erie)

August 9-10, Webster, SD (Bitter Lake)

September 13-14, Cass Lake, MN (Cass Lake)

2024 World Walleye Championship (WWC) Championship September 26-28, Alpena, MI (Lake Huron) (2023 Season Qualifiers)

2025 World Walleye Championship (WWC) – TBA

 

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s lucrative payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event, provide even more inspiration to join the fun. In addition, the MWC big-fish pot, option pot payouts and sponsor bonuses including Ranger Cup, Lowrance Electronics, Okuma, and Dakota Lithium Batteries Come-Back award adds thousands more to the total. As a result, winners have a chance at pocketing $10,000 – $15,000 or more in extra awards based on these added bonus programs in cash and prizes. Plus, the first-place team at each event wins a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. The MWC always pays back considerably more than 100% in cash and prizes every year.

Teams fishing at least four qualifying events in 2024 will compete for “Team of the Year” awards including a $10,000 “MWC Living the Dream” sponsorship package and thousands more in cash, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s gift cards and paid tournament entries. The top 10 teams in the Team of the Year standings will all receive cash and prizes.

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 40 years, since 1984. MWC events are open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. Registration for the 2024 events will open in January 2024 online at masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s – The World’s Foremost Outfitters, are in their 22nd season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, Dakota Lithium Batteries, and The Walleye Federation. Associate sponsors include: Church Tackle, Okuma, Power-Pole, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Visits Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River Presented by Dakota Lithium Batteries

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Visits Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River Presented by Dakota Lithium Batteries

Ponca City, Okla. – 27 July, 2023 – After finishing up our Great Lakes swing through the Midwest, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC), presented by Dakota Lithium Batteries, travels to the prairies of South Dakota and Lake Francis Case, Pickstown, SD.

Francis Case is a 102-mile-long impoundment on the Missouri River that boasts huge populations of walleyes that can be targeted with almost any presentation. Although trolling is popular among tournament anglers, just about every walleye catching tactic will be on the table for “The Toughest Anglers on Planet Earth.”

South Dakota native and Dakota Lithium Pro Duane Hjelm was taken aback by the number of fish and the breathtaking scenery in the Pickstown area after recently competing in a major tournament on Francis Case. “It is just such a cool area. As an angler, the first thing you notice is just how many fish are there. The views are great too, it’s just so different than anywhere else in the country.”

Registration is now open through August 21, 2023 so there is still time to sign-up to fish the Lake Francis Case MWC event. Visit the MWC website to sign up at masterswalleyecircuit.com or call 580-765-9031.

The 7:00am morning take offs and 3:00pm daily weigh in Friday and Saturday are free and open to the public and the MWC welcomes the public to experience this event in-person at Prairie Dog Bay boat launch in Lake Andes, SD on August 25th and 26th. Live stream and live leaderboard of the daily weigh ins will also begin at 3:00 p.m. each day on masterswalleyecircuit.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/MastersWalleyeCircuit.

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, Dakota Lithium Batteries, Okuma, and T-H Marine Atlas Awards add thousands more for distribution among the field.

At all 2023 MWC events Dakota Lithium Batteries is offering the “Dakota Lithium Comeback Award” totaling well over $4,000.00 of Dakota Lithium batteries and chargers to the team that makes the biggest move up the leaderboard on day two. So, no one is out of it until the event is over!

With two qualifying events left in the 2023 season, this Francis Case, SD event and Cass Lake, MN event September 15-16 now it the time that the lucrative and sought after MWC Team Of the Year race starts heating up. Every point will count moving forward now to see who will earn that coveted title and the over $10,000 in awards that goes with it. Here a look at the top 5 teams who are in contention in that race right now.

Currently leading the MWC Team Of the Year race is Tony Karrick and Sam Cappelli they are hungry and it would be their first TOY title. Could Wayne Butz and Joseph Sommers from Wisconsin go back-to-back years and make it two in a row and 3 TOY titles overall for Wayne Butz? (Wayne was part of TOY team back in 2008) very hard to do. Can Michigan’s Adam Hume and Mike Karner lock up their second TOY title in 4 years, (they won TOY in 2020)? What about Peter Mart (MN) and Dave Lester (WI) or the Tom and John Albrecht MN/SD or can Don Olsen (MN) and Randy Carroll (IL) take the lead on the western swing and securing their first TOY title?

They are not the only ones in the hunt either -The Michigan and Ohio/IL teams of Kammerer and Shakoor and Wright and Munda may just “show up” out west or will they open the lane to Minnesota’s Persinger and Sween to move up who are sitting currently in 10th? LOTS of possibilities with two events left, one at Frances Case, SD and Cass Lake, MN.

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. The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s –Are in their 22th season as 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.

 

Colorado Team of Lunde and Schultz Win on Bay of Green Bay Presented by Ranger Boats

Colorado Team of Lunde and Schultz Win on Bay of Green Bay

Presented by Ranger Boats

Oconto, Wisc – July 23, 2023 – No matter the time of year, The Bay of Green Bay brings hopes of big walleyes for tournament anglers that travel far and wide across the bay searching. The fifth stop of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC), boasted a total payout of $60,011 and was Presented by Ranger Boats. The weather leading up to this leg of the season was perfect for the 124 MWC anglers competing and as teams left the dock at Oconto, WI. the anticipation and stakes were high. For one Colorado team, those hopes became a reality after two days of fishing.

A duo from nearly 1200 miles away who had never fished The Bay of Green Bay, Chad Lunde and Luke Schultz from Littleton, CO came out to Wisconsin with open minds and a willingness to figure these fish out while doing what very few, if any other anglers, where doing during the tournament. After taking over the lead on day-two, the team described their pattern as kind of a one-two punch approach. They were targeting bigger fish on their new Lowrance Live electronics and dropping slip-bobbers with live bait on their noses enticing them to bite. When this subtle approach didn’t work, they casted glide baits at fish trying to trigger reaction bites.

Both tactics have been known to catch walleye all across the walleye world. Lunde and Schultz’s back-to-basics approach set them up in a good spot after weighing a bag of 30-04 lbs. on the first day that landed them in 3rd place and just a little over a pound out of the lead.

Day-two saw an incoming weather front and a moving barometer, the conditions were just right for the Colorado team to bring in another solid basket of fish for the final day. Their day-two weight of 25-11 lbs. was enough to secure the win with a two-day total of 55-15 lbs. The duo took home the top prize of $9,660 cash, $3,700 option pot cash, a $1,000 NTC prize package, $1,000 Lowrance Electronics cash Award, Two (2) Okuma Reels worth $200, and two coveted MWC 1st place trophies. All totaling over $15,560!

Here’s how the rest of the top five teams competing in Oconto did:

2nd Tony Karrick and Sam Cappelli 55-13 lbs. $4,840 cash, $2,550 option pot cash, $500 Ranger Cup bonus

3rd Peter Mart and Dave Lester 54-02 lbs. $3,330 cash

4th Dan Woodke and Steve Meyer 53-09 lbs. $2,450 cash, $1,500 option pot cash

5th Steve and Jeremy Skupien 53-08 lbs. $1,910 cash, $1,025 option pot cash

The Dakota Lithium Come-Back award went to Dylan Schmidt and Trevor Parsons. They went from 53rd place after day one to 29th place on day two. A jump in the standings that earned them three (3) 135ah deep cycle/marine starting/trolling batteries with chargers, totaling $4,296.

The largest fish caught during the event was caught by Adam Hume and Mike Karner weighing in at 10-05 lbs. The largest sack of the tournament was caught by Dylan Schmidt and Trevor Parsons and weighed 34-01 lbs. A total of 386 walleyes were weighed-in totaling 1841-04 lbs. during the tournament.

A huge thank you goes out to Oconto Riviera, Oconto Economic Development, and The Dockside for helping set up a great venue for the rules meeting, supplying anglers and staff with an awesome dinner, and rolling out the red carpet here in Oconto! Thank you!

The next stop of the MWC takes anglers back out west to Lake Francis Case in Wagner, SD. Francis Case is an impoundment on the Missouri River and boosts a very healthy population of walleyes just waiting for anglers to take-on. Registration for this event is open until Monday, August 21st. Anglers can register by visiting masterswalleyecircuit.com.

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 Batteries. 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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