Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Returns To Lake Winnebago

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Ponca City, Okla.—May 13, 2017—The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit returns to the incredible Lake Winnebago system out of Menasha, Wisconsin, June 2-3 for a team-format, regular-season tournament presented by Mercury Marine.

The fishery has hosted many exciting MWC events over the years, and hopes are high that this year’s tournament will build upon that rich tradition. Department of Natural Resources biologists report that the Winnebago system continues to be one of the Midwest’s top walleye destinations, thanks to exceptional year-classes from 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2016.

If past MWC tournaments on Winnebago are any indication, it could take 40 pounds to top the leaderboard and as usual there is a lot at stake at MWC events, including valuable points needed to qualify for the World Walleye Championship, Cabela’s NTC berths, points toward the very lucrative MWC Angler of the Year prize package and of course sizable amounts of cash and other prizes.

So, along with great fishing and exciting tournament action, anglers will clash for thousands in cash and prizes. Cabela’s MWC payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event. For example, on May 19-20 of this year 75 teams from across the midwest will compete in a MWC qualifier on nearby Bay of Green Bay with a payout of nearly $55,000.00 Including, MWC Big Fish Pot, MWC option pot payouts, and sponsor bonuses such as Ranger Cup, Lowrance Electronics, Okuma and AirWave add thousands more to the total. Plus, the first-place team earns a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid 2018 NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. Based on the number of teams that enter the Winnebago event the payouts will be similar.

This two-day event is based in Menasha, with launches and weigh-ins held at Jefferson Park. Weigh-ins begin at 3 p.m. As a bonus to budding tournament fans, 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.

Teams fishing three or more MWC tournaments in 2017 will battle for coveted berths in the 2018 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship, set for October 2018 on Lake Michigan’s Bays de Noc out of Escanaba, Michigan. Teams fishing at least four MWC qualifiers 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 a bonus, Lowe Equipment Attachments offers all Cabela’s MWC anglers a 25 percent discount off the MSRP on all its auger, trenching and grapple products in 2017 available through Midwest Attachments, LLC. For details, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com/tournaments/contingencies.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. Deadline to register for the Lake Winnebago tournament is Monday, May 29.

The 2017 schedule includes seven qualifiers in five states on a diverse selection of rivers, inland lakes and Great Lakes fisheries representing North America’s top walleye destinations.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 16th season as title sponsor of the MWC. 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, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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Ortonville, Minn.—April 29, 2017—Hard-fishing brothers Artie and Scott Arndt charged from 10^th place on day one all the way to the winner’s circle to claim top honors at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Big Stone Lake regular season qualifier presented by Lowrance Electronics April 28-29 out of Lakeside Park in downtown Ortonville, Minnesota.

It was the second year in a row that a pair of Arndts topped the leaderboard at Big Stone. In 2016, Artie and son Tanner won the MWC qualifier on the scenic border water separating Minnesota from South Dakota.

“It’s hard to believe,” said Artie after this year’s win. “It was a tough bite. The water temperature dropped 10 degrees in a week, from the 50s into the low 40s. But we ground it out and got it done.”

The Arndts brought just one walleye to the MWC scale on day one. The fish was a good one, though, weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and put them within striking distance of leaders Chris and Joe Kujawa, who boated four fish for 8 pounds, 8 ounces.

“The water was dirty the first morning, so we started out pitching jigs in five to eight feet of water off shoreline rocks, slowly working the jig back to the boat,” said Artie. “We got our fish on a short-shanked, ball-head jig tipped with a minnow.” Water clarity quickly improved, however, dooming their pattern and forcing a run-and-gun approach that yielded no keepers but a plan for day two. “We lost a couple of good fish trolling dirty water in the afternoon, so we were excited going into day two,” he added.

On Saturday, they trolled shad-bodied, perch-colored crankbaits 1.8 mph in eight to 11 feet of water on the south end of the lake, from Skeleton Island to Ortonville. “Another key besides finding dirty water was switching from size 5 down to size 4 crankbaits, which produced most of our fish,” said Scott. They ended up with a 14-pound, 5-ounce, five-fish limit for a 20-pound, 1-ounce total that propelled them past the Kujawas

and into first place.

Like his brother, Scott was excited about the win. “It’s surreal,” he said. “But at my age (47), getting a chance to do this with my brother means the world to me. We grew up fishing Big Stone an

d have a lot of great memories. Winning this MWC event together is something we’ll remember forever.”

Along with memories, the Arndts collected more than

$13,900 in cash and prizes, including the $9,500 first-place cash payout, $2,716 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 2018 NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Rounding out the top five were:

2nd: Chris and Joe Kujawa, 19-03, $4,700 plus $2,037 cash from the option pot and $500 Lowrance bonus

3rd: Jarrod Fredericks and Thomas Larson, 19-02, $3,200

4th: Jake and Gene Brueggemann, 18-14, $2,500

5th: Steve Vick and Sean Andersen, 18-08, $2,000 plus $1,358 from the option pot

Sixth-place finishers Mike Dorris and Brian Tordsen claimed $1,500 cash plus the $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus and $679 from the option pot. In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $44,020 in cash and prizes.

A total of 126 walleyes weighing 320 pounds, 10 ounces crossed the scale and were released back into Big Stone Lake 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.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2017 schedule includes seven qualifiers in five states and includes a diverse selection of rivers, inland lakes and Great Lakes fisheries representing North America’s top walleye destinations.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 16th season as title sponsor of the MWC. 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, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Returns To Big Stone Lake
For High Stakes Border Battle April 28-29

Presented by Lowrance

Ponca City, Okla.—April 17, 2017—Competitive walleye anglers from across the Midwest will converge on Big Stone Lake April 28-29 to enjoy great fishing and test their skills the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s third qualifying tournament of the season.

Spanning nearly 12,000 acres, the border water between Minnesota and South Dakota has long been a favorite destination for MWC anglers—and for good reason. A variety of fishing techniques produce walleye gold here, including pitching jigs, spinner rigging, trolling crankbaits and slip-bobber fishing. Plus, Department of Natural Resources’ fisheries surveys reveal Big Stone’s walleye population is in excellent shape, with a wide range of fish sizes present from 15-inch eaters to trophies topping 28 inches.

The tournament’s late-April timing coincides with great fishing on Big Stone. Walleye fans can expect to see a parade of 5-fish daily limits cross the stage at scenic Lakeside Park in downtown Ortonville, Minnesota, during the two-day event presented by Lowrance Electronics.

The stakes are high, thanks to the Cabela’s MWC’s lucrative payouts—which are based on the number of teams entered in each event. The MWC Big Fish Pot, MWC option pot payouts, and sponsor bonuses including Ranger Cup, Lowrance Electronics, Okuma and AirWave add thousands more to the total. Plus, the first-place team will win a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. Such winnings add up in a hurry. At the 2016 Big Stone MWC, for example, winners Artie and Tanner Arndt took home more than $13,500 in cash and prizes.

Weigh-ins are free, open to the public and begin at 3 p.m. As a bonus to budding tournament fans, 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.

Along with great payouts at each MWC event, teams fishing three or more tournaments in 2017 will battle

for coveted berths in the 2018 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship, set for October 2018 on Lake Michigan’s Bays de Noc out of Escanaba, Michigan. Teams fishing at least four qualifiers 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.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from

all walks of life. Deadline to register for the Big Stone Lake tournament is Monday, April 24 at 4 p.m.

The 2017 schedule includes seven qualifiers in five states on a diverse selection of rivers, inland lakes and Great Lakes fisheries representing North America’s top walleye destinations.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 16th season as title sponsor of the MWC. 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, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.