Miller, Tarrell Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Lake McConaughy Tournament, Presented by Lowrance Electronics

Miller, Tarrell Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Lake McConaughy Tournament, Presented by Lowrance Electronics

Ogallala, Neb.—June 2, 2018—Nebraskans John Miller and Ev Tarrell started fast and finished strong to score an emotional victory at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s regular season tournament on Nebraska’s mighty Lake McConaughy out of Ogallala, Nebraska, June 1-2, 2018.

Presented by Lowrance Electronics and headquartered at scenic Cedar Vue Campground, the two-day event featured 160 anglers from 12 states fishing in two-person teams for their share of more than $60,000 in cash and prizes.

“It’s pretty numbing,” said Miller, of North Platte. “I’ve fished tournaments my whole life and been in the top 10 many times, but this is my first win. And my brother, who has had a lot of success locally, finished second.” He credited his father, Darrell Miller, for getting him hooked on fishing and introducing him to the thrill of competition. “My dad got us started fishing the MWC in the late 1980s and early ’90s, and we made it to the World Walleye Championship in 1989,” Miller explained. “He passed away a year ago and his ashes are close to this lake, so this is very special.”

Tarrell, a 30-year Cabela’s employee from Sydney, was likewise elated and touched by the tournament’s outcome. “I’m a little shocked right now,” he said. “I’ve done well in tournaments before, but not one like this. And I’m really happy for my partner. John’s a great guy and before the tournament he dedicated it to his father. This means a lot.”

Miller and Tarrell gave their competitors notice they were in it to win it early, topping the day one leaderboard with a 24-pound, 15-ounce, 5-fish MWC limit. “We were casting jigs and spinnerbaits over a rocky bottom in four to eight feet of water,” said Miller. “It worked really well the first day. But then the wind switched overnight and everything changed.”

The team returned to their day one hotspot but caught only one keeper before moving to a new area on the windswept side of the lake. “Like a lot of lakes, McConaughy’s bite is wind-driven,” Miller continued. “We drifted live-bait rigs over shallow sand on the windy side of the lake today. Conditions were tough and we only caught six fish.”

Their daily total plummeted to 10 pounds, 13 ounces. But the rest of the hard-fishing MWC field also struggled to adapt to the changing conditions and, as fate would have it, Miller and Tarrell’s 35-pound, 12-ounce tournament total was enough to win the day by nearly three pounds.

Miller and Tarrell collected $17,450 in cash and prizes for their efforts, including the $12,000 first-place cash payout, $3,750 cash from the option pot, $500 AirWave certificate, $200 Okuma Reel bonus and a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid entry into the Cabela’s NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Rounding out the top five were:

2nd: James Miller, Jason Cooper, 32-07, $5,850 cash plus $2,750 cash from the option pot and $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus

3rd: Taylor Vanis, Mark Codner, 29-12, $3,700 cash

4th: Robert Sorenson, Greg Fritz, 29-02, $2,700 cash plus $2,000 cash from the option pot

5th: Bill McGannon, Brian Hunke, 28-11, $2,200 cash

6th: JD Baker, Danny Baker, 28-05, $1,800 cash

7th: Casey Williams, Kent Leibhart, 28-01, $1,700 cash plus the $500 Lowrance Electronics contingency

In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $61,280 in cash and prizes.

A total of 424 walleyes weighing 1,149 pounds, 6 ounces crossed the scale during the event. Big fish was a 9-pound, 10-ounce trophy caught on day two by Brian and Jeremy Tordsen. Adding to the fun, the Cabela’s MWC and National Professional Anglers Association presented a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the day-one weigh-in, with participating youths receiving rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

North America’s longest-running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments, the Cabela’s MWC has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing since 1984. Operated under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2018 tournament schedule includes eight qualifiers in seven states, plus the 2019 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for updates, official rules and registration information.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is enjoying its 17th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Bass Pro Shops, 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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Big Mac Attack! Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Visits Nebraska’s Mighty Lake McConaughy June 1-2, Presented by Lowrance Electronics

Big Mac Attack!
Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Visits  Nebraska’s Mighty Lake McConaughy June 1-2

Presented by Lowrance Electronics

Ponca City, Okla.—May 17, 2018—After an exciting walleye shootout on Lake Francis Case in April that featured more than 160 anglers fighting for over $58,000 in winnings, the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit returns to the wild west for a regular season tournament presented by Lowrance Electronics on Nebraska’s mighty Lake McConaughy May 1-2

Headquartered at scenic Cedar Vue Campground, the two-day event offers two-person teams a chance to enjoy “Big Mac’s” world-class walleye fishery while competing for thousands in cash and prizes in the MWC’s time-tested, professionally run format.

“McConaughy is a great tournament destination and the perfect place for anglers to test their skills against one another,” said Cabela’s MWC Tournament Director Jack Baker. “Recent test-netting revealed a bumper crop of 15- to 20-inch walleyes, with plenty more from 20 to 25 inches and a healthy number of the trophy-sized ’eyes Big Mac is famous for. Plus, the lake offers nearly 35,000 acres of water loaded with cover and structure, so anglers can catch fish on a variety of their favorite presentations.”

Weather permitting, teams will enjoy two full days of competition. Teams will be allowed to bring their best five fish to the scale each day, and the team with the highest two-day total weight will be crowned the Lake McConaughy champions.

The Cabela’s MWC’s lucrative payouts, which 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, AirWave and T-H Marine Atlas Awards add thousands more to the total. Plus, the first-place team wins a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Such winnings add up. At the recent Lake Francis Case MWC tournament, for example, first-place finishers Doug Lovro and Todd Henle of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were rewarded with $18,658 in cash and prizes.

Teams fishing three or more tournaments also compete for coveted berths in the championship, which is comprised of the top point-accumulating teams from the previous year’s season and offers payouts based on the previous year’s participation. Teams that qualify in 2018 will fish the 2019 championship, set for October 3-5, 2019 on Wisconsin’s incomparable Lake Winnebago System.

Teams fishing at least MWC four qualifiers also compete for Team of the Year awards, including a $10,000 sponsorship package and thousands more in cash and Cabela’s Cash cards, as well as fully paid entries into a full season of great walleye action.

As an added bonus, Official Sponsor Lowe Equipment Attachments offers all Cabela’s MWC anglers a 25 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.

Walleye fans of all ages are invited to catch the excitement at the daily weigh-ins, which begin at 3 p.m. at Cedar Vue Campground. If you can’t make it in person, watch the weigh-ins live, online, at masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Adding to the excitement, the Cabela’s MWC and National Professional Anglers Association will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the day-one weigh-in. The first 50 youths will receive rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

North America’s longest-running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments, the Cabela’s MWC has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing since 1984. Operated under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life.

The 2018 tournament schedule includes eight qualifiers in seven states, plus the 2019 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Registration for 2018 events is now open, and the deadline for registering for the Lake McConaughy tournament is Monday, May 28 at 4 p.m. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for updates, official rules and registration information.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is enjoying its 17th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Bass Pro Shops, 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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Shakoor, Zarembski Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Lake Erie Tournament, Presented by Ranger Boats

Shakoor, Zarembski Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Lake Erie Tournament

Presented by Ranger Boats

Lorain, Ohio.—May 6, 2018—Ali Shakoor and Brian Zarembski brought nearly 90 pounds of sag-bellied Great Lakes walleyes to the scale to win a big-fish shootout at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s regular season tournament on Lake Erie out of Lorain, Ohio, May 5-6, 2018.

“This is incredible,” said Shakoor, of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, moments after the dust settled in a wild finish that saw the top five teams all bring in more than 80 pounds, and the top 10 weights all break the 75-pound barrier. “I grew up watching fishing tournaments on TV with my dad, and to win one is really rewarding. I’ve been fishing the MWC five or six years now, and have had a fantastic time since day one. These guys are extremely good anglers. It’s an honor to win this.”

“This is a great feeling,” added Zarembski, of Avon Lake, Ohio. “We’ve been in the top 10 a couple of times and had a shot, but never won. We had four good fish this morning by 10 o’clock and then the bite died. I thought it was going to slip away, but then the big fish started biting again.”

Presented by Ranger Boats and hosted by Visit Lorain County and the Lorain Port Authority, the two-day tournament launched from Black River Wharf and weighed in at Black River Landing. The event was originally set to start on Friday, May 4, but tournament officials kept the anglers on shore due to gale-force winds on the big lake.

Shakoor and Zarembski topped the leaderboard on day one with a 5-fish MWC limit weighing 44 pounds, 10 ounces. They finished strong with a 44-pound, 6-ounce day two limit for an 89-pound total weight.

With massive numbers of post-spawn walleyes migrating eastward down the lake, many anglers tapped the trolling bite. Shakoor and Zarembski were no exception. They pulled crankbaits along a deep breakline in 38 to 42 feet of water and said that a pair of steeper drop-offs were particularly productive.

Keeping their lures at the lower end of the water column was also a factor. “During prefishing, the walleyes had perch and zebra mussels in their stomachs, so we knew they were feeding on the bottom,” said Shakoor. “So that’s where we ran out crankbaits.”

Zarembski noted that adjusting their speed depending on whether they were trolling with or against a subtle current was also key. “We trolled 1.8 mph in one direction and 1.4 mph going the other way,” he said.

Shakoor and Zarembski collected $11,900 in cash and prizes for their efforts, including the $9,700 first-place cash payout, $500 Lowrance Electronics contingency, $500 AirWave certificate, $200 Okuma Reel bonus and a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid entry into the Cabela’s NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Rounding out the top five were:

2nd: Bret Berkey, Matt Lecon, 88-06, $4,800 cash

3rd: Sam Cappelli, William Gaffney, 84-10, $3,350 cash plus the $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus

4th: Jason Fischer, Barry Henning, 83-06, $2,600 cash

5th: Zak Jobes, Bryan Fisher, 82-02, $2,050 cash
In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $46,528 in cash and prizes.

A total of 595 walleyes weighing a whopping 3,378 pounds, 1 ounce crossed the scale during the event. Big fish was an 11-pound, 4-ounce giant caught by Tom Nordyke and Thomas Nordyke, Jr. Adding to the fun, the Cabela’s MWC and National Professional Anglers Association presented a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the day-one weigh-in, with participating youths receiving rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

North America’s longest-running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments, the Cabela’s MWC has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing since 1984. Operated under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2018 tournament schedule includes eight qualifiers in seven states, plus the 2019 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for updates, official rules and registration information.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is enjoying its 17th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Bass Pro Shops, 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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NOTICE DAY 1 of the MWC event at Lorain, OH on Lake Erie postponed due to gail force wind warnings

Day 1 of the MWC event at Lorain, OH on Lake Erie, Presented by Ranger Boats has been postponed for safety reasons due to gale force wind warnings for today Friday May 4th. The anglers will now compete on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday’s weigh in will take place as published at 3:00pm ET and Sunday the anglers will take off earlier at 6:30 am and weigh in at 2:00pm ET on Sunday to facilitate a safe trip home for those teams that have long drives as we want them to have a safe travel home so that they can get back to work on Monday.

Also we would like to remind all the MWC Teams at Lorain and everyone within driving distance of Lorain that the annual Lorain Growth Tourism Committee fish fry fund raiser is still scheduled for this evening Friday May 4th from 4-7pm at Black River Landing so please come out help support the cause, have a good meal a good time and mingle with the MWC anglers attending.

We understand that a postponement is hard sometimes and may cause schedule issues but the safety of our anglers is always our primary concern and we will always err on the side of safety.

So please tune in for live coverage from Black River Landing at Lorain, OH Saturday  May 5th at 3:00pm ET and Sunday May 6th At 2:00pm ET on MastersWalleyeCircuit.com and on facebook to watch the Lake Erie giants come to the scales!!