Big-Fish Bonanza Expected When Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Visits Legendary Detroit River April 13-14, Presented by Lowrance Electronics

 

REGISTRATION CLOSES MONDAY APRIL 9th

Ponca City, Okla.—April 2, 2018—Walleye anglers who enjoy the thrill of competition and the excitement of catching big fish are invited to compete in the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Detroit River regular-season tournament April 13-14.

Headquartered at scenic Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Michigan, and presented by Lowrance Electronics, the two-day, team-format event offers anglers a chance to test their skills on one of North America’s premier spring walleye fisheries. Flush with an influx of spawn-run walleyes from Lake Erie, the Detroit River routinely produces sag-bellied trophies topping 10 pounds.

“Last year, weights were decent but down a little bit due to challenging conditions and restricted fishing boundaries on day one,” says MWC Tournament Director Jack Baker. “But it normally takes a 10-fish limit with an 8-pound or better average to win here. For example, Mitch Dougherty and Dan Stier won in 2016 with 85 pounds, 13 ounces. And in 2015, Steve and Dan Bodinger sacked a two-day, 10-fish MWC limit weighing 90 pounds, 11 ounces, to break the MWC’s all-time two-day basket record.”

Weather permitting, teams will enjoy two full days of competition on the U.S. and Canadian sides of the 32-mile waterway, along with their choice of downstream hotspots on legendary Lake Erie. 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 Detroit River 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 quickly add up. At the recent Illinois River MWC tournament, for example, winners Jeff Lahr and Jason Hancock were rewarded with a $13,700 payday, while the top 20 percent of the field shared more than $60,000 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.

Adding to the excitement, weigh-ins typically draw a large crowd of walleye fans. Select MWC events are also filmed for national airing on Federation Angler TV. Plus, 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 Detroit River tournament is Monday, April 9 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 entering 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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Lahr, Hancock Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Illinois River 2018 Season Opener Presented by Lowe Equipment Attachments

Spring Valley, Ill.—March 24, 2018—Undaunted by bitter winds and a spring snowstorm, Iowans Jeff Lahr and Jason Hancock rallied to win the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2018 season opener on the Illinois River at Spring Valley, Illinois, March 23-24.

Presented by Lowe Equipment Attachments and headquartered at the Spring Valley Boat Club, the two-day tournament pitted 81 teams from across the Midwest against one another in an epic battle for serious bragging rights and a share of the MWC’s generous payout.

“It was brutal out there today—snowing and cold, with 20- to 30-mile-an-hour winds,” said Lahr of the day two weather conditions. “But the win feels great! I had my face in the wind, running the boat, and Jason came through with the bites we needed.”

One of the most important of those bites came at 2:50 p.m. on the final afternoon of competition. The fish turned out to be a 5-pound, 13-ounce walleye that anchored their day-two basket of 15 pounds, 12 ounces and catapulted them from 16th place to the winners’ circle with a 27-pound, 9-ounce total. “I was shaking after we got the fish in the boat,” said Hancock, who was fishing as a substitute for Lahr’s regular tournament partner, Tommy Skarlis. “I was so excited, it was five minutes before I could get my line back in the water.”

For Lahr, the win marked his second straight MWC victory and third overall. He and Skarlis won the Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship last October and a regular season qualifier on the Mississippi River in 2014. “We’ve been blessed,” said Lahr. “And back-to-back wins are really hard to beat.”

Lahr and Hancock’s main tactic was vertically fishing a jig, ringworm and minnow combination, mainly in 12½ to 13½ feet of water in the Peru Flats area. Their MWC 10-fish tournament limit included nine saugers and the one kicker walleye.

The winners collected $13,700 in cash and prizes, including the $11,200 first-place cash payout, plus the $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus, $500 AirWave certificate, 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: John Dalzot, Jena Dalzot, 26-12, $5,950 cash plus $3,600 from the option pot and $200 Okuma Reel bonus
3rd: David Kleszyk, Dave Zurawski, 25-14, $3,700 cash plus $2,800 from the option pot
4th: James Debernardi, Mike Hanson, 24-13, $2,700 cash
5th: Troy Rahn, Jeremy Wildeman, 23-14, $2,200 cash
In 11th place, Rodger Riggs and Jason Kopf added the $500 Lowrance Electronics contingency to their $1,100 in MWC payout winnings. In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $60,293 in cash and prizes.

A total of 683 walleyes and saugers weighing 1,370 pounds, 4 ounces crossed the scale at the Spring Valley Boat Club during the event. 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 entering 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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SPRING VALLEY BOUND! Cabela’s MWC Season Kicks Off March 23-24

Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Kicks Off 2018 Tournament Season At Spring Valley, Illinois, March 23-24, 2018

Presented by Lowe Equipment Attachments

 

Ponca City, Okla.—March 6, 2018—Walleye anglers from all walks of life are invited to join the fun and compete for lucrative cash prizes when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit kicks off its 2018 tournament season on the Illinois River at Spring Valley, Illinois.

Set for March 23-24 out of the Spring Valley Boat Club and presented by Lowe Equipment Attachments, the two-day, team-format event is a traditional rite of spring for anglers from across the Midwest, who converge on the river to enjoy its world-class fishing while battling for their share of the MWC’s generous payout.

Circuit veteran Tommy Skarlis—who fished his first MWC Spring Valley season opener back in 1993—helps explain the event’s allure. “I love this tournament for a number of reasons,” he says. “It’s a chance to enjoy the best sauger bite you’ve ever experienced, and the river’s ever-changing playing field makes it exciting for anglers and fans alike, because everyone’s in it until the last minute. Plus, it’s like a big family reunion, reconnecting with old friends and welcoming first-timers to the MWC.”

The Illinois River is widely considered one of the continent’s top sauger fisheries and produces sag-bellied walleyes as well. Such exceptional multi-species potential is often reflected in the final standings. In 2017, for example, Iowans Marty Berns and Maury Schmerbach rallied to win the MWC Spring Valley tournament with a 33-pound, 15-ounce total weight anchored by an 8-pound, 9-ounce walleye that ended up being big fish of the event. They also had another kicker that pushed the scale to 7½ pounds.

Walleyes, saugers and saugeyes 14 inches and over will all be fair game for anglers competing in the tournament. 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 Illinois river champions. “If you can put a limit of saugers in the livewell each day and pick up a bonus walleye or two, you have a great shot at the top ten,” Skarlis promises. “Just be sure to save your honey hole for day two so you can finish strong.”

Besides enjoying great walleye fishing and the thrill of competition, teams vie for hefty payouts, which are based on the number of teams entered in each event and paid to the top 20 percent of the field. In addition, the 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. Winners routinely pocket $10,000 to $15,000 or more in cash and prizes. Plus, the top team also wins a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

As an extra incentive for teams to show up and fish hard, the final 10 invitations to fish the 2018 Cabela’s NTC May 16-19 at the Quad Cities out of Moline, Illinois, will be awarded to the top 10 teams at Spring Valley who are not already qualified for the 2018 NTC.

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.

“Spring Valley is a great place to earn points toward a run at the MWC World Walleye Championship,” says Skarlis. Having won that event last fall with tournament partner Jeff Lahr, Skarlis is well aware how walleye anglers can fish their way from the Illinois River to a world title.

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, presenting 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.

Adding to the excitement, weigh-ins typically draw a large crowd of walleye fans. Select MWC events are also filmed for national airing on Federation Angler TV. 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 Spring Valley tournament is Monday, March 19 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 entering 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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Lowe Manufacturing Renews Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Sponsorship

 

Ponca City, Okla.—Oct.16, 2017—Lowe Manufacturing Company, maker of a complete line of high-performance auger, trenching and grapple attachment products, has renewed its promotional partnership with the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit and will return as an Official Sponsor for a sixth consecutive season.

“We find there is no other fishing or outdoor organization that better fits the geographic spread and demographics of our customer base than does the MWC,” said company president Richard Lowe. “In the entire region between the mountains of Pennsylvania to the Rockies, MWC has a presence. Many MWC anglers are involved in the construction, agricultural, mining, forestry and utility industries, and they are often the owners or principal decision makers within their organizations.”

“Lowe Manufacturing has gone above and beyond in their support of the MWC over the last half dozen years,” said MWC sales and marketing VP Kelly Gohman. “Not only has the company provided financial support to the circuit in the form of a sponsorship, they have also offered angler discounts on their products, contingency prizes, and attended a number of tournaments as well. We’ve really appreciated their support in the past and are our glad to see it continue in 2018.”

Based in Viola, Wisconsin, Lowe Manufacturing has followed the same simple philosophy since 1971: “Design and build specific products that offer the best performance, durability, and overall value in the attachment industry.” The company creates hydraulic-driven attachments for a wide variety of machinery including skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, compact utility tractors, mini-loaders, backhoes and cranes. Every model is precisely designed to maximize the size, specific flows, and pressures, producing greater performance and the maximizing value from their customers’ machinery investments. For more information, visit loweman.com.

The Cabela’s MWC was founded in 1984. It is the oldest team walleye tournament circuit in North America, and has a rich history of intense competition on top destinations, plus youth programs and a lasting legacy of conservation that includes more than $300,000 in donations to fisheries projects in states where its tournaments are held.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The Cabela’s MWC’s 2018 schedule has already been announced and features eight qualifiers in seven states. The lineup includes the Illinois River, Detroit River, Lake Erie at Lorain, Ohio, Lake McConaughy, Lake Francis Case, Lake of the Woods, Green Bay and Cass Lake. For dates and complete details, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is wrapping up its 16th season as title sponsor of the MWC and is eagerly awaiting the 2018 season. Official sponsors include: Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats and The Walleye Federation. Associate sponsors include: AirWave Pedestals, Bagley Baits, Church Tackle, G-Juice, MotorGuide and Okuma.

For more information on the Cabela’s MWC, including sponsorship opportunities, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.