Sabatose, Mausser Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye
Circuit’s Kinzua Reservoir Tournament 

Presented by Zippo Outdoors

 For Immediate Release –

Bradford, Penn.—July 12, 2014—Pennsylvania’s Chuck Sabatose and Frank Mausser racked up an impressive 20-pound total catch to claim top honors at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s qualifying tournament on Kinzua Reservoir out of Bradford, Pennsylvania, July 11-12.

After landing in third place on day one with 12 pounds, 10 ounces, Sabatose, of Brockport, and Mausser, of Sharon, weighed a 7-pound, 6-ounce basket the final day to charge past day one leaders, Ohio’s Jason Kopf and Rodger Riggs. Sabatose and Mausser collected $9,500 in cash for the win, plus the $500 Berkley Baits Award and $500 Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch and Elite 7 contingency. They also claimed a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

“It’s an amazing feeling—a dream come true!” said Sabatose, who fished a Cabela’s MWC event at Henderson Harbor, New York, a number of seasons ago and has long hoped the trail would stop at his home waters of Kinzua. “Structure is key on this lake,” he noted. “We trolled Berkley Flicker Shads on leadcore line at speeds of 1.7 to 2.2 mph over rockpiles and stump patches, and caught fish from depths of 16 to 36 feet deep.”

In second place with 17 pounds, 3 ounces, Kopf, of Avon Lake, and Riggs, of Cleveland, pocketed $4,750 in cash, plus the $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency.

Rounding out the top 5 were:

3rd: Johnnie Candle and Dennis Skurulsky, 17-02, $3,300

4th: Scott Rhodes and Jeff Koester, 17-01, $2,500 plus the $250 Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award for catching big fish of the tournament, an 8-pound, 7-ounce walleye, and the $200 Optima True Blue contingency

5th: Nick Lary and Kurt McKenna, 16-15, $2,000

In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $39,360 in cash and prizes.

Weigh-ins were held at Giordano’s Corydon Hotel outside Bradford. Kinzua yielded 302 walleyes weighing a total of 497 pounds, 2 ounces in the catch-and-release event. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands presented a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the first day’s weigh-in. Participating youths received rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

The event marked the Circuit’s first trip to the Keystone hotspot, which drew a groundswell of local participation and support. “A big thank-you is in order for everyone who helped make this event a success, including Zippo Outdoors, Giordano’s Corydon Hotel, the Seneca Nation, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and the Bradford High School Criminal Justice Club,” said Tournament Director Dan Palmer. He also thanked local MWCer and Zippo pro-staffer Doug Yohe and teammate Charlie Brandt for welcoming new competitors into the MWC family.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. The 2014 trail includes 10 stops spread across seven states in the Walleye Belt. Teams showcase their skills—and sponsor products—at world-class venues such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir, Cass Lake and Lake Erie.

Along with great payouts at each event, teams fishing three or more tournaments battle for coveted berths in the 2015 Cabela’s MWC Championship, set for October 2015 on Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio. Teams fishing at least three qualifiers also compete for Team of the Year awards, including a $25,000 “Living the Dream” sponsorship package, which includes fully paid entries to the Cabela’s National Walleye Trail as a pro and co-angler, use of a 600 series Ranger boat, travel stipends and more.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 12th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Church Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Optima Batteries, Rockstar Hitch Mounted Mud Flaps, T-H Marine and Sea Grant.

Entry fees are $650 per tournament, of which more than 100 percent is returned to anglers at the qualifiers, World Championship and Team of the Year races. Registration closes at 10 a.m. on Monday prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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North Dakota and PA anglers dominate most of the top 10 ….but Ohio Anglers Jason Kopf From Avon Lake and Rodger Riggs from Cleveland Lead Day 1 with 5 fish for 13-08 and are in the drivers sea At Kinzua.

Did we just say North Dakota? Yes we did good fishermen are good fishermen, no matter where they live or are fishing.  While PA anglers hold 6 of the top 10 spots, Second Place team of Chad Yohe, from New Salem North Dakota and partner Michael Yohe from Bradford, PA sits solidly in second and while Chad is fishing with family and grew up here as a young man, he has lived in the Dakotas for some time and does not fish here often anymore.  Sitting in third is PA anglers Chuck Sabatose and Frank Mausser. PA anglers aAlso hold 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th places. Then there is World Walleye Champion Johnnie Candle from Devils Lake, ND and his season partner from WI, Dennis Skurulsky sit in seventh place with only four fish weighing  7-14. New Jersey anglers hold down the 9th spot and MWC veteran big stick form MIand IN hold down the 10th spot.

Kinzua, is a beautiful place you need to visit, no internet, no cell service in the Allegheny Mountians lakeside and…. thats not all bad!

Day 2 final weigh in begins at Corydon Hotel  near the lake at 4:00pm EST come on out and join us!

Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Rolls East
To Kinzua Reservoir, Pennsylvania, July 11-13

Presented by Zippo Outdoors

For Immediate Release –

Ponca City, Okla.—June 19, 2014—The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit will test new waters when it visits the Keystone hotspot of scenic Kinzua Reservoir out of Bradford, Pennsylvania, July 11-13 for a regular-season qualifying tournament.

“The bite should be fantastic,” predicts Circuit veteran, Kinzua insider and Zippo Outdoors pro-staffer Doug Yohe. Home to Pennsylvania’s state record walleye—a 17-pound, 9-ounce behemoth—Kinzua is a river-run impoundment ripe with fishing options. “A variety of presentations from jigging the trees to pulling crankbaits or spinner rigs will all take fish,” says Yohe.

Two-person teams will be allowed to weigh five fish per day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the tournament champions. The event is scheduled for July 11-12, with July 13 reserved in case bad weather forces the cancellation of one of the first two days. Be advised, however, registration closes at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 7.

Cabela’s MWC payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event. Plus, the MWC Big Fish Pot, along with sponsor bonuses including Ranger Cup, Berkley Baits, Lowrance Electronics, Optima True Blue and the Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award add thousands more to the total.

The public is invited to the weigh-ins, which begin at 4:30 p.m. daily at Giordano’s Corydon Hotel in Bradford. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the first day’s 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. The 2014 trail includes 10 stops spread across seven states in the Walleye Belt. Teams showcase their skills—and sponsor products—at world-class venues such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir, Cass Lake and Lake Erie.

Along with great payouts at each event, teams fishing three or more tournaments battle for coveted berths in the 2015 Cabela’s MWC Championship, set for October 2015 on Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio. Teams fishing at least three qualifiers also compete for Team of the Year awards, including a $25,000 “Living the Dream” sponsorship package, which includes fully paid entries to the Cabela’s National Walleye Trail as a pro and co-angler, use of a 600 series Ranger boat, travel stipends and more.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 12th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Church Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Optima Batteries, Rockstar Hitch Mounted Mud Flaps, T-H Marine and Sea Grant.

Entry fees are $650 per tournament, of which more than 100 percent is returned to anglers at the qualifiers, World Championship and Team of the Year races. Registration closes at 10 a.m. on Monday prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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Dempsey And Adler Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Green Bay Tournament

Presented by Ranger Boats

For Immediate Release –

Oconto, Wisc.—June 21, 2014—Wisconsin’s Ryan Dempsey and Adam Adler jigged up nine walleyes weighing an impressive 60 pounds, 9 ounces to win the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Green Bay regular-season qualifying tournament out of Oconto, Wisconsin, June 20-21.

“It feels really good to win, there’s definitely some pride involved,” said Adler, of Oconto Falls. Indeed, the victory was sweet redemption after he and Dempsey, of Oneida, took second at the Cabela’s National Team Championship on Green Bay in late May after leading the event the first two days. In fact, it was a role-reversal at the Cabela’s MWC Green Bay qualifier. Dempsey and Adler left the dock on day two in second place, then climbed to first when day one leaders Randy Gaines and Mike Rhoades brought just one fish to the scale the final day.

“There was a lot less pressure going out in second place this morning,” Dempsey grinned after scoring the win. He explained that he and Adler cast jigs, bladebaits and lipless rattlebaits in depths of 4 to 23 feet of water, experimenting with a variety of cadences from snap-jigging to dragging. A ¾-ounce leadhead tipped with a 4½-inch, paddle-tailed Berkley PowerBait was a top producer.

Dempsey and Adler claimed the $10,500 first-place cash prize, plus $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency, $500 Berkley Baits Award, and the $500 Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch and Elite 7 contingency.

They also claimed a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

In second place, Michigan’s Wayne Van Dyke, of Spruce, and Erich Carlson, of Presque Isle, weighed in seven fish for 47 pounds, 12 ounces, worth $5,300 in cash.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

3rd: Randy Gaines and Mike Rhoades, 41-02, $3,500 plus the $250 Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award for catching big fish of the tournament, an 11-pound, 8-ounce walleye

4th: Johnnie Candle and Dennis Skurulsky, 32-05, $2,650

5th: Steve VandeMark and Rob Ruckman, 28-00, $2,050

6th: Tom Hoinacki and Keith Daniels, 25-10, $1,900

7th: Paul Gutowski and Michael Gutowski, 24-05, $1,700

8th: Scott Ludwig and Jeff Otis, 23-01, $1,600

9th: Troy Morris and Corey Heiser, 22-11, $1,500 plus the $200 Optima True Blue contingency

10th: Kevin Blanck and Ken Marklein, 22-09, $1,400

In other contingency winnings, Chad Burns and Nick Wenninger won the Rockstar Comeback Award for jumping from 44th on day one to 17th place, worth a $500 Rockstar Mud Flap Package. In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $47,000 in cash and prizes.

Weigh-ins were held at Breakwater Park in Oconto. Green Bay yielded 195 walleyes weighing a total of 747 pounds, 6 ounces in the catch-and-release event. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands presented a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the first day’s weigh-in. Participating youths received 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 2014 trail includes 10 stops spread across seven states in the Walleye Belt. Teams showcase their skills—and sponsor products—at world-class venues such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir, Cass Lake and Lake Erie.

Along with great payouts at each event, teams fishing three or more tournaments battle for coveted berths in the 2015 Cabela’s MWC Championship, set for October 2015 on Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio. Teams fishing at least three qualifiers also compete for Team of the Year awards, including a $25,000 “Living the Dream” sponsorship package, which includes fully paid entries to the Cabela’s National Walleye Trail as a pro and co-angler, use of a 600 series Ranger boat, travel stipends and more.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 12th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Church Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, Optima Batteries, Rockstar Hitch Mounted Mud Flaps, T-H Marine and Sea Grant.

Entry fees are $650 per tournament, of which more than 100 percent is returned to anglers at the qualifiers, World Championship and Team of the Year races. Registration closes at 10 a.m. on Monday prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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