14th Annual Cabela’s National Team Championship
Set For Kansas’ Milford Lake May 27-30

Ponca City, Okla.—May 19, 2015—Walleye warriors from across North America will converge on Milford Lake, Kansas, May 27-30 to battle for top honors and high-stakes payouts in the 2015 Cabela’s National Team Championship.

Widely regarded as the walleye world’s premier grassroots championship, the Cabela’s NTC is comprised of teams that qualified through competition in local tournaments organized by walleye clubs sanctioned by The Walleye Federation.

The 2015 event on Milford Lake marks the 14th edition of the prestigious championship; 185 two-person teams will vie for ultimate bragging rights and more than $274,000 in cash and prizes. First prize is $30,000 in cash plus a $68,000 Evinrude E-Tec powered 620 Ranger boat. A second Ranger and E-Tec combo will be awarded through the Ranger Cup contingency, meaning the victors could take home more than $160,000 in cash and prizes.

In all, the Cabela’s NTC pays out $121,000 in cash to the top 50 teams, $14,600 in Cabela’s gift cards to the remainder of the field, and $1,000 in Cabela’s gift cards for big fish and big basket awards. In addition, the top 25 teams earn the title of “Cabela’s All-Americans” and received commemorative rings marking their achievement.

The entire field will compete the first two days on the 16,000-acre reservoir. Each team will be allowed to bring their best five fish to the scale each day. Competition will be fierce, as only the top 25 teams advance to the final round on day three.

Walleye fans are invited to cheer on their favorite teams when they take off from Milford Lake Marina each morning at 7 a.m., then watch the action unfold in person at the weigh-ins, which begin at 3 p.m. daily. Adding to the excitement, the event will be streamed live on the internet at cabelas.com/ntc and also filmed for national television, to air in early August on “Americana Outdoors” on NBC Sports, the Pursuit Channel and other regional networks. Exact dates and airtimes will be announced at walleyefederation.com.

A Kid’s Fishing Clinic will be held immediately following the day one weigh-in; youngsters will get to meet NTC competitors and the first 100 kids will receive free rod-and-reel combos courtesy of Cabela’s and The Walleye Federation.

Cabela’s NTC sponsors include Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Geico, Power-Pole and Pepsi. The Walleye Federation, based in Ponca City, Oklahoma, manages and produces the event, including the qualifying process. For details, visit walleyefederation.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Sunne, Hartman Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Big Stone Lake Qualifier
Presented by Okuma

Ortonville, Minn.—May 16, 2015—South Dakotans Dan Sunne and Jim Hartman rallied to score a comeback victory at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Big Stone Lake qualifying tournament presented by Okuma May 15-16.

After landing in 11th place on day one with an 11-pound, 11-ounce 5-fish limit, the pair vaulted into the winner’s circle on the wings of a 20-pound, 15-ounce basket that gave them a 32-pound, 10-ounce total weight. The win earned them $9,300 in cash along with the $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency and $200 Okuma bonus. They also collected $2,800 in cash from the option pot, and a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package, including paid entry into the 2016 NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Because all 2015 Cabela’s MWC tournaments are also designated as “State Championship Qualifying Events,” Sunne and Hartman, both of Milbank, also earned the title of South Dakota State Walleye Champions. Besides bragging rights, they claimed a $1,000 prize package including custom champions’ rings from Tight Lines Jewelry, marble plaques, decals and a spot on the MWC website’s Wall of Fame.

“We’re pretty excited,” said Sunne. “This is our fifth time fishing the MWC’s Big Stone tournament and we’ve taken a couple thirds and a seventh, but never a win.” Hartman, who was likewise elated at the victory, explained the team pitched jigs tipped with minnows to shallow rock piles about six miles from the Ortonville landing in 3 to 5 feet of water. They also pulled slip bobbers and leeches behind the boat, but jigging proved the most productive tactic.

In second place, Troy Morris and Corey Heiser brought in nine fish weighing 28 pounds, 15 ounces to collect $4,650 in cash, plus $2,100 from the option pot and the $500 Lowrance Electronics bonus.

Rounding out the top five were:
3rd: Brian Steichen and Shawn Carl, 28-07, $3,150 cash
4th: Artie Arndt and Mike Frisch, 25-07, $2,400 cash plus $1,400 from the option pot
5th: Paul Weber and Russle Borstad, 24-02, $1,900 cash

Big-fish honors went to Kelly Stattelman and Monty Athey in 14th place for their 10-pound, 2-ounce walleye, which earned them the $200 Zippo Hot Hand Award. They also claimed $700 for taking fourth place in the option pot standings.

In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded a total payback of $44,330.00 in cash and prizes.

Weigh-ins were held at Lake Side Park in scenic Ortonville. The 60-team field, representing 10 states, brought a total of 285 walleyes weighing 760 pounds, 5 ounces to the scale during the event, including 18 five-fish daily limits. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands 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 2015 schedule spans nine states and includes 11 regular-season qualifiers plus the 2015 World Walleye Championship.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in 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, 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.
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Lewis, Rohloff Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Little Sturgeon Bay Qualifier
Presented by Abu Garcia

Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.—May 9, 2015—Wisconsin’s Cameron Lewis and Scott Rohloff brought a two-day, 10-fish limit to the scale weighing a whopping 77 pounds, 11 ounces to win the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Sturgeon Bay qualifying tournament presented by Abu Garcia May 8-9.

Lewis, of West Bend, and Rohloff, of Watertown, brought in a behemoth basket weighing 42 pounds to top the leaderboard on day one. After wind conditions changed on day two they scrambled to add 35-11 to their tally to claim the prestigious victory and $9,200 cash first-place prize. They also collected $3,500 in cash from the option pot, and a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package, including paid entry into the 2016 NTC, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

“This is redemption,” said Lewis. “I’ve felt a little cursed at other tournaments but this time the monkey was off my back.”

“It feels amazing,” added Rohloff. “I fished two other MWC events before and didn’t have such good luck.”

Their winning tactic consisted of snap-jigging custom bladebaits in anywhere from 20 to 34 feet of water along transitions from rock to sand bottom on the east shore of Green Bay.

“The fish were deeper on day one, and moved shallower to find warmer water today,” Rohloff reported. “They moved on us, and we didn’t find them until the last hour of the day.”

“We had a strong north wind and fought waves up to four feet today, which made for challenging jigging conditions,” added Lewis.

In second, Jerrad Kalmerton and Brett Koenig weighed a 10-fish, 75-pound, 11-ounce limit worth $4,600 in cash, plus $2,650 from the option pot and the $200 Okuma bonus.

Rounding out the top six were:
3rd: Scott Aydelotte and Troy Loeckle, 73-00, $3,100 cash plus $1,600 from the option pot
4th: Randall Gaines and Mike Rhoades, 69-03, $2,350 cash plus $950 from the option pot
5th: Jason Wanty and David Parker, 64-10, $1,900 cash plus $500 Lowrance Electronics bonus
6th: Adam Adler and Ryan Dempsey, 64-04, $1,500 cash plus $750 option pot and $1,000 Ranger Cup award

Big-fish honors went to Buck Gehm and Louie Apitz in 22nd place for their 10-pound, 5-ounce walleye, which earned them the $200 Zippo Hot Hand Award plus $100 from Wave Point Marina. In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded a total payback of $37,350 in cash and prizes.

All 2015 Cabela’s MWC tournaments are designated as “State Championship Qualifying Events.” In states hosting two events, teams must fish both tournaments to be in the running. Lewis and Rohloff now lead the points race for the Wisconsin title, which will be decided at the Lake Petenwell event in June. Besides bragging rights, state champions claim a $1,000 prize package including custom marble plaques, decals, a spot on the MWC website’s Wall of Fame and a bid to the Cabela’s NTC.

Weigh-ins were held at Wave Point Marina, Stevenson Pier at Little Sturgeon Bay. A total of 447 walleyes weighing 2,334 pounds crossed the stage during the event, including 71 five-fish daily limits. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands 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 2015 schedule spans nine states and includes 11 regular-season qualifiers plus the 2015 World Walleye Championship.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in 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, 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.
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Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Returns To Big Stone Lake, May 15-16
Presented by Okuma

Ponca City, Okla.—April 20, 2015—A rich tradition in the walleye tournament world continues when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit returns to Big Stone Lake on the Minnesota-South Dakota border for a qualifying tournament presented by Okuma May 15-16.

Throughout its 31-year history, the Circuit has held springtime qualifiers and Championships alike at the world-famous impoundment, leading walleye in-siders to coin the phrase, “When the lilacs are blooming, it’s time for the MWC to visit Big Stone Lake.”

Launching from Lake Side Park in scenic Ortonville, the event offers two-person teams a shot at hungry post-spawn walleyes that traditionally hit a variety of patterns throughout the 11,983-acre lake, ranging from shoreline jigging to offshore trolling. At last year’s mid-May MWC Big Stone qualifier, Minnesotans Justin Heinrich and Cody Backstrand claimed victory with a 10-fish, 34-pound, 3-ounce two-day total. The pair
trolled spinner rigs with leeches 1.2 to 1.3 mph in 12 feet of water along a transition between rock, gravel and sand about a mile north of Ortonville.

Besides a shot at great fishing and the thrill of competition, the Cabela’s MWC offers lucrative payouts. In 2014 the Circuit rewarded anglers with a total payback of more than 127 percent.

Payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event. Plus, the MWC Big Fish Pot and sponsor bonuses from Ranger, Lowrance, Abu Garcia, Zippo Outdoor Brands and Okuma add thousands more to the total. As an added 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. And new for 2014, the creation of an option pot adds even more chances to cash in. At the recent Detroit River qualifier, for example, tournament champions Steve and Dan Bodinger added $3,900 in option pot cash to their total winnings.

Adding to the excitement, all Cabela’s MWC tournaments are designated as “State Championship Qualifying Events.” Teams from the state where the event is held are eligible, along with teams from a state not hosting an MWC event in 2015 (provided at least 10 teams from their state are competing in the event). Besides bragging rights, state champions will earn a $1,000 prize package including custom trophies, decals, a berth in the Cabela’s NTC, and a spot on the MWC website’s Wall of Fame. In states hosting two events, teams must fish both tournaments to be in the running, which means Minnesota teams must fish the Big Stone and Cass Lake qualifiers for a shot at the North Star State title.

Two-person teams will be allowed to weigh five walleyes measuring 15 inches and over each day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the winners. Weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public, will be held at Lake Side Park beginning at 3 p.m. daily. As a bonus to budding tournament fans, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands 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.

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, May 11th.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in 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, 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.
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