Sprengel, Navis Win Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship

Presented by Cabela’s

For Immediate Release –

Devils Lake, N.D.—Oct. 11, 2014—Wisconsin’s Korey Sprengel and Derek Navis scored a white-knuckle, come-from-behind victory at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2014 World Walleye Championship on the High Plains paradise of Devils Lake, North Dakota, Oct. 9-11.

“It feels great,” said Sprengel, of Beaver Dam. “I didn’t know what to expect coming here. We just tried to cover as much water as possible and got some decent fish in practice, but nothing like we caught during the tournament.”

The Championship pitted 38 elite two-person teams against one another for lucrative payouts and ultimate bragging rights in the walleye world. Teams had qualified for the no-entry-fee event by earning points while competing on the 2013 Cabela’s MWC trail, which visited 10 world-class destinations from Colorado’s Pueblo Reservoir to Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio.

Sprengel and Navis, of Brandon, rose through the ranks with progressively bigger baskets, notching 5-fish limits weighing 23-13, 29-06 and 32-10 for an impressive 85-13 total. It was the team’s second championship win, having earned top honors at the prestigious 2011 Cabela’s National Team Championship on Bays de Noc out of Escanaba, Michigan. They also won the title of Cabela’s MWC Team of the Year in the 2013 season.

“It’s very special to come into a new body of water like Devils Lake and figure it out, especially against all the great sticks in the Championship field,” said Navis. He and Sprengel collected a total of $24,000 in cash tied to their first place finish, along with the $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency, $500 Berkley Baits prize package and $500 Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch and Elite 7 bonus. They also claimed the Rockstar Comeback Award, worth a two (2) $500 Rockstar Mud Flap Packages.

The champions targeted rocky riprap and boulders along flooded roadways lying in 18 to 27 feet of water in the Pelican Lake area. They trolled size 7 Berkley Flicker Shads 1.5 to 1.8 mph, using leadcore mainline tipped with a 15-foot leader of 20-pound-test Berkley FireLine. “Banging bottom was key to getting bit, and the FireLine leader was critical to reducing the number of crankbaits we lost to snags,” said Sprengel.

In second, Don Denning and Chad Maloy, both of Fargo, North Dakota, pocketed $10,000 for their 82-03 total, after finishing strong with a monstrous final catch of 36-12 that was big basket of day three.

Rounding out the top five were:

3rd Travor Diegel and Paul Steffen, 15 fish, 76-06

4th Spencer and Ron Deutz, 15 fish, 71-11

5^th Curtis Olivier and Doug Galant, 15 fish, 67-04

Al Freidig and Clint Devier collected the $250 Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award for catching a 10-pound, 5-ounce trophy walleye that was big fish of the championship.

Spencer and Ron Deutz won the $200 Optima True Blue contingency. In all, more than $126,000 in cash and prizes were awarded through the World Championship payout and Team of the Year race.

A total of 490 walleyes weighing 1,876 pounds, 8 ounces 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 Grahams Island State Park.

Immediately following Friday’s weigh-in, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands presented a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic. The first 50 youths received 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 AnglerTV, on NBC Sports and the Pursuit Channel.

The first airing is set for December 1^st at 1:30pm CST on NBC Sports. Check federationangler.com for additional 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. The 2014 trail included 10 qualifiers spread across seven states. Teams showcased their skills—and sponsor products—at venues such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir and Lake Erie.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is concluding 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. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

For live video check out the home page

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For Immediate Release –

Ponca City, Okla.—Sept. 26, 2014—North America’s top two-person walleye-fishing teams will clash on the High Plains paradise of Devils Lake, North Dakota, Oct. 9-11 at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2014 World Walleye Championship.

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, Berkley Baits, Lowrance Electronics, Optima True Blue and the Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award add thousands more to the total.

Teams qualified for the 2014 World Walleye Championship by earning points during the 2013 Cabela’s MWC season at 10 world-class destinations from Colorado’s Pueblo Reservoir to Lake Erie out of Huron, Ohio. Each spot in the field is by invitation-only, carries no entry fee, and is coveted among walleye tournament anglers.

Rich in fishing talent, the field is led by the 2013 Cabela’s MWC Team of the Year, Wisconsin’s Derek Navis, of Waupun, and Korey Sprengel, of Beaver Dam. Teams will compete three days for the largest total weight. They are allowed to bring their five best walleyes to the Cabela’s MWC stage each day, and under the Circuit’s catch-and-release format, the fish will be released back into Devils Lake.

Walleye fans of all ages are invited to watch the drama unfold live at the weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public. The festivities begin at 4 p.m. daily at Grahams Island State Park. Immediately following Friday’s weigh-in, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic. The first 50 youths will receive rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

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

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 included 10 qualifiers spread across seven states. Teams showcased their skills—and sponsor products—at world-class venues such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir, and wind down the regular season on the fertile waters of Lake Erie.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is concluding 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. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Brumbaugh, Robertson Finish Strong To Win Cabela’s
Masters Walleye Circuit Lake Erie Regular-Season Finale

 Presented by Cabela’s

For Immediate Release –

Huron, Ohio—Sept. 27, 2014—Ohioans Mark Brumbaugh and Michael Robertson stormed the leaderboard on day two of the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Lake Erie qualifier to score a dramatic comeback victory worth more than $10,000 in cash and prizes.

“This is my first major tournament win, and it’s really exciting,” Robertson, of Laura, said seconds after topping the field of 55 teams from 14 states and one Canadian province. Held Sept. 26-27 out of Huron, Ohio, the event was the final qualifier of the 2014 Cabela’s MWC season.

After weighing in 17 pounds, 9 ounces on day one, Brumbaugh and Robertson found themselves in seventh place, trailing leaders Wayne Van Dyke and Bruce Mueller by more than 9 pounds. But on day two, an impressive 32-pound, 7-ounce limit that proved to be the heaviest basket of the tournament pushed Brumbaugh and Robertson over the top with a 10-fish limit weighing 50 pounds even.

“We just went out on day two and worked hard, changing lure colors and following the fish,” Robertson added. He credited their Lowrance HDS 12 electronics for helping them track a school of wandering walleyes that changed locations from day one to day two.

“I haven’t won a big event in awhile, so it’s nice to know I can still do it,” grinned Brumbaugh, of Arcanum. He explained the team long-lined crankbaits 28 to 30 feet down in 38 to 40 feet of water about 5 miles from port, along the northwest corner of a sediment dump. Speeds of 2 to 2.2 mph were key, as was their 10-pound-test Berkley Trilene Big Game monofilament, which they ran with letbacks of 120 to 200 feet behind their planer boards.

“We also added small pieces of 3-inch Berkley Gulp! Fry to the crankbait trebles for extra scent,” he noted. “The thin-diameter Fry is perfect because it doesn’t affect the lure’s action.”

Brumbaugh and Robertson collected $8,200 in cash for the win, plus the $500 Berkley Baits Award, $500 Lowrance HDS Gen2 Touch and Elite 7 contingency, and $200 Optima True Blue bonus. They also claimed a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Joe Miller of Elgin, Illinois, and Steve Tyszko of Miller’s Port, Ohio, finished second with 45 pounds, 10 ounces, worth $4,300 plus $638 from the Big Fish Pot and the $250 Zippo Hot Hands Big Fish Award for catching big walleye of the tournament, a 10-pound, 13-ounce behemoth.

Rounding out the top 5 were:

3rd: Wayne Van Dyke and Bruce Mueller, 44-11, $2,900

4th: Scott Rhodes and Jeff Koester, 42-08, $2,300

5th: Jason Kopf and Rodger Riggs, 40-14, $1,900 plus $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency

In all, the Cabela’s MWC awarded $33,900 in cash and prizes at the event.

Weigh-ins were held at the Huron Boat Basin. Lake Erie yielded 257 walleyes weighing a total of 925 pounds, 5 ounces. 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 included 10 qualifiers spread across seven states. Teams showcased 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. The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2014 World Walleye Championship is set for Oct. 9-11 on the High Plains paradise of Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is concluding 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. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Visits Lake Erie
At Huron, Ohio, For Regular-Season Finale Sept. 26-28

Presented by Cabela’s

For Immediate Release –

Ponca City, Okla.—Sept. 8, 2014—A big-water battle of epic proportions will take place Sept. 26-28 when top teams from across the country converge on Huron, Ohio, for the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2014 regular-season finale on legendary Lake Erie.

The event is open to two-person teams regardless of club or sponsor affiliation, and entries are accepted through 10 a.m. on Monday, September 22. The tournament is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with Sunday reserved in case bad weather forces the cancellation of one of the first two days. Teams will be allowed to weigh five fish per day, and the duo with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned tournament champions.

Based on the Circuit’s past visits to Lake Erie, competitors are in for world-class walleye action. At the 2013 Cabela’s MWC qualifier on Erie, the father-and-son team of Nicholas and Gary Zart, of Brunswick, Ohio, claimed top honors with a 10-fish limit weighing a whopping 84 pounds, 13 ounces. Their top tactic was pulling 6-inch Berkley Gulp! Nightcrawlers and live ’crawlers near bottom in 48 feet of water, and they collected more than $13,000 in first-place cash and prizes. At the same event, fellow Ohioans Mark Brumbaugh, of Arcanum, and Michael Robertson, of Laura, broke the Circuit’s all-time single-day basket record with five walleyes weighing 52 pounds, 11 ounces.

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 p.m. daily at the Huron Boat Basin. 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 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 included 10 stops spread across seven states. Teams showcased their skills—and sponsor products—at world-class venues such as the Illinois, Detroit and Mississippi rivers, Green Bay, Big Stone Lake, Kinzua Reservoir, and wind down the regular season on the fertile waters of 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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