Rhodes, Koester Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit
Season Opener On The Illinois River
Presented by Berkley Baits

For Immediate Release –
Spring Valley, Ill.—March 30, 2014—Scott Rhodes and Jeff Koester racked up an impressive 26 pounds, 4 ounces to win the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s 2014 season opener on the Illinois River at Spring Valley, Illinois.

“The feeling is surreal, it’s going to take awhile to sink in,” Koester, of Brookville, Indiana, beamed moments after claiming victory in front of a raucous riverside crowd gathered to watch the festivities at historic Barto Landing.

He and Rhodes collected the $11,100 first-place cash payout, plus $500 in Berkley Artificial-Only Bonus Cash, the $500 Berkley Baits contingency, $200 Optima True Blue award, and $950 from the MWC Big Fish Pot for their Day 1 big fish. They also claimed a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques.

Held March 29-30, the tournament marked the circuit’s 28^th-consecutive season opener on the Illinois, and the beginning of its 30^th season of team walleye tournament competition. Two-person teams were allowed to weigh five walleyes, saugers or saugeyes per day. In an exciting twist for 2014, this year’s tournament was an “artificial-only” event—with extra winnings at stake as anglers put their favorite crankbaits, spinners, Berkley Gulp!-type softbaits and other man-made presentations to the test, while live bait such as minnows and nightcrawlers were off limits.

As it turned out, artificial presentations were hardly a setback. Koester and Rhode’s total trumped the Circuit’s 2013 Spring Valley winning weight by nearly eight pounds. Last March, Iowans Clayton Freiburger and Mike Bisdorf weighed in 18.15 pounds to win the MWC season opener. The artificial-only format emerged this season thanks to a partnership between Berkley Gulp! and the Cabela’s MWC, with Berkley kicking in an additional $2,500 in prize money for the anglers.

Rhodes and Koester came out swinging on Day 1, weighing a hefty 14-pound, 6-ounce limit that would prove to be big basket of the tournament. They also weighed big fish of the day, a 4-pound, 15-ounce walleye. They closed the deal on Day 2 with an 11-pound, 14-ounce limit. Their go-to tactic was hand-lining crankbaits laced with walleye-formula Berkley PowerBait Attractant. Koester noted that their hand-line leads were 25-pound-test Berkley Big Game line.

Continue reading

Day 1 at Spring Valley, Illinois is now in the records books. The MWC Artificial Baits only event Day 1 weights nearly beat both 2 days weight from last years events same week same location the artificial only bite is ON at Spring Valley!  Day 1 leaders Scott Rhodes from Interlochen, Michigan Jeff Koester, from Brookville, Indiana brought in a whopping 14 pounds and six ounces including the days big fish of 4pounds and 15 ounces,

Sitting in second is Barry O’Flynn, New Lenox, Il & Corey Blair Prophetstown, Il. with 12.09 and sitting in 3rd is the team of Kevin O’Malley Kingsley, PA and Rick Parrot Hopewell, Il who brought in 12.05. Day 2 begins tomorrow t 8:00am on the river with the weighin beginning at 4:00pm cst

for full results CLICK HERE

Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Returns To Illinois River
For 2014 Tournament Season Opener March 29-30

Presented by Berkley Baits

For Immediate Release –
Ponca City, Okla.—March 17, 2014—One of team walleye tournament fishing’s oldest rites of spring returns March 29-30, when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit opens its 2014 season with a qualifying event on the Illinois River at Spring Valley, Illinois.

The tournament marks the circuit’s 28th-consecutive season opener on the Illinois, which offers winter-weary walleye and sauger fans the chance to compete for thousands of dollars in cash and prizes in a professionally run team format. And in an exciting twist for 2014, this year’s tournament will be an “artificial-only” event—with extra winnings at stake as anglers put their favorite crankbaits, spinners, Berkley Gulp!-type softbaits and other man-made presentations to the test, while live bait such as minnows and nightcrawlers are off limits.

The artificial-only concept emerged thanks to a partnership between Berkley Gulp! and the Cabela’s MWC, with Berkley kicking in an additional $2,500 in prize money for the anglers. When the Circuit held a similar event on North Dakota’s Devils Lake in August of 2013, anglers embraced the effort as registrations soared and teams recorded stellar catches on a variety of artificial presentations. In the end, South Dakotans Travor Diegel and Paul Steffen claimed victory with a 45-pound, 10-ounce total weight, taken on spoons and hardbaits sweetened with minnow-flavored Berkley Gulp! Alive! Marinade.

“These types of artificial-only challenges force anglers to think outside the box, and when they do, they often find unique ways to catch more fish than they would have landed with traditional live bait tactics,” said Cody Roswick, field marketing manager for Berkley and Pure Fishing. “I can’t wait to see what the teams come up with at Spring Valley, and at the MWC’s next artificial-only event on the Mississippi River in May.”

Roswick also noted that artificial-only events level the playing field for all anglers by eliminating the search for hard-to-find types and sizes of live bait. “The same artificial baits are available to everyone,” he said. “As a bonus, anglers don’t have to worry about transporting or caring for expensive live bait.”

Two-person teams will be allowed to weigh five walleyes, saugers or saugeyes per day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the tournament champions.

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, Optima True Blue and Rockstar Hitch-Mounted Mud Flaps add thousands more to the total. For example, at the 2013 Cabela’s MWC Illinois River tournament, first-place finishers Clayton Freiburger and Mike Bisdorf collected more than $20,000 in cash and prizes. 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.

The public is invited to the weigh-ins, which begin at 4 p.m. daily at Barto Landing in Spring Valley. The Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after Saturday’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 remains open through the Monday prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

Artifishalleyes (artificial-eyes) The art of fishing for walleyes using artificial baits. A new venture for two walleye pros creating the Next Generation Beyond Bait.

Fargo, ND. – Two long time professional and serious walleye anglers, whether they fish for paychecks or pride, have teamed up to create Artifishalleyes.

New for 2014, Corey Heiser and Troy Morris have signed a notarized contract to NOT use live bait for the entire 2014 season as they compete in walleye tournaments together across the country. They have created an organization called Artifishalleyes to help educate and teach our youth and fellow anglers that artificial baits can be used competitively, even on those so called live bait waters, and help protect our water systems.

“Being in the fishing industry for several years we have seen the invasion of ANS (Aquatic Nuisance Species) become more widespread, causing severe and permanent damage to the habitats they invade by reducing the abundance of native species and altering ecosystem processes. This destruction of the natural ecosystem is causing lakes and rivers to have less game fish and even rendering some lakes and rivers unusable,” Heiser and Morris commented.

Continue reading