Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Announces 2016 Schedule

  • Filed under MWC News

  • November 13, 2015

Premier Lineup Promises More Fish, Winnings And Fun

Ponca City, Okla.—Nov. 13, 2015—The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit has unveiled a stellar schedule for the 2016 tournament season that promises to raise the bar in high-stakes, team-format competition while tapping some of the world’s premier walleye destinations.

The lineup features seven qualifiers in six states and includes a diverse selection of the Walleye Belt’s finest rivers, inland lakes and big-water fisheries.

“The MWC really honed in on its mission statement by focusing the 2016 schedule on the best waters at the best times,” said MWC Senior Tournament Director Dan Palmer. “We’re confident that it will deliver big baskets, big fields, hefty payouts and, most importantly, a lot of fun.”

The 2016 Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit schedule is as follows:

March 18-19  Illinois River at Spring Valley, IL
April 15-16     Detroit River at Trenton, MI
April 29-30     Big Stone Lake at Ortonville, MN
June 3-4         Lake Erie at Lorain, OH
July 8-9           Bay of Green Bay at Oconto, WI
Aug. 19-20     Devils Lake at Devils Lake, ND
Sept. 16-17    Cass Lake at Stony Point Resort, MN
Oct 6-9            2016 World Walleye Championship, Bay of Green Bay at Green Bay, WI

Cabela’s MWC qualifier payouts 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, Berkley Baits and Lowrance Electronics add thousands more to the total. Additional bonuses can push the tally even higher. At the 2015 Mississippi River qualifier, for example, special season finale prizes from the Circuit and sponsors propelled the payback to 121.4 percent—which was one of the highest, if not the highest, returns on entry fees in MWC qualifying history.

Cabela’s MWC qualifiers also serve as “State Championship Events” which adds more excitement to every event. All teams fishing the event are eligible for the State Champions title in that state, and any event with more than 10 teams registered from any state where MWC is not holding a qualifier that year will offer a State Champions title for that state as well. Besides bragging rights, state champions will earn, at minimum, custom state champions’ prizes and awards, a berth in the Cabela’s NTC, and a spot on the MWC website’s Wall of Fame.

Along with great payouts at each event, teams fishing three or more tournaments in 2016 will battle for coveted berths in the 2017 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship, set for September on Minnesota’s Cass Lake out of Stony Point Resort.

The MWC World Walleye Championship represents the top point-accumulating teams from the previous year’s season, with the payout based on that previous year’s participation as well. “In 2015, the number of angler entries was up 10 percent over 2014, so the 2016 World Walleye Championship will see an increase in payout,” Palmer noted. “Continued growth in 2016 should result in an even bigger payout for the teams that qualify for the championship at Cass Lake in 2017.”

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

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life, with registration for all qualifying events opening in January of 2016. For more information, check back often at masterswalleyecircuit.com as season info is regularly updated.

Palmer noted that unforeseen amendments are possible. “We want to let all of our anglers know that due to the size and scope of the MWC as a national multi-state organization, some states we are visiting will not issue permits for 2016 yet—and some not until after the first of the year—so our schedule is always tentative based on those permit approvals,” he explained. “While we are occasionally forced to move an event due to those issues, we wanted to get the schedule out as soon as it was possible based on the best information available to us, so that our TWF clubs and MWC anglers nationwide can plan their seasons accordingly.”

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is entering its 15th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Abu Garcia, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Yellow Bird Fishing Products, Okuma, T-H Marine and Tight Lines Jewelry. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Whitson, Campeau Win 2015 Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit World Walleye Championship

ChampsFish

Huron, Ohio—Oct. 24, 2015—Ontario, Canada’s Greg Whitson and Mark Campeau compiled a consistent three-day tournament performance to win the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2015 World Walleye Championship on Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio.

Presented by Cabela’s, the three-day event Oct. 22-24 featured the top 49 point-accumulating teams from the 2014 MWC season. Whitson and Campeau topped the talented field by bringing 5-fish limit catches to the scale each day, including a 24-pound basket on day one, 24 pounds, 9 ounces on day two, and 17 pounds, 3 ounces on day three for a 65-pound, 12-ounce three-day total weight.

“I can’t believe it,” said Whitson, of Windsor, moments after claiming the crown in front of a great crowd gathered at the Huron Boat Basin. “We put a lot of work into this and it’s taken a lot of years to get to this point.”

“It’s incredible,” added Campeau, of St. Joachim. “I wouldn’t have wanted to win it with anyone but Mark.”

Whitson and Campeau collected more than $21,000 including the $15,000 first-place cash prize, along with a $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency, $500 Lowrance Electronics bonus, $200 Okuma bonus, custom World Champions’ rings by Tight Lines Jewelry and $3,650 from the option pot.

Tournament partners for six seasons and lifelong friends, the pair claimed their first MWC win this past summer by trolling spinner rigs at the Circuit’s Bays de Noc qualifier on Lake Michigan out of Escanaba July 31-Aug. 1.

At the Championship, they tackled Lake Erie with a stickbait trolling program that hinged on running purplish, perch-colored baits as close to 1.5 mph as possible, 30 to 40 feet behind planer boards on 10-pound Berkley Trilene XT mainline. They focused on eight to 12 feet of water around the Kelleys Island and Gull Island shoals.

Rounding out the top five were:

2nd: Jaimee Tourangeau, Ross Neubauer, 59-14, $7,000

3rd: Randall Gaines, Mike Rhoades, 59-14, $4,000 plus $2,700 from the option pot

4th: Tim Ahrens, Mickey Stuefen, 52-14, $3,000

5th: Matt Davis, Dan Geis, 51-13, $2,000 plus $1,700 from the option pot

Michael McCardle and Scott Valleskey claimed the $200 Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award and $200 Abu Garcia reel bonus for catching an 8-pound, 13-ounce trophy walleye that was big fish of the championship. In all, more than $100,000 in cash and prizes were awarded through the World Championship and Team of the Year race.

A total of 370 walleyes weighing 1,427 pounds, 1 ounce crossed the scale during the three-day tournament. Walleye fans of all ages watched the drama unfold at the weigh-ins, which were held daily at the Huron Boat Basin amphitheater. Immediately following Saturday’s weigh-in, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands presented a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after Saturday’s weigh-in, with participating youths receiving rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

Adding to the excitement, on-the-water and weigh-in action was filmed for national television airing on Federation Angler TV, which appears on NBC Sports and the Pursuit Channel. Check federationangler.com for dates and airtimes.

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

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is concluding its 14th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Abu Garcia, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Yellow Bird Fishing Products, Okuma, T-H Marine and Tight Lines Jewelry. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

 

Whitson, Campeau Lead Day Two Of 2015 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship

CampeauWhitsonWeb

Huron, Ohio—Oct. 23, 2015—A solid 24-pound, 9-ounce, 5-fish limit lifted Canadians Greg Whitson and Mark Campeau into the lead on day two of the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2015 World Walleye Championship on Lake Erie today.

Presented by Cabela’s, the three-day event pits the top point-accumulating teams from the 2014 MWC season against one another for their share of more than $100,000 in cash and prizes. Plus, sponsor contingencies including Ranger Cup, Lowrance Electronics, Abu Garcia, Okuma and the Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award add thousands more to the total.

The catch gave Whitson and Campeau a 10-fish, 48-pound, 9-ounce two-day total. It was a notable accomplishment during a day marked by heavy seas and numerous position changes on the MWC leaderboard. For example, after breaking the 30-pound barrier with a 30-05 limit in the first round of competition, day one leaders Matt Davis and Dan Geis managed just two fish for 5 pounds, 8 ounces today and fell to 10th with 35-13.

While Whitson and Campeau are sitting more than four pounds ahead of their nearest rivals—Randall Gaines and Mike Rhoades—they’re not resting on their laurels.

“That’s nothing on Lake Erie,” confided Whitson, of Windsor, Ontario. “Anything can happen. We were very fortunate today and are going out tomorrow with the exact same program we’ve used the past two days.”

That program produced a flurry of fish this morning. In fact, the pair caught their first walleye within two minutes of dropping a line in the water, and put five fish in the livewell on their first pass.

“That took the pressure off,” said Campeau, of St. Joachim, Ontario.

As gusting winds riled Erie’s surface, Whitson was thankful for a reliable fishing platform. “Some waves were better than six footers,” he said. “We felt fortunate to be in our Ranger boat with the conditions out there.”

With a south wind of 16 to 21 mph looming in the forecast for day three, Whitson and Campeau were confident their pattern would hold up.

“I don’t think it’s going to hurt us,” said Campeau. “We lit up that spot on a southwest wind during prefishing.”

Six-year MWC veterans and lifelong fishing buddies, Whitson and Campeau are on a roll this season, having won the Circuit’s Bays de Noc qualifier out of Escanaba July 31-Aug. 1. With 49 teams competing for the coveted crown, however, it’s a safe bet that more than one team will make a concerted effort to topple them.

The action resumes Saturday morning with take-off set for just after 7 a.m. at the Huron Boat Basin. Teams are due back at 3 p.m. for the final weigh-in, which is free and open to the public. Adding to the excitement, the event is being filmed for national television airing on Federation Angler TV, which appears on NBC Sports and the Pursuit Channel.

As a bonus for young walleye anglers, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after Saturday’s 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 2016 schedule will be released shortly.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is concluding its 14th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Abu Garcia, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Yellow Bird Fishing Products, Okuma, T-H Marine and Tight Lines Jewelry. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2015 World Walleye Championship Comes To Lake Erie Oct. 22-24 At Huron, Ohio Presented by Cabela’s

2015-MWC-logoPonca City, Okla.—Oct. 16, 2015—A high-stakes, big-fish battle of epic proportions is expected when North America’s top two-person walleye-fishing teams clash on legendary Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio, Oct. 22-24 at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2015 World Walleye Championship.

Presented by Cabela’s, the event pits the top point-accumulating teams from the 2014 MWC season, which spanned seven states and included 10 qualifiers on world-class walleye waters such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir, Cass Lake Chain and Lake Erie.

Each spot in the field is by invitation-only and highly coveted among tournament anglers across the Walleye Belt. Along with a chance to claim the celebrated title of “World Walleye Champions,” the event offers more than $100,000 in cash and prizes. Plus, sponsor contingencies including Ranger Cup, Lowrance Electronics, Abu Garcia, Okuma and the Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award add thousands more to the total.

The field includes 2014 Cabela’s NTC champions Ross Neubauer and Jamie Tourangeau, reigning Cabela’s MWC world walleye champions Derek Navis and Korey Sprengel, and 2014 Cabela’s MWC Team of the Year Jeff Koester and Scott Rhodes.

Walleye fans of all ages are invited to cheer the teams on at the 7 a.m. take-off each morning at the Huron Boat Basin, then return at 3 p.m. to watch the Championship drama unfold live at the weigh-ins—which are free and open to the public.

Adding to the excitement, on-the-water and weigh-in action will be filmed for national television airing on Federation Angler TV, which appears on NBC Sports and the Pursuit Channel.

As a bonus for budding walleye anglers, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after Saturday’s 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 2016 schedule will be released shortly.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is concluding its 14th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Abu Garcia, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Yellow Bird Fishing Products, Okuma, T-H Marine and Tight Lines Jewelry. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.