Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Inducted Into National Fresh Water Fishing Hall Of Fame

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Ponca City, Okla.—Dec. 9, 2015—In recognition of promoting the sport of fishing, protecting the nation’s fisheries resources and providing walleye anglers with professionally run team tournament competition for more than three decades, the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit has been named among the 2016 class of inductees to be enshrined into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.

“We are extremely honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” said MWC president and CEO Robert Cartlidge.

“With a rich history spanning 32 years, the MWC is the only national walleye circuit that has withstood the test that decades of time can apply, all the others have faded away,” Cartlidge continued. “I firmly believe the reason for that is the support the circuit has received from its past and present directors, staff, sponsors and—most importantly—the anglers who fish the MWC. After 32 years, the MWC business model is proven and obviously works. But it works only because of the dedication, support and hard work from every one of these groups of people; the honor to MWC of being inducted is 100 percent a result of their efforts and they all share in it.”

Cartlidge also noted the number of top walleye anglers who cut their teeth on the circuit. “Many of the greatest walleye anglers of our lifetimes—including the best and brightest anglers of today—from all across the nation, got started on the MWC,” he said. “Many veterans and new up-and-comers fish it today. The fact that anglers of all skill levels can compete and do well on the MWC, in and of itself ensures the success of the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit well into the future.”

Fisheries conservation and teaching kids to fish are also cornerstones of the circuit. Each season, the MWC Conservation Fund and Youth and Family Fishing Clinics help make the walleye world sustainable.

Since 1984, the MWC Conservation Fund has generated more than $350,000 for fisheries conservation projects in states where MWC tournaments are held. And to encourage the next generation of anglers, the MWC holds multiple Youth and Family Fishing events each year where MWC anglers volunteer their time to teach kids and adults alike about fishing.

The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, located in Hayward, Wis., is the international headquarters for education, recognition and promotion of freshwater sportfishing. Each year it recognizes individuals, groups and organizations for their impact benefiting freshwater angling. Individuals and organizations are honored for outstanding achievements in fishing accomplishments regarding career success and innovation in competition, invention, science, education, conservation, communications, technology or other areas related to fishing.

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.

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.

T-H Marine Acquires HydroWave Assets

THM_buttonlogo_nofx LARGEhydrowave compact stack logoHuntsville, AL – November 30, 2015 — T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., of Huntsville, Alabama, announces the acquisition of the assets of HydroWave, LLC of Carrollton, Texas. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. HydroWave designs, manufactures, and sells a patented line of marine sound technology devices that attract fish for anglers.

T-H Marine’s president, Jeff Huntley, stated “We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of the HydroWave assets. We are also proud that we will retain several key HydroWave employees and have entered into a multi-year consulting agreement with HydroWave founder, Gene Eisenmann. Gene and his team have built a strong company with an excellent reputation for providing cutting edge technology to help make fishing more rewarding for anglers of any skill level. These products really work and we are excited about adding this great brand to the T-H Marine product line.”

Gene Eisenmann, founder and president of HydroWave stated, “Growing HydroWave over the last four years has been an exciting adventure. I can’t imagine the dynamic growth it will achieve tied in with an industry leader such as T-H Marine. I’m also looking forward to a continued role in new product development.”

Huntley also said, “We are excited to announce that Kevin VanDam, one of the owners of HydroWave, and one of the top anglers in the world, is maintaining an interest in the brand and staying involved with product development and promotion. We love that KVD believes in us and the HydroWave brand.”

hydrowave H2 unitKevin VanDam said the following about the acquisition, “I have been with HydroWave as an owner from the beginning. I believe in and use the product. I am excited that a super company like T-H Marine has bought HydroWave. T-H is a true leader in innovation of new products for serious fisherman. I have used and believed in T-H products for many, many years and they are literally on my boat from trolling motor to transom. We have already made plans for me to stay very involved with the brand and to work with T-H Marine to help more anglers catch fish with our sound technology.”

Huntley said that the HydroWave assets and people are relocating to T-H Marine headquarters in Huntsville, AL, where all future assembly and shipping of the product will occur. There will be no disruption to HydroWave customers or suppliers, just more access to the products through more outlets than ever. Within one week of this closing, HydroWave will be fully functioning as a brand at T-H Marine.

T-H Marine’s Huntley also stated, “T-H Marine continues to seek quality brands and products to add to our portfolio. This is our third company acquisition in the past three years along with many product license acquisitions. We have awesome momentum in bringing exciting and innovative products to market for the boating and fishing consumer. We are not letting that slow down. The acquisition of the HydroWave assets puts us into a new sound technology space that we looking forward to growing.”

T-H Marine is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of business and has grown to be one of the largest manufacturers of boating and fishing accessories in the U.S. T-H Marine provides parts to every boat manufacturer in the country and distributes them thru virtually every major distributor and retailer of boating and fishing products. To learn more about T-H Marine, please visit www.thmarine.com . To learn more about the HydroWave products, please visit www.hydrowave.com .

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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

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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.