Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Reigning Team of the Year Koester and Rhodes Excited for Season Ahead

Ponca City, Okla.—Feb 3, 2015—After spending the winter months savoring the accomplishment of claiming prestigious 2014 Team of the Year honors on the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit, Jeff Koester and Scott Rhodes are eagerly awaiting a chance to defend their title on the 2015 trail.

“We’re definitely excited about the year ahead,” said Rhodes, of Interlochen, Michigan. “Right now we’re still deciding which events to enter.” He was quick to note that the Cabela’s MWC’s schedule, which has expanded to 11 qualifiers on world-class walleye waters spread across nine states, offers anglers a host of options to ponder before marking their calendars.

“With more choices, plus a few changes in timing and locations, we’ve got a lot to consider,” he said. “A lot of it boils down to what dates work out for us, the waters we’re best suited to, and the time of year the event is being held.” While he and Koester’s schedule wasn’t yet set in stone, Rhodes said the annual March tournament on the Illinois River at Spring Valley, Illinois, would be difficult to pass up. “After winning there in 2014, it would be hard not to go back,” he said.

Koester, of Brookville, Indiana, is still getting used to the idea of winning Team of the Year. “It’s still sinking in,” he said. “Consistently putting three or four good finishes together against the caliber of anglers on the MWC is an incredible challenge.”

Rhodes agreed. “Winning Team of the Year was a milestone for us,” he said. Which is no small statement, considering the circuit veterans are past Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Champions, scored wins at a pair of MWC Walleye Madness events, and took top honors at the 2014 Spring Valley qualifier.

Looking ahead, Koester shared Rhodes’ anticipation for the 2015 tournament season. “I’m looking forward to defending our title,” he said. Toward that end, the team is busy rigging a new boat with the latest in walleye weaponry, including Mercury outboards and Optima batteries, and wrangling a mountain of tackle for the battles to come. “In the celebration over winning Team of the Year last fall, putting everything away in a real organized manner wasn’t a top priority,” he laughed. “We’ve got some work to do.”

While the thrill of competition and chance to win thousands in cash and prizes is a compelling combination, both anglers note that one of the biggest benefits of fishing the Cabela’s MWC remains the camaraderie shared between so many of the teams. “Winning titles and tournaments is great, but just getting away from work and hanging out with friends we’ve made over the years is what we really look forward to,” Rhodes explained.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Cabela’s MWC is open to avid walleye anglers from all walks of life. Registration for all events opened January 2, 2015. For more information, check back often at www.masterswalleyecircuit.com as season info is regularly updated.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is entering 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, and T-H Marine. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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4 weeks away to the MWC season opener! Get out of the cold and come to Stockton to get your 2015 season off to a good start!

Stockton is a LAST CHANCE  qualifier for the 2015 NTC!

Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit 2015

Ponca City, Okla.—January 1, 2014—

MWC Lineup Includes traditional fish factories, new locations and competitions, plus more than 100% payback!

IN 2014 MWC total payback in cash and prizes was nearly 130%!

World-class walleye fishing, intense team-format competition and hefty payouts are on tap for the 2015 Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit. REGISTRATION FOR ALL EVENTS OPENS JAN 2, 3PM CST. MASTERSWALLEYECIRCUIT.COM

Based on 2014 MWC angler feedback and survey information\recommendations we have added some NEW FOR 2015 items detailed below.  For full details read the 2015 rules carefully.

NEW FOR 2015 –

STATE CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT EACH EVENT! Earn the “STATE CHAMPIONS” title!

• All MWC event(s) will be designated as one or more “State Championship qualifying events” for the state(s) that the event is being held in.

• For any state (Or Province) where MWC is NOT hosting an event in (for example Nebraska), the FIRST event on the schedule where (10) ten or more teams from a non-hosting state registers for an event will be designated as that states championship for that year and the highest finishing team from that state will be crowned as the 2015 State Champions. So talk to your buddies and sign up for an event!

• In states where MWC hosts only one MWC event each year (for instance PA) the winners of that event earns a State Champions title for that year for that state regardless of where they live.

• In states that MWC hosts 2 or more regular season MWC events in the SAME state, (for example MN, WI, MI) teams will be required to count scores for all events designated as hosted in that state to earn that state champions title.

• No state champion can be crowned without a minimum of 10 teams participating from that state.

• In the event of a MWC team whose anglers reside in two different states the state designation will follow the boat captain whose boat the team fishes from.

• State Champions prizes will include at a minimum, Custom State Champions trophy’s, Custom State Champions decals for boat and truck, a Spot in the Cabela’s NTC, pictures up on the New State Champions wall of fame page on the website, and more State Champions only benefits that will be announced.

NEW FOR 2015 –
MWC WILDCARD EVENT:

• MWC has designated (1) one late season events at Dubuque Iowa as a World Walleye Championship WILDCARD qualifier.
• Teams must sign up and fish the regular season MWC event that the wildcard qualifier is attached to in order to enter the wildcard qualifier.
• Additionally, teams MUST have fished at least two (2) other events during the season to be wildcard eligible, which would make the wildcard qualifier a team’s 3rd event of the season (minimum).
• Yearly points standings DO apply to the event however, DO NOT apply to the wildcard qualifier.

There will be an additional wildcard entry fee of $200 per team a minimum of 80% of which will be added directly to the World Walleye Championship payout. There will be (1) one WWC spot allocated for each 10 Wildcard entries. For example: If 33 teams sign up for the wildcard qualifier, 3 teams will earn spots to the WWC and each qualified team adds $1,760.00 to the WWC payout or an additional $5,280 to the total WWC payout. (Verses a team fishing 3 regular events and qualifying for the WWC who puts $385.50 into the WWC payout.  The balance will go to help support the Team of the Year and State Champions prizes.

NEW FOR 2015 –
More ways to earn MORE money $$ and SIMPLIFIED qualification guidelines for the World Walleye Championship.

NEW Option Pot and NEW DOUBLE your money World Walleye Championship!

NEW – OPTIONAL $350.00 100% payback Option Pot in addition to regular entry fee. Purely OPTIONAL for those that WANT to fish for MORE $$ YOUR choice.

• At the request\feedback of anglers we have added an OPTIONAL $350.00, 100% payback option pot, payable only to those anglers who pay into the option pot.

• If you do not understand how a side option pot works ask a tournament official before signing up for it.

• All entry fees including option pot entries must be made before registration closes for the event.

• Option pots CANNOT be paid on site at check in and option payout will be announced at the rules briefing. Payments must accompany each entry OR be paid before the close of registration. Premier teams too must call in and pay any option pot fees for each event if they want in the option pot.

NEW – DOUBLE YOUR MONEY World Walleye Championship! (WWC) 100% paid back.
$750 Entry Fee to World Walleye Championship qualifiers and GUARANTEE to each WWC team who attends and catches at least one legal fish a MINIMUM payback of $1500 or DOUBLE your entry fee back for every qualified team! Every team who attends will earn a check just for participating at the WWC just like in years past. However for those who simply weigh in one legal fish, they will double their entry fee! There is no easier way to DOUBLE your money!

NEW – Based on Angler feedback simplified WWC qualification rules!

Teams can only qualify for the World Walleye Championship once, and the order they will be taken will be;

• 2015 Top 45, which is 1-45 places in the Points Race, special event winners, 2015 Cabela’s National Team Champions (NTC); 2014 World Walleye Champions; 2015 Qualifier winners, wildcard qualifiers;
• Any duplicate qualifiers in the above will proceed down the standings as far as 50th place, then to Premier Teams ONLY past 50th place.
• Teams may fish as many events as they wish however, only a team’s top 3 scores will be used for WWC qualification standings.

MWC CIRCUIT UPDATE:  Breaking News!

Good luck to you all  in 2015!