Whitson, Campeau Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Detroit River Tournament

Presented by Ranger Boats

Trenton, Mich.—April 8, 2017—Ontario’s Greg Whitson and Mark Campeau rallied to score an exciting come-from-behind win at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Detroit River regular season qualifier April 7-8 out of scenic Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Michigan.

“This is great,” said Whitson, of Windsor. “This is our seventh time fishing the MWC at Detroit. Mark and I grew up on Pike Creek on Lake St. Clair near the Detroit River, and we’ve always wanted to win one on our home waters.”

Whitson and Campeau are no strangers to success on the Circuit. In addition to numerous money finishes, they won the 2015 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship on Lake Erie, and the 2015 MWC qualifier on Lake Michigan’s Bays de Noc out of Escanaba.

Whitson and Campeau, of St. Joachim, found themselves in seventh on day one after boating three walleyes for 9 pounds, 6 ounces. “Teams were restricted to fishing the river due to high winds on Lake Erie,” Whitson explained. “The river was super muddy from two days of rain flushing runoff down from Lake St. Clair. We tried jigging a little but then switched to handlining chartreuse-yellow and chrome minnowbaits off the south end of Grosse Ile Island in 13 to 18 feet of water.”

On day two, smoother sailing put Erie in play. “We trolled green, chrome and orange deep-running minnowbaits 1.3 to 1.5 mph in 10 to 14 feet of water in Brest Bay,” said Whitson. “We focused on stained areas because they had the warmest water we could find—up to 47 degrees.” The tactics yielded four fish weighing 26 pounds, 4 ounces, which gave them a 35-pound, 10-ounce total weight and propelled them to the top of the MWC leaderboard.

They collected more than $15,300 in cash and prizes for their comeback exploits, including the $9,000 first-place cash payout, $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus, $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 2017 NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Rounding out the top five were:

2nd: Steve and Dan Bodinger, 27-08, $4,500 plus $2,340 cash from the option pot

3rd: Joe Wickey and James Calvisky, 26-15, $3,000

4th: Mike Dorris and Brian Tordsen, 21-15, $2,200

5th: Witold Niemiec and Wojciech Czykier, 21-14, $1,900

In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $42,148.50 in cash and prizes.

A total of 126 walleyes weighing 467 pounds, 13 ounces crossed the scale at Elizabeth Park 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 entering 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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Ponca City, Okla.—March 20, 2017—After an exciting season opener on the Illinois River March 17-18 out of Spring Valley, Illinois, which saw great fishing, hefty payouts and a white-knuckle, come-from-behind victory, the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit follows up by heading to what is arguably the world’s best early spring fishery for trophy-class walleyes—the mighty Detroit River.

Set for April 7-8 out of scenic Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Michigan, the regular-season qualifying event presented by Ranger Boats offers two-person teams 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.

The tournament coincides with the spring spawning run of Lake Erie walleyes, giving MWC anglers excellent opportunities to catch trophy walleyes ranging from 10 to over 14 pounds. For example, at the 2016 Cabela’s MWC Detroit River tournament, Mitch Dougherty and Dan Stier topped the field with an impressive 85-pound, 13-ounce two-day, 10-fish tally. And in 2015, winners Steve and Dan Bodinger sacked a two-day, 10-fish MWC limit weighing an incredible 90 pounds, 11 ounces, to break the circuit’s all-time two-day basket record of 87 pounds, 3 ounces.

2016 Detroit River winners Mitch Dougherty & Dan Stier

As a bonus, a variety of tactics produce monster walleyes at this event. Dougherty and Stier trolled diving crankbaits in 38 feet of water in Lake Erie in 2016, while the Bodinger brothers fished heavy jigs tipped with shad-tailed softbaits in 22 to 25 feet of water along a rocky straightaway on the Canadian side of the river to win in 2015.

“If you like catching big walleyes and enjoy the thrill of competition with a chance to win thousands in cash and prizes, this is a must-fish event,” says MWC Tournament Director Jack Baker.

Indeed, the Cabela’s MWC’s lucrative payouts provide even more inspiration to join the fun. Payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event. Plus, 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. In 2016, for example, Dougherty and Stier collected a grand total of $20,670.

Boat inspections, take-offs and weigh-ins will be held at Elizabeth Park. Teams will be allowed to weigh five fish measuring 15 inches and over each day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the tournament champions.

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 Detroit River tournament is Monday, April 3 at 4 p.m.

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 entering 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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REGISTRATION CLOSES MONDAY MARCH 13

Ponca City, Okla.—March 3, 2017—The fish-rich, swirling currents of the Illinois River at Spring Valley, Illinois, will once again be the stage for another Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit regular season opener.

Set for March 17-18 out of the Spring Valley Boat Club, the qualifying tournament offers two-person teams the opportunity to compete for thousands in cash and prizes in the MWC’s professionally run format, which has stood the test of time since 1984.

The tournament is also timed to coincide with great fishing on the legendary waterway, and MWC Tournament Director Jack Baker expects a stellar bite. “I’m excited,” he says. “The river was already producing great fishing until a major storm hit. Water levels are on their way down again and barring any more storming, the locals say it will be clear and in great shape for the tournament.”

The event marks Baker’s debut at the MWC helm. He replaced retiring director Dan Palmer earlier in 2017 and is eagerly anticipating the circuit’s regular season kick-off, which has become a rite of spring for walleye anglers from across the Midwest. “I’m looking forward to carrying on the rich MWC tradition,” he says.

The Illinois River is flush with saugers and offers ample chances at walleyes as well, giving MWC anglers plenty of options in location and presentation. Over the years, a variety of tactics from vertical jigging to trolling jerkbaits have taken top honors. In 2016, Joe Perez and Troy Tregoning won the event fishing jigs and floater rigs in a shallow-water riprap area that had the right combination of current and baitfish.

The Cabela’s MWC offers lucrative payouts, which are based on the number of teams entered in each event. Plus, the MWC Big Fish Pot, MWC side pot payouts, along with sponsor bonuses including Ranger Cup, Lowrance Electronics, Okuma and AirWave add thousands more to the total. As an extra incentive, 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.

Inspections and weigh-ins will be held at the Spring Valley Boat Club. Teams will be allowed to weigh five walleyes, saugers or saugeyes measuring 14 inches and over each day in the circuit’s catch-and-release format. As part of its ongoing support for fisheries conservation, the MWC is assisting Illinois Department of Natural Resources through this event. DNR biologists will be on site collecting fish caught during the tournament for stocking programs that benefit anglers on the Illinois River and across the state.

Weigh-ins are free, open to the public and begin at 4 p.m. As a bonus to budding tournament fans, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the day-one weigh-in. The first 50 youths will receive rods and reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

Adding to the excitement at Spring Valley, the MWC will announce the dates and location of the 2018 Cabela’s National Team Championship. The Cabela’s NTC is widely considered the walleye world’s premier grassroots championship. It is comprised of teams that qualify through local tournaments organized by walleye clubs sanctioned by The Walleye Federation (TWF), and annually draws hundreds of avid walleye anglers from across the U.S. and Canada.

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 Illinois River tournament is Monday, March 13 at 4 p.m.

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 entering 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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