For Immediate Release – Ponca City, Okla.—July 29, 2013

The walleye world will be watching when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit holds a special “artificial-only” qualifying tournament on North Dakota’s legendary Devils Lake August 2-4.

In a bold departure from walleye tournament norms, the Circuit made natural baits such as leeches, minnows and nightcrawlers off-limits to two-person teams competing for thousands of dollars in cash and prizes at Devils Lake. Only man-made baits will be allowed, including Berkley Gulp!-type softbaits, crankbaits, spinners and other artificial presentations.

The idea evolved thanks to a partnership between Berkley Gulp! and the Circuit. So convinced was Berkley in the concept, the company kicked in an extra $3,000 in cash to the payout, to be divided among the top 15 places. “I’m very excited about this format,” said Cody Roswick, field marketing manager for Berkley and Pure Fishing. “It levels the playing field for all of the anglers, because nobody has to search for hard-to-find bait such as jumbo chubs or leeches. The same artificial baits are available to everyone. Plus, anglers don’t have to worry about transporting or caring for expensive live bait.”

A longtime Devils Lake angler, Roswick believes the fertile fishery is the perfect proving ground for an artificial-lures-only tournament. He also expects the ever-innovative competitors to put new and creative riggings into play. “It will be fun seeing what they come up with to out-do the competition,” he said.

Anglers responded to the artificial-only opportunity in droves, as registration jumped by more than 26 percent over the last time the MWC visited Devils Lake, in 2011. Seventy-seven teams signed up for this season’s tournament, pushing the regular payout to more than $42,000 in cash and prizes. First place includes over $11,000 in cash plus a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. The MWC Big Fish Pot, along with sponsor bonuses including Cabela’s Angler Cash, Ranger Cup, Lowrance HDS Gen2/Elite-7, Berkley Baits and Optima True Blue boost the total in cash and prizes to nearly $48,000.

The MWC has a rich history on Devils Lake. In 2011—a dual event combining the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce Tournament with a Cabela’s MWC qualifier—David Harmon, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Scott Busteed, of Windsor, Colorado, trolled up a nine-fish total weighing 33.01 pounds on Berkley Flicker Shads to claim victory.

In 2010, Jon Dircks, of Devils Lake, and Curtis Blake, of Grand Marais, Minnesota, brought a monster 19.70-pound basket to the scale to win a weather-shortened, single-day walleye fest at Devils Lake.

For 2013, the tournament offers two days of competition on the system’s incredible walleye fishery, with one day reserved in case of bad weather. Teams will be allowed to weigh up to five walleyes per day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the Devils Lake tournament champions.

Walleye fans of all ages are invited to the weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public. The festivities begin at 3 p.m. daily at Graham’s Island State Park. 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.

This is the eighth of 10 Cabela’s MWC qualifying tournaments in 2013. The remaining schedule includes the St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, August 22-23; and Cass Lake, Minnesota, out of Stony Point Resort, Sept. 13-15.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 11th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Church Tackle, Optima Batteries, O2 Marine Technologies and Sea Grant.

Based in Ponca City, Oklahoma, the Cabela’s MWC is oldest running national walleye circuit in America. Cabela’s MWC is owned by The Walleye Federation and is open to two-person teams regardless of club or sponsor affiliation. 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 Sunday night prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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For a list of Teams entered CLICK HERE

For a copy of the event fact sheet CLICK HERE

LOWELL, Mich. – MotorGuide, a trusted fishing brand with more than 50 years of engineering and manufacturing trolling motors, introduces Pinpoint® GPS navigation available on its new Xi5 wireless trolling motor. Pinpoint GPS delivers on-target location accuracy that enables anglers to precisely position their boats and achieve optimum boat control.

“In talking with anglers, the most important aspect of GPS-integrated trolling motors is their ability to maintain accuracy,” said Ben Curtis, category director for MotorGuide. “Pinpoint GPS uses an ultra-precise GPS receiver and control algorithms to keep the boat positioned tightly on the target.”

Through a compact, easy-to-use hand-held remote, Pinpoint GPS enables anglers to move a boat in five-foot increments in any direction and store up to 8 locations when in “anchor” mode.

“Being able to position and jog your boat to make the best possible presentation of the bait is essential to catch fish, and Pinpoint GPS enables anglers to precisely position their boats to stay on fish and bring home a bigger catch,” Curtis said.

Pinpoint GPS features “heading lock” and “cruise control” options to navigate the boat to specific compass headings while holding a constant speed against wind and current. In its “route memory” mode, Pinpoint GPS can store and recall up to eight routes of four miles each.

Pinpoint GPS is available this fall as a factory-installed upgrade or as an easy to install option that anglers can purchase from retailers for use on the new MotorGuide Xi5 wireless trolling motor.

About MotorGuide

MotorGuide, based in Lowell, Michigan, has more than 50 years of experience engineering and manufacturing trolling motors for anglers who enjoy fishing and don’t want a break in the action. More information can be found at MotorGuide.com.

Hughes, Jacobson Win Cabela’s Masters
Walleye Circuit’s Lake Winnebago Tournament

Presented by Mercury Marine

For Immediate Release –

Oshkosh, Wisc.—June 29, 2013—Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit veterans Jim Hughes and Matt Jacobson led wire-to-wire to win the trail’s Lake Winnebago Chain qualifier out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 28-29.

“It’s a nice feeling to win this one,” said Hughes, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. An MWC competitor since 1990, he was quick to note the unique camaraderie enjoyed on the Circuit. “It’s really special fishing with all the local teams—who’ve been so supportive and gracious to us—along with all the MWC traveling teams, too. It feels like a fraternity of brothers.”

After a stellar opening day performance, highlighted by their five-fish MWC limit weighing 23 pounds, 13 ounces, the team owned the leaderboard on Day One and never looked back. Though their second trip across the Cabela’s MWC stage featured a bit smaller bag—five walleyes weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces—they still topped the nearest competitors in the 118-team field by more than five pounds.

The Winnebago win earned them the $16,200 first-place purse, which included $15,200 in cash plus a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package featuring a paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. Plus, they earned the $1,000 Ranger Cup contingency, a $500 Berkley Tackle Package, and $980 from the Big Fish Pot for total winnings of $18,680 in cash and prizes.

“It’s great to win, but it doesn’t seem real yet,” added Jacobson. The Weyauwega, Wisconsin, competitor has quite a track record on the lake. In fact, this was his second MWC victory on Winnebago. “Partner Greg Krings and I won the MWC tournament here in 1984,” he grinned, noting that he and current partner Jim Hughes scored a win at the Mercury Nationals on Winnebago in 2009.

While changing weather patterns forced Hughes and Jacobson to hunt for fish, their main tactics hinged on crankbaits including the Berkley Flicker Shad. Trolling 10- to 14-foot depths near the mouth of the Fox River produced most of their fish, although Jacobson noted that they only got five bites each day. “If something had gone wrong with one or two of those fish, it would have been a whole different story for us,” he said.

Fellow Wisconsinites Joel Robl and Greg Golliher, both of Oshkosh, finished second with 35 pounds, 5 ounces, worth $6,650. Third-place finishers Bill Ball and Jon Noble, both of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, claimed a $1,000 Cabela’s gift card from the Cabela’s Angler Cash Program. In fifth place, Jim Preissner, of Chilton, Wisconsin, and Mike Olson, of Andover, Minnesota, won the $500 Lowrance Electronics award for being the highest-finishing team using a Lowrance HDS Gen2, HDS Gen2 Touch or Elite-7 unit. The Circuit’s $200 Optima True Blue contingency went to David Kolb, of Rockford, Michigan, and Paul Rogers, of McHenry, Illinois. In all, the top 22 teams shared $68,710 in cash, sponsor bonuses and Big Fish Pot winnings.

The team-format tournament offered two days of competition on the Winnebago Chain’s world-class walleye fishery, with one day reserved in case of bad weather. Each day, teams were allowed to bring their best five walleyes to the scale. A total of 568 walleyes weighing 1,659 pounds, 12 ounces crossed the stage during the tournament. Of those, 564 were returned to Lake Winnebago under the Cabela’s MWC’s time-tested catch-and-release format. Big fish was a 6-pound, 9-ounce walleye caught by the Wisconsin team of Pete Petta, of Tomahawk, and David Cooper, of Schofield. The fish was worth $1,225 from the Big Fish Pot.

Weigh-ins were held at Menominee Park in Oshkosh. 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. The first 50 youths received rod-and-reel combos courtesy of the NPAA.

This was the seventh of 10 Cabela’s MWC qualifying tournaments in 2013. The remaining schedule includes Devils Lake, North Dakota, August 2-4; the St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, August 22-23; and Cass Lake, Minnesota, out of Stony Point Resort, Sept. 13-15.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 11th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Church Tackle, Optima Batteries, O2 Marine Technologies and Sea Grant.

Based in Ponca City, Oklahoma, the Cabela’s MWC is oldest running national walleye circuit in America. Cabela’s MWC is owned by The Walleye Federation and is open to two-person teams regardless of club or sponsor affiliation. 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 Sunday night prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

For complete standings… CLICK HERE

FOR over 800 Pictures of the event…CLICK HERE

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For Immediate Release –

 Ponca City, Okla.—June 24, 2013—Over $65,000 in cash and prizes will be at stake as more than 230 of the world’s top walleye anglers compete when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit returns to the Lake Winnebago Chain out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 28-30.

The team-format tournament offers two days of competition on the system’s incredible walleye fishery, with one day reserved in case of bad weather. With tournament waters including legendary lakes Winnebago, Butte des Morts, Poygan and Winneconne, plus the Fox and Wolf rivers, anglers can expect great catches and an all-out walleye battle to claim one of the top 23 places and finish “in the money.”

First place pays out a cool $15,200 in cash plus a $1,000 Cabela’s National Team Championship Prize Package including paid NTC entry, travel stipend, team jerseys and plaques. The MWC Big Fish Pot, along with sponsor bonuses including Cabela’s Angler Cash, Ranger Cup, Lowrance HDS Gen2/Elite-7, Berkley Baits and Optima True Blue add thousands more in cash and prizes to the total.

Industry-leading marine engine manufacturer Mercury Marine, based in nearby Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, is presenting sponsor of the event. “We’re happy to have the MWC back in Oshkosh, and are looking forward to a great tournament,” said Mercury’s Michelle Kilburn.

The MWC has a rich history in the region and on Winnebago in particular. In 2010, a dual tournament combining the Cabela’s National Team Championship and an MWC qualifier drew 362 teams and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as history’s largest fishing tournament.

The circuit’s time-tested team format lets anglers choose their favorite fishing partner to share the excitement. Two-person teams will be allowed to weigh five walleyes per day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the Winnebago tournament champions. Considering the amount of world-class walleye water available, heavy weights are expected. Last summer, Wisconsinites Mark Schleis and Randy Seidl won the MWC Winnebago qualifier and nearly $20,000 in cash and prizes with a 39.69-pound total catch.

Walleye fans of all ages are invited to the weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public. The festivities begin at 3 p.m. daily at Menominee Park in Oshkosh. 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.

This is the seventh of 10 Cabela’s MWC qualifying tournaments in 2013. The remaining schedule includes Devils Lake, North Dakota, August 2-4; the St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, August 22-23; and Cass Lake, Minnesota, out of Stony Point Resort, Sept. 13-15.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 11th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Church Tackle, Optima Batteries, O2 Marine Technologies and Sea Grant.

Based in Ponca City, Oklahoma, the Cabela’s MWC is oldest running national walleye circuit in America. Cabela’s MWC is owned by The Walleye Federation and is open to two-person teams regardless of club or sponsor affiliation. 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 Sunday night prior to each tournament. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.

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