NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (November 6, 2019) – At the conclusion of its seventh successful season, the National Walleye Tour, presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, unveiled an intriguing 2020 schedule, a slate that includes two stops on the Great Lakes and two visits to the Missouri River. Three regular-season tournaments precede the National Walleye Tour Championship, the sport’s premier event, held on North Dakota’s Lake Sakakawea Sept. 9-11.
“I’m always excited, but this schedule is extra special,” said Simms pro John Hoyer, who finished first, second and first at the final three events of the 2019 season. “Overall, this is a big-fish schedule. We could see total-weight records; I’m talking across the board.”
The season commences April 30-May 1 in Chamberlain, S.D., on Lake Francis Case. The sprawling Missouri River impoundment covers 107 miles and encompasses 102,000 acres.
“Chamberlain is a new place for most of the field,” said Bass Pro Shops pro Gary Parsons, who finished 10th in the Angler of the Year standings. “The end of April is usually right after the spawn, and the fishing should be steady. If you go too early in April, it can be hit or miss. At the end of April, it should be really good. Historically, Flicker Shads have been fantastic as well as jigs with plastics and jigs with minnows. Overall, it’s a great piece of tournament water; it’s very diverse.”
“I think Chamberlain is the wildcard this year,” Hoyer offered. “Not a lot of us travel to the Missouri in the spring. Personally, I’m not much of a reservoir fisherman, so it’s a good challenge.”
Stop No. 2, which takes place May 28-29, takes the world’s best walleye anglers to Sandusky, Ohio, for an open-water shootout on Lake Erie, perhaps the best walleye fishery on the planet.
“The Erie tournament is the ultimate postspawn event,” said Hoyer. “The second everything turns postspawn in the western basin, the feeding gets crazy. The end of May will be a fun time to visit. That’s when a lot of people book their yearly trip. I might even have to troll for that one, but that will be the only one where I’m trolling.”
“May tends to be more stable on Erie, but the winning fish could be further east,” Parsons speculated. “Typically, some of the big females have slid east by that time of the year. There are always plenty of fish to be caught; we love to go there because of the big fish.”
Oconto, Wis., hosts the third tournament of the season July 23-24. Lake Michigan’s Green Bay is likewise renowned for its big fish and recently, for its versatility.
“That’s really when the biggest bags come,” said Hoyer, who claimed this year’s Green Bay event via casting. “It could take over 80 pounds to win again. There are so many different things going on. That time of year, Green Bay opens up so many options.”
“The rattlebait bite should be strong, and the Shiver bite might be starting if it’s a hot enough summer,” Parsons predicted. “Oconto at that time of year is a great location. You can go north or south. On any given year, either way could be the place. At times, it happens right at Oconto. By late July, everything in the system is firing. The fishing should be stellar.”
The season concludes Sept. 9-11 in Garrison, N.D. After consistently strong classes starting in 2011, Sakakawea, a giant 368,000-acre river impoundment. possesses a record abundance of walleyes.
“Sakakawea will be amazing,” concluded Hoyer. “That’s the one I’m looking forward to the most. It’s technically a reservoir, but it will fish more like a big lake at that point.
“It’s full of them. The fish are healthy up and down the system. Those 2011 year-class fish will be almost 25 inches. There’s a ton of smelt in the system, and those fish grow super fast. It could take 75 pounds to win the championship. It should be a casters heaven.”
“It’s the same (Missouri) river, but it’s a totally different animal,” Parsons explained. “Francis Case is narrow, while Sakakawea has huge wide areas. It fishes bigger than Oahe. At that time of year, the fish are mostly deep. The bite will be good, but the waves can be huge. There will be some pretty big bags. Figuring it all out is going to be a blast.”
2020 Schedule
April 30-May 1 – Lake Francis Case, Chamberlain, S.D.
Tournament pays more than $375,000 to competitors NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (June 1, 2016) – Pro-angler Robert Bruegger, of Wabasha, Minnesota, brought in a two-day total of 42.53 pounds of walleye to win the pro-angler category of the Lake Winnebago event for the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour (NWT) at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on May 27.
Thunderstorms and high winds made fishing conditions extremely tough for the Lake Winnebago event with only four 20-pound bags weighed in on day one. Bruegger weighed in an impressive 24.61 pounds the first day and 17.92 pounds on day two, which gave the angler a 2.43-pound edge over second place.
“Fishing these national tournaments gets me out of my comfort zone and forces me to fish more water,” said Bruegger. “It’s an amazing feeling to win at this level. It leaves you without words.”
A die-hard river fisherman, Bruegger has made his mark fishing for walleye on the Mississippi in his home state of Minnesota. His inclination of heading towards the river to fish in this tournament could have cost him the win. Bruegger had been fishing an area a mile or so east of the river mouth and, when the bite slowed, the angler almost left the area.
“I caught a 17-incher fairly early this morning and a couple of hours later a caught a 16-incher,” said Bruegger. “I was preparing to run to the river when it just started pouring rain and all of a sudden the bite turned on. I caught a bunch of fish in 15 minutes, including a 26-incher and a 25-incher.”
Bruegger spent both days trolling spinners with night crawlers in the area where he and his traveling partner had located fish before the tournament.
“I would let out 20 feet of line and then put the board on,” said Bruegger. “I was using a ½-ounce weight and would troll 1 to 1.1 mph. I used bigger crawlers with a three-hook harness.” Bruegger took home $15,000, and by participating in the Ranger and Evinrude contingency programs, the angler was upgraded to a fully rigged Ranger 620FS with a 250 HP Evinrude outboard. The angler added $2,235 Anglers Advantage cash for a combined purse of $87,235.
John Gillman (second), Scott Cisewski (third), Karl Wenckebach (fourth), Jim Hughes (fifth), Dan Stier (sixth), David Anderson (seventh), Wayne Van Dyke (eighth), Mike Gofron (ninth), and Jacob LaPine (tenth) round out the top 10 pro-anglers.
Jake Bradach, of Gilbert, Minnesota, took first place in the co-angler category. Bradach was paired with Mike Gofron on day one and caught 19.81 pounds. His day two pairing with eventual fourth-place pro Karl Wenckebach gave him 22.10 to retain the co-angler lead.
“This has been a satisfying week,” said Bradach. “When your competitive juices get flowing, it takes fishing to a whole new level. I fished with two great pros and they both taught me so much.”
For his total weight of 41.91 pounds, Bradach earned $6,500, plus another $1,014 in Anglers Advantage cash.
Robert Loose (second), Matt Noordyk (third), Matt Hanken (fourth), Josh Bruce (fifth), Steve Kuchenberg (sixth), Jerry Reyburn (seventh), Bill Vojak (eighth), Gabe Outtrim (ninth) and Rodney Blackwell (tenth) round out the top ten for co-anglers.
The next stop for the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour is set for June 23-24 on Green Bay at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Registrations for the event are already being accepted online and by calling 612-424-0708. Anglers who are participating in any of the numerous contingency prize programs are encouraged to submit all pertinent information before the event to remain eligible for any potential bonus money.
Anglers that have fished all three regular-season events, in addition to the top points leaders, will qualify for the three-day, entry-fee championship. Two fully rigged Ranger boats are guaranteed for the championship event. The first-place finisher in the pro division will take home a new Ranger 619FS Fisherman, plus $15,000 cash for a total prize value of $79,000. In addition, the second-place pro receives a new Ranger 1880 Angler valued at $46,000. Both figures have the opportunity to go even higher with sponsor contingency. Likewise, the winner of the Co-Angler category will take home $6,000 cash, with the opportunity to nearly double with contingency money thanks to NWT sponsors.
For more details, anglers are encouraged to call 612-424-0708 or check out the website at www.nationalwalleyetour.com. From here, site visitors can learn more about the NWT, view the TV schedule and learn more about what’s in store for 2016. 2016 NWT scheduled events: June 23-24 – Green Bay (Sturgeon Bay, Wis.)
Championship – Aug. 3-5 – Lake Oahe (Mobridge, S.D.)
https://archive.nationalwalleyetour.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-cropped-ResultsThumbnail-24.jpg7201280nationalwalleyetourhttps://archive.nationalwalleyetour.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NWT23_DrkBK_PWhite_edit.pngnationalwalleyetour2019-09-22 11:06:272020-06-15 12:17:24Bruegger, Bradach Win Cabela’s National Walleye Tour Event on Lake Winnebago
Pro- and co-anglers win Lucas Oil AOY Rings and paid entry fees for 2017 season NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (August 25, 2016) – The 2016 season for the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour (NWT) came to a close earlier this month on Lake Oahe in South Dakota with pro-angler Ed Stachowski and co-angler Josh Bruce rising to the top and winning the Lucas Oil Angler of the Year (AOY) titles. Along with custom Lucas Oil AOY rings, both anglers earned paid entry fees for the 2017 NWT season.
The Lucas Oil Angler of the Year marks the first major title in Stachowski’s five-year pro career. “To do better than everyone over the course of a season is pretty huge to me,” said Stachowski. “It proves that I have the skills to compete on any body of water.”
Pro-angler Ed Stachowski holds with his Pro-Angler of the Year trophy at the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour championship event at Mobridge, S.D., on Aug. 8.
The NWT AOY goes to the angler who consistently performs throughout the season. Stachowski took eighth place at Lake Erie and followed with 11th-place at Winnebago. The angler’s 35th-place at Sturgeon Bay put the potential title in jeopardy.
“I was sitting in second place behind my travel partner after Winnebago and felt I had a shot,” said Stachowski. “The third event made me a bit nervous. I scraped into the money there. I haven’t had a good history at Sturgeon Bay.”
Stachowski regrouped and showed up strong at the championship event on Lake Oahe with an 11th-place finish to wrap up the title.
“It’s a monstrous accomplishment for me,” said Stachowski. “It’s a huge honor with the caliber of fishermen on the NWT. That being said, I didn’t go into the tournament trying to win AOY. I was trying to win the championship. To just miss the top 10 is bittersweet. Still, it’s a huge feeling of accomplishment. I’ve had some good tournaments, but this is the first time that I’ve put it together for the whole year.”
Josh Bruce, of Williston, North Dakota, won the NWT Co-Angler of the Year title. The angler fished two NWT events last year and competed in his first full season in 2016.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Bruce. “I’ve had my ups and downs through the year, but it kind of worked out.”
Co-anglers are randomly paired with different pros each day of a tournament. Over the course of the 2016 season, Bruce soaked up knowledge from the pro-anglers on new techniques and how to fish unfamiliar waters.
“It’s a total different experience,” said Bruce. “You learn so many different things and get to fish these different bodies of water. That’s one of the main reasons for fishing as a co-angler. It’s a whole new ballgame. You’re finding fish in spots you hadn’t thought about.”
Being paired with so many different pro-anglers also gave Bruce insight to the mental aspect of managing expectations and fighting through a tough day of fishing.
“Some guys have rough days and that happens to everyone,” said Bruce. “Some handle it totally different than others. You feed off of it. If he is feeling confident, you just feel it.”
With paid entry fees paid for the 2017 season, Bruce hopes to follow up his 2016 performance with another title and is keeping the possibility of turning pro in the back of his mind.
“I am definitely going to run on the co-angler side next year,” said Bruce. “Turning pro is out of the question for me right now, but you got to play it year by year. I hope to someday get to that level.”
For more details, anglers are encouraged to call 612-424-0708 or check out the website at www.nationalwalleyetour.com. From here, site visitors can learn more about the NWT, view the TV schedule and learn more about what’s in store for 2017 season.
https://archive.nationalwalleyetour.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-cropped-ResultsThumbnail-25.jpg7201280nationalwalleyetourhttps://archive.nationalwalleyetour.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NWT23_DrkBK_PWhite_edit.pngnationalwalleyetour2019-09-22 10:49:022021-06-08 11:22:08Stachowski and Bruce Win Lucas Oil Angler of the Year Awards for Cabela’s National Walleye Tour
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – Wicked weather during practice for the 2019 National Walleye Tour Championship, presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, had the world’s best walleye anglers singing the tough-bite blues. A severe cold front, which felt more like winter than early fall, had many pros believing the sport’s premier event would be a grinder. Instead, the Devils Lake walleyes went on the chew as 16 pros weighed stringers in excess of 20 pounds. Leading the three-day championship after day one is veteran stick Mike Gofron with 28.22.During prefishing, Gofron noticed an increase of shallow bait. That keen observation was critical to his early success.“I have two distinct patterns – one shallow and one deep,” said the Mercury pro. “I’m spending about 75 percent of my time shallow, but the shallow bite is just materializing. It’s not there yet. It’s like musky fishing. You’re not going to catch a bunch of fish, but there are big ones to be had. You’re looking for certain areas where they’re relating from the past.”Gofron is optimistic for two reasons. The first is that he had his primary area all to himself today. Secondly, the recency of his pattern indicates his area is more apt to reload.“To catch our fish, we’re doing some jigging, and we’re also using some Berkley soft plastics and Berkley hard plastics. For now, all I can say is that it’s fun the way we’re fishing. It’s incredible.”The Antioch, Ill., native started the day fairly close to Grahams Island only to leave an hour later with one 16-incher in the livewell. He then made a healthy run east to his primary area. There he boxed a 27, a 23, an 18, a 16, a 27, and a 23. He eventually ran back to his starting area and finished the day with a 25-incher.“We were done around 1:30 p.m. I checked in early, but I waited for the first flight to weigh-in so my mom could watch the live stream and see us up on stage.”The one factor working against Gofron could be the weather. More specifically, tomorrow’s forecasted wind won’t impact his primary area, but it could be a rough boat ride. Sustained northeasterly winds of 19 mph are predicted with gusts up to 30. In addition, Devils Lake could receive another inch or more of rain.“The problem could be getting there,” Gofron concluded. We could have 4- and 5- footers in the morning, and it’s quite a ways away. I think I can get there if I take my time and take it easy.”Hanson secondLocal Mayville, N.D., pro Curt Hanson trails Gofron by less than three pounds. His 25.56-pound stringer was anchored by a 29 1/2-inch kicker.“We caught a few smaller ones early,” said Hanson, who is competing in his first NWT Championship. “Around midday we found a good spot and caught the big one. At the end of the day, we finished with our second biggest, a 24-incher.”Hanson said his three other weigh fish were 22, 20, and 20 inches. He hit a handful of spots, a mix of both shallow and deep.“I’m starting shallow, then working a few deep spots, then going back shallow. They’re in transition. I think they’re working their way to the 15- and 20-foot range. I think the wind is helping. The water temperature has dropped 10 degrees in the last week. It’s now 62.”Hanson predicted tomorrow’s blustery weather could hurt those that are jigging out deep.“I still think it will take 65 to 70 pounds to win. I was surprised to see so many bags over 20 pounds today. This time of year it’s tough to get 20 pounds, but it’s much harder to do it three days in a row.”Minke thirdIn third place with 25.07 pounds is Minnesota pro Dusty Minke. He too was amazed, not only with his catch, but with the overall catch.“This lake can really surprise you,” he said. “After a few days of not biting, I think because of the cold front, they switched up and bit today. Practice was pretty tough. We caught some good ones some days and other days we didn’t. There’s just not quite as many big fish as there used to be.”Minke agreed with Hanson’s assessment that the fish are transitioning from summer to fall patterns. He caught all his fish today on artificial baits.“I’m using all Northland Tackle. I’m using Northland Puppet Minnows, and I’m using Slurp Jigs with Northland plastics. I have two separate patterns – one deep and one shallow. I think I’m doing something a little different.”Minke is unsure if he’s around tournament-winning fish. Today, he weighed a 9-pounder, a 7-pounder, and a 6-pounder along with two smaller keepers.“It’s just too early to tell. This place can be good to you one day and humble you the next. Tomorrow they could be 15- and 13-inchers. I will say the spot I ended on is pretty precious. It’s got potential and there was no one else anywhere near me. My confidence is good, but it’s all about making adjustments the next two days.”Bismarck boys round out top fiveRounding out the top five are Bismarck, N.D., pros Sheldon Meidinger and Gene Merck. Meidinger caught a limit worth 24.21, while Merck managed five keepers for 23.73.Rest of the bestRounding out the top 10 pros at the 2019 National Walleye Tour Championship on Devils Lake:6th: Tim Abraham of New Ulm, Minn., five fish, 23.467th: Matthew Brown of Paterson, Wash., five fish, 23.438th: Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., five fish, 22.829th: Robert Crow of Paterson, Wash., five fish, 22.5210th: Brett King of Hager City, Wis., five fish, 22.26AOY UpdateCurrently sitting in 10th place, King moved one step closer to becoming the first pro to claim back-to-back Angler of the Year awards. King technically has an 18-point lead on Keenan. If King clinches a spot in the top 10 tomorrow, Keenan and others cannot mathematically catch him.The second day of the NWT Championship starts tomorrow at 7 a.m. Central time as the full field takes off from Grahams Island State Park, located at 152 S. Duncan Rd. in Devils Lake. The day-two weigh-in also takes place at Grahams Island, beginning at 3 p.m.
Minnesota pro maintains 3-pound margin at Cabela’s National Walleye Tour Championship
OSHKOSH, Wis. – In most professional walleye tournaments, the weights are strongest the first day of competition and generally decrease as the best locations on the lake see continued angling pressure. Only on rare occasions does the bite improve. Day two of the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour Championship was one of those rare days as the wind picked up and provided the perfect walleye chop. While boat control was not easy, the Lake Winnebago walleyes were much more aggressive overall.
Pro leader Mark Courts was one of the few anglers who did not improve his weight, but that was next to impossible after catching nearly 17 pounds yesterday. Courts still sacked 11.33 to bring his cumulative weight to 28.25 pounds.
“We actually had a really good day considering the amount of boats that moved into the area,” he said. “You just couldn’t work the area the way you wanted to work it. And when you did catch one, everybody would creep in on you. But that’s part of the game.”
The bite was fast early, then Courts hit a lull before going on another run midday.
“I probably caught 15 walleyes today, six of which were the right ones. The place is just reloading.”
Courts revealed bits and pieces of his pattern now that the field has been cut to only the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers.
“We’re pulling crankbaits, Original Floaters. We’re just doing it a different way than most guys. We’re using 65-pound Trilene Professional Grade braid as our main line and 20-pound Trilene XT as our leader line.”
Courts is employing both his Evinrude kicker and his bow-mounted Minn Kota Terrova to troll – making repeated passes over the same stretch of water. The kicker provides the bulk of the power and the trolling motor does the steering.
With one day of competition remaining, the Harris, Minn., pro has put himself in great position to claim a second major championship, the other coming in 2008 at the final PWT event.
“I’m feeling confident. We’ll see what the weather does. It might even make it better. Overall, I’m relaxed and fishing very well. I just want to capitalize on every opportunity. I think I missed one good opportunity today and now I’ve just got to stay focused and capitalize again tomorrow.”
Courts doesn’t plan to be picky, instead opting to place at least the first five legal walleyes he catches into his Ranger livewell. Culling in this event is not allowed, although anglers can keep seven fish and weigh their best five.
“I’m in position to win this thing. I’m not going to be dumb and throw away any fish. Not when the bite has been this tough.”
Sprengel up to second
If there’s anyone Courts doesn’t want to see in his rear-view mirror heading into the final day of a championship event it’s Korey Sprengel, an angler with considerable Winnebago experience and arguably the hottest walleye stick over the past three years. Yet here Sprengel is, knocking on the door once again. After catching 13.16 pounds yesterday, he added another 12.11 today for a two-day total of 25.27.
“I ran down to a spot that I was sharing with Tom Kemos to start the day,” he said. “I didn’t even have my lines in the water and he already had two. Then I had three in the first 30 or 40 minutes so I was thinking it was going to be on fire. But then ironically the wind picked up and the bite just died.”
Sprengel’s main pattern is pitching an 1/8-ounce jig with a PowerBait Rib Worm to rock. He also occasionally mixes in a crankbait. Today the crankbait accounted for just one of the five weigh fish.
“I like the Rib Worm because I’m more efficient; I’m not having to re-bait all the time. As it is, I’m losing a lot of jigs in the snarly cover. But when they hit that jig, they just crush it.”
At 11 a.m., Sprengel’s day took a major turn for the better as he landed a 4-pound walleye. At 12:30 p.m. he finally boxed No. 5, a 16-incher.
“Then I left because I wanted to save whatever was left in that area and go for big ones. But again, I never caught any. I know so many spots on this lake to get a big one. I just cannot believe I haven’t got one yet.”
Sprengel still feels like he has a legitimate chance to catch Courts, despite the 3-pound margin.
“I just wish I was a little closer. I feel confident though. If I can get my five early, say by 10 a.m., I might have a real chance. Today I thought it was going happen.”
Ell slips to third
Despite an 11-pound effort, Bismarck, N.D., pro Jacob Ell fell one spot to third with a total weight of 24.82 pounds.
“The wind today was pretty much the same as it was when I found the area in practice, so I definitely had confidence coming in,” said Ell, the second-year pro. “Still, the bite was slower today. We didn’t have our first fish until 8:30 this morning and then it was spotty after that; we’d maybe get one every half hour or hour.”
Ell received only five bites the entire day. And only four came in the boat as he witnessed a nice walleye, estimated at approximately 23 inches, come unbuttoned as the crankbait popped out of the fish’s mouth.
“I’m thrilled with 11 pounds. I just hate knowing that I left some weight out there. In a championship scenario like this, you can’t lose fish. And seeing the fish makes it even harder. I’m still happy overall though.”
Ell revealed a bit of his pattern after weigh-in as well. He fishes two areas on the main lake and trolls crankbaits with planer boards.
“My sauger spot was pretty much unfishable today. We tried it but the boards were getting buried in 3-foot waves. We did actually pull a 20-incher out of there. But then we just grinded it out in the original spot.”
That original spot is a 3/4 mile stretch of water. Within it is one key stretch where Ell has received the majority of his bites.
“Those two were the only places I was able to find quantity. The water is muddy so it’s not that easy for the fish to see. I think there are more there. I definitely left one particular fish.”
McQuoid retains fourth
Despite increasing his weight from 10.01 pounds to 14.20 pounds, Isle, Minn., pro Kevin McQuoid never budged on the leaderboard. With a two-day total of 24.21 pounds, he sits fourth, just as he did at takeoff this morning.
“I was hoping I would climb a little bit, but I did close the overall margin,” he said. “The difference between yesterday and today was that today I got two nice 23-inchers. We had our fifth fish this morning at 10 a.m. and then we kind of struggled a bit. Then the second big fish bit at 2 p.m. and that was a really nice bonus.”
McQuoid has fished the same 1/2-mile stretch of water the entire tournament. He’s trolling crankbaits over water 10 to 20 feet, some of it breakline and some of it basin.
“We figured out the color program the last day of practice. I’m hoping it’s going to work for another day. Catching Courts is doable. What I need is his weight from day one. If I get a couple of those extra bites tomorrow things could change around.”
Skarlis fifth
Tommy Skarlis improved his day-one catch of 9.63 pounds to 13.07 pounds, giving him an opening-round total of 22.70 pounds. The Waukon, Iowa, pro will start the final day more than 5 pounds off the lead. Like Courts, Skarlis is no stranger to winning major walleye championships.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros at the 2014 Cabela’s National Walleye Tour Championship on Lake Winnebago:
6th: Robert Cardenas of Gem Lake, Minn., nine walleyes, 22.60 7th: Ross Grothe of Northfield, Minn., 10 walleyes, 20.93 8th: Ted Takasaki of Sioux Falls, S.D., eight walleyes, 20.17 9th: Jason Doyon of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, eight walleyes, 19.07 10th: Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., 10 walleyes, 19.07
The final day of competition begins tomorrow at 7 a.m. Central time as the top 10 takes off from Menominee Park. The final weigh-in also takes place at Menominee Park, beginning at 3 p.m.
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MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (February 11, 2015) – Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), makers of Evinrude E-TEC outboards, has re-joined the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour (NWT) as an official sponsor for the 2015 season. The renewal was finalized as the NWT prepares for the upcoming season, scheduled to kick off May 7 on the Mississippi River at Lake City, Minnesota.
As part of the agreement, Evinrude will continue to reward anglers who power their boats with an Evinrude E-TEC outboard engine. A winning Evinrude angler at any one of the three regular season events will receive an engine upgrade from the standard 150 hp option to a 250 hp model. In addition, second through 15th place will receive a $1,000 cash bonus and 16th through 31st will receive a $500 payout. Co-anglers who finish on top of the leaderboard will receive an extra $1,500, while second through 10th receive $500 and 11th through 31st receive $250.
“Evinrude has been an integral part of the National Walleye Tour since the beginning,” said Anthony Wright, NWT tournament director. “They have such a rich history of supporting walleye anglers and we’re fortunate to have them as a partner. We’re excited about the upcoming season and proud to build on our relationship with Evinrude.”
BRP is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of powersports vehicles and propulsion systems. Its portfolio includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles, Can-Am Spyder roadsters, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft.
BRP’s Evinrude engine line-up from 3.5 to 300 horsepower offers customers superior value across a full range of applications. The all-new Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboard delivers unrivaled performance with best-in-class torque and fuel efficiency and lowest total emissions.
“NWT events provide a great platform to promote the best-in-class performance of Evinrude E-TEC outboards,” said Evinrude Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning Chris Berg. “The all-new Evinrude E-TEC G2 is the perfect choice for walleye anglers looking for the next generation of power, performance, reliability and value with up to 20 percent more torque, 15 percent better fuel efficiency and 75 percent fewer total regulated emissions than leading four-stroke competitors.”
The National Walleye Tour will begin the 2015 season May 7 at Lake City, Minnesota, and will include a total of three qualifying events, plus a year-end championship. Official registration for all events will being Jan 5, 2015, both online and by phone. The NWT website offers numerous details on the circuit, including official rules, tournament structure, payout and incentives.
All 2015 NWT events feature 100% payback. A fully rigged Ranger Boat, plus cash, is guaranteed for first place at each event – a minimum total value of $61,000. Multiple contingency programs are available for even higher payout. Anglers that fish all three regular-season events, in addition to the top points leaders, will qualify for the three-day, entry-fee championship.
The Cabela’s National Walleye Tour also includes unmatched television and media coverage, allowing a national audience to watch the action unfold from each event throughout the season. Airing on multiple networks, the NWT will be seen on the Pursuit Channel, NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports Net North.
For more details, anglers are encouraged to call 612-424-0708 or visit the website at www.nationalwalleyetour.com. From here, site visitors can register for events, view the TV schedule and learn more about what’s in-store for 2015.
2015 NWT scheduled events:
May 7-8 – Mississippi River (Lake City, Minn.) June 12-13 – Leech Lake (Walker, Minn.) July 24-25 – Green Bay (Green Bay, Wis.)
Championship – September 17-19 – Devils Lake (Devils Lake, N.D.)
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Partnership will include custom contingency program as well
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (August 3, 2015) – The Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.), boasting over half a million members nationwide, has joined the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour (NWT) as an official sponsor for the 2015 season and beyond. The multi-year agreement was finalized as the NWT prepares for the upcoming championship, scheduled to kick off Sept. 17 on Devils Lake.
“We’re proud to work with BoatU.S,” said NWT Tournament Director Anthony Wright. “As tournament fishermen who spend a ton of time on the water each year, our anglers realize the value of a BoatU.S. membership. It’s why many of them are members already and why we’re so excited to have them on board. We look forward to growing our partnership and introducing even more anglers to BoatU.S.”
BoatU.S. offers on the water and on the road towing services provided by the nation’s largest towing fleet and insures billions of dollars worth of members’ boats, offering unparalleled service at competitive prices. BoatU.S. also offers time and money saving benefits to their over half a million members through strategic partnerships within the marine industry.
Since its founding in 1966, BoatU.S. has also worked to provide quality service, savings and representation to the recreational boating community. Today BoatU.S. stands as the nation’s most powerful advocate for advancing the interests of boaters everywhere.
The new partnership will also include a custom contingency program rewarding NWT anglers that carry BoatU.S. marine insurance policies. BoatU.S. offers coverage in all 50 states to boat owners with a U.S. address and is available for most all boat types. In addition to the exceptional service and claims handling, NWT anglers with BoatU.S. marine insurance policies will soon be eligible for bonus payout at all NWT events.
“Partnering with the National Walleye Tour is a great opportunity to reach more boaters and showcase the benefits of being a BoatU.S. member,” said Program Coordinator Dustin King. “It’s also a great way to show our dedication to inland boaters and fishermen. We’re excited to be involved.”
All 2015 NWT events feature 100% payback. A fully rigged Ranger Boat, plus cash, is guaranteed for first place at each event – a minimum total value of $61,000. Multiple contingency programs are available for even higher payout. Anglers that fish all three regular-season events, in addition to the top points leaders, will qualify for the three-day, entry-fee championship.
The Cabela’s National Walleye Tour also includes unmatched television and media coverage, allowing a national audience to watch the action unfold from each event throughout the season. Airing on multiple networks, the NWT will be seen on the Pursuit Channel, NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports Net North.
For more details, anglers are encouraged to call 612-424-0708 or visit the website at www.nationalwalleyetour.com.
2015 NWT scheduled events:
Championship – September 17-19 – Devils Lake (Devils Lake, N.D.)
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SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – David Kolb has been fishing the Great Lakes as both a tournament pro and a charter captain for over two decades. He spends most of his time on Saginaw Bay, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie. But when the National Walleye Tour, presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, announced it would be holding a tournament on the Soo, Kolb couldn’t pass on the opportunity to compete in his home state of Michigan. It turned out to be a prudent decision as Kolb dominated the two-day tournament and claimed his second national win.
Kolb’s first victory came in 2003 on Lake Erie. Ironically, it was the first major tournament he ever entered. Sixteen years later he returned to the winner’s podium on walleye fishing’s biggest stage.
“I spent a week and a half prefishing; I worked really hard for this one,” said a reflective Kolb. “I’ve been in the hunt several times, so it’s nice to finish one off. Sometimes you wonder if you’re doing something wrong.”
Kolb’s extensive practice led him to a rocky shoreline in the Drummond Island area, located approximately 45 miles from takeoff. On Monday, Kolb caught a 27, a 29 1/2, and a 26 in short time. He knew he discovered something special, but at the time he wasn’t sure it would hold up.
“I actually started the tournament on a jigging spot in the St. Joseph’s area. I was consistently getting 23 to 25 pounds there. I caught a few, but I ended up culling everything out at the big-fish spot. Today I pretty much spent the entire day in Drummond.”
The bite was not fast and furious this morning. At 11:30, Kolb only had one skinny 24-incher in his Ranger livewell. He debated a major move, but chose to stay largely because the bite tended to improve in the afternoon.
Pro David Kolb (left) dominated the 2019 NWT event on the Soo with a two-day total of 65 pounds.“That class of fish is really rare up here. I was fortunate to find it. And I was fortunate that they were active in the afternoon. I don’t understand why, but it was a later-in-the-day bite.”
The Grand Blanc, Mich., native would make 1/4-mile trolling passes through the area, which was 8 to 12 feet deep.
“My speed was 1.5 mph, but I was going into the current. These fish were sitting in the rocks and waiting for the current to wash the bait by. There were gobies there and other clouds of baitfish too.”
On day one, Kolb caught two casting a No. 7 Rapala Rippin’ Rap (Redfire crawdad). Today, all five of his fish came from trolling Reef Runner 600 Series Deep Little Rippers (Cheap sunglasses and Purple descent).
“There were big boulders, so I wanted the crankbaits just above the bottom. Today I ran four boards to one side because all my bites were coming on the inside.”
Kolb employed Off Shore Magnum planer boards with short leads, so the big ones wouldn’t bury the board. Interestingly, Kolb had his co-angler reel in the fish, while he coached, controlled the motor, and manned the net. His flurry came from noon to 1:10 as he put four giants in the box and improved from 4 pounds to 34 pounds. His two kickers, which were the last two fish of the day, were 29 1/2 and 28 inches. Officially, he weighed five walleyes for 34.07. Combined with his 30.97 from day one, Kolb’s cumulative total was 65.04 pounds.
“On these big fish, getting them in the boat is everything. Remember, we only had five bites. I have the co-angler do most of the reeling. I kill the kicker and use the trolling motor. I’m a firm believer that they can hear the kicker, and then they fight harder. Plus, there can be issues with prop wash. We put all five of our bites in the boat today.”
For winning the third event of the 2019 season, Kolb earned a Ranger 620FS with a 225-horsepower Mercury outboard, $15,000 cash, and an additional $2,364 in Anglers Advantage cash for a total purse of $83,259.
“I really think the big lake was too cold,” concluded Kolb. “There are productive reefs out on Huron, but the water temperature was only 62 degrees. At Drummond, the water was 68, 69 or 70 degrees, and that made a big difference.”
Red-hot Hoyer retains second
John Hoyer has recently become one of the hottest names in professional walleye fishing. After winning the second event of the season on Green Bay, Hoyer finished runner-up this week at Sault Ste. Marie. The common denominator between the two events is casting. In Marinette, Hoyer employed mainly lipless crankbaits. This week, he used a new swimbait that was recently released at ICAST.
“I caught every one of my fish on the new Berkley PowerBait The Champ Swimmer,” said the Simms pro. “It’s a 4.6-inch paddletail with a high definition printed side. My best colors were black crappie, blueback herring, and yellow perch.”
Hoyer fished the new bait on a 1/2-ounce Fusion 19 swimbait jighead with a 6/0 hook.
“I was basically bass fishing in musky spots. I would cast into the thickest cabbage, snap the bait as hard as you can to clear the cabbage, and they’d bite it on the fall. I was letting it freefall as fast as it possible could, and they would absolutely inhale it.”
The Orono, Minn., native was fishing the north side of St. Joseph’s Island. He spent most of his practice trolling No. 9 Flicker Minnows in the same area. Ironically, Hoyer was initially dropping waypoints to avoid hitting the cabbage with his crankbaits.
“I found this pattern on Wednesday, the day before the tournament. I had one nip at my bait, so I threw back out there, ripped it through the cabbage and caught a 7-pounder. I spent the rest of my practice trying to find every strand of cabbage I could. Depending on the spot, it was between 8 and 16 feet of water. If it had rock, cabbage, and current, it was an A+++ spot.”
Hoyer caught six keepers on day one and 10 today. His best five Thursday weighed 24.50, and today they weighed 26.32. His two-day total was 50.82 pounds. His second-place finish earned him $22,809.
“It’s kind of like taking first in that it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I wasn’t on the same class of fish as Kolb; my fish were all so close to the same size, so second feels unbelievable.”
Sutton rallies to third
Illinois pro Bill Sutton demonstrated remarkable consistency and finished the tournament third with 41.54 pounds. On day one, Sutton sacked 21.26, and today he backed that up with 20.28.
“We were fishing a rock bar that sets up very similarly to a wing dam,” Sutton explained. “We were pitching jigs, the new Northland Tackle long-shank Fire-ball jig with a full night crawler.”
Sutton would work the base of the rock bar in 13 to 15 feet. He found the area in practice with his Lowrance SideScan.
“We were making a 30-mile run to the St. Joseph’s channel. The current set up a lot like a wing dam. Today the wind shifted and shut down some of the current, but I’m a grinder; I stayed there and grinded it out.”
Sutton attributed much of his success to his 7-foot medium action Okuma Dead Eye rods.
“These fish were native river fish. A 22-inch fish fights like a 30-incher in that river. And I’m not really much of a jig fisherman. I was out of my comfort zone, so those rods were a huge help. To take a top five against this caliber of fishermen, I’m happy with that.”
For third place, Sutton earned $16,936.
King fourth, McQuoid fifth
Rounding out the top five are proven sticks Brett King and Kevin McQuoid. King, the Hager City, Wis., river rat, finished fourth. After catching 23.09 pounds on day one, King slipped to 18.03 today. His two-day total weight was 41.52.
King was one of the risk takers making a treacherous 100-mile run south. On day one, he used a bass boat to arrive faster and maximize his fishing time. On day two, in more blustery conditions, he switched back to a more traditional walleye boat. After arriving, King would troll crankbaits.
King will leave Sault Ste. Marie as the official Angler of the Year leader. King also claimed last year’s AOY title and is looking to become the first back-to-back AOY.
McQuoid, the Bass Pro Shops pro, took fifth with a combined weight of 41.41 pounds. On day one, he boated 23.47 pounds, and today he managed 17.94. McQuoid was running 50 miles each way and trolling spinners with inline weights over humps.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros at the 2019 National Walleye Tour event at Sault Ste. Marie:
6th: Kent Andersen of Amery, Wis., 36.71 7th: Jason Doyon of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., 35.64 8th: Michael Lenarduzzi of Sobieski, Wis., 35.26 9th: Eric Olson of Red Wing, Minn., 34.24 10th: Gary Parsons of Glidden, Wis., 33.21
Olson claims co-angler title
Robert Olson took home top honors in the Co-angler Division with a total weight of 49.41 pounds. On day one, Olson made the long run with King, and the two trolled a limit worth 23.09. Today he fished the cabbage with Hoyer, and together they weighed five walleyes for 26.32.
Olson, the Larsen, Wis., native, earned $7,085 for his win.
Up next
The fourth and final event of the 2019 National Walleye Tour season is the year-end championship, scheduled for Sept. 11-13 on Devils Lake in Devils Lake, N.D.
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SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Stop No. 3 of the 2019 National Walleye Tour season, presented by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, was seen by many as a major wildcard. The NWT has never visited Sault Ste. Marie, and the last national pro-am tournament was held back in 2005. The St. Marys River and connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron are beautiful, healthy fisheries, but the sheer amount of water to uncover is daunting, even for the best walleye anglers in the world. Leave it to Great Lakes veteran David Kolb to figure out the bite. The Ranger pro put his open-water knowledge to use as he grabbed the day-one lead.
Kolb, the Michigan native, officially weighed 30.97 pounds. He started the day pitching jigs and night crawlers at what he thought was his best spot. While he caught a couple keepers, the size wasn’t what he was expecting, so he ran south to spot No. 2.
“On my first pass, I had a double with a 26 (incher) and a 24,” recalled Kolb. “Then I came back over it and caught a 22.”
Kolb then switched to casting, but this time he opted for the Rapala Rippin’ Rap instead of a jig and meat.
“Then, I caught a 28 and a 24. I eventually switched back to trolling and caught a 28 1/2 and decided it was time to be done. I put the last one in the box around 1:15 or 1:30, and we eased our way back.”
Kolb wasn’t willing to reveal any location specifics, but he admitted he’s not making a “mega-run.” During practice, several pros openly discussed the possibility of running 100 miles or more if the weather cooperated. While today was largely calm, tomorrow’s forecast calls for increased wind.
“I’ve been up here seven or so times, so I’m comfortable, and I know the water fairly well. I never thought those runs were realistic. Plus, I had a couple spots where I thought I could catch 23 to 25 pounds. That’s pretty good for up here, so I never thought those runs were worth it.”
What Kolb is debating is switching the order of his two spots.
“I’m not exactly sure because I’ve only fished the other spot between 10:30 and 2:30. I don’t mind the wind there, but it might make sense to get down there first. Either way, if I can repeat what I did today, I don’t think anyone can catch me.”
Hoyer hoping to go back to back
In second place is Green Bay champion John Hoyer. Walleye fans will recall Hoyer employed a hero-or-zero casting strategy to claim his first tour-level win in late May. This week, he’s once again casting his way towards the top of the leaderboard.
“I literally got on this pattern at 11 a.m. yesterday,” said the Simms pro. “I caught six today and lost one. Believe it or not, I’m fishing musky spots. It finally occurred to me why they’re using them. I fished probably 20 different spots today in one area. They’re really small. It’s a spot-on-the-spot thing. It’s where three different variables all come together. It sounds like I’ve got it all figured out, but I just got on the pattern yesterday. I’ve never done this pattern in a walleye tournament.”
While Hoyer weighed 24.50, he believes it’s possible to improve and perhaps win tomorrow.
“My fish today were all skinny, and I’m not sure why. I easily could have had 31 pounds with the same length of fish. But I think a bigger weight is doable tomorrow.”
Hoyer described his trip as a “medium-sized run” and doesn’t believe getting to his area will be a problem tomorrow.
“It will play a factor in what spots I choose to fish,” the Orono, Minn., fisherman concluded.
McQuoid third
Bass Pro Shops pro Kevin McQuoid sits in third place with 23.47 pounds. The Isle, Minn., native was pleased that his bite was surprisingly consistent throughout the day.
“Today the first fish came at 9:30, and then it was pretty consistent,” said McQuoid. “During prefishing, it was more of a midday bite.”
McQuoid caught his fish trolling spinners with inline weights over humps.
“To be honest, trolling was a decision about hook-up percentage. With casting, you get the bites, but you don’t always get them in the boat. Tomorrow should be even better for trolling; I’m looking forward to it. The wind should diffuse the fish more.”
Like Kolb and Hoyer, McQuoid is not making a 100-mile run.
“I am running about 50 miles each way. In perspective, a 50-mile run is a long run for most people.”
King fourth, Desjardin fifth
Rounding out the top five are pros Brett King and Kris Desjardin. King, the 2018 NWT Angler of the Year, caught a limit worth 23.09. King currently sits second in this year’s AOY race and is poised to put some pressure on leader Max Wilson.
“I lost one good fish today, maybe a 6- or 7-pounder, and I had to weigh a 19-incher instead,” said King. “It hurt, but I still think I have a shot to win. This system is notorious as the hardest to duplicate from one day to the next. It’s just that finicky.”
King said he’s not using live bait, but he’s not casting either. Instead, he’s trolling crankbaits, and he believes he’ll have his area all to himself tomorrow.
Desjardin, the local pro who lives in Hilton Beach, Ont., managed four keepers for 21.39.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros at the 2019 National Walleye Tour event at Sault Ste. Marie:
6th: Bill Sutton of Lindenhurst, Ill., five fish, 21.26 7th: Eric Olson of Red Wing, Minn., five fish, 19.72 8th: Tommy Kemos of Oconomowoc, Wis., five fish, 19.52 9th: Jason Doyon of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., five fish, 18.89 10th: Theodore McCoy of Grand Rapids, Mich., five fish, 18.37
The final day of competition begins tomorrow at 7 a.m. Eastern time as the full field takes off from the Aune Osborn Boat Launch, located at 1225 Riverside Dr. in Sault Ste. Marie. The final weigh-in also takes place at the Aune Osborn Boat Launch, beginning at 3 p.m.
Pro walleye tour scheduled to kick off 2015 season in May
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (December 18, 2014) – The Lowrance brand of marine electronics has renewed its partnership with the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company is a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of high-quality consumer fish finder and GPS chartplotters, as well as digital mapping systems.
“We’re extremely proud to have Lowrance back on board with the National Walleye Tour,” said Anthony Wright, tournament director. “They’re a strong part of our sponsor family and build a phenomenal product. We look forward to building our partnership for years to come.”
Widely recognized for introducing the first recreational sonar in 1957, today Lowrance is renowned for its award-winning High Definition Systems (HDS) and add-on performance modules that allow anglers to find, navigate and dominate — making the most of their time on the water. Innovative Lowrance technology offerings include: StructureScan® HD with SideScan and DownScan Imaging™; award-winning Broadband Sounder™; the most mapping options available, including Insight Genesis™; and Broadband Radar™, to name a few. All products are backed by unsurpassed technical support and the industry-leading Lowrance Advantage Service program.
“Lowrance has a rich heritage of supporting the walleye market, and we’re proud to be a part of the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour,” said Louis Chemi, COO, Navico Americas. “Our products are synonymous with successful tournament fishing, and the NWT is a great platform to showcase our support. We look forward to seeing the anglers and kicking off the new season soon.”
The National Walleye Tour will begin the 2015 season May 8 at Lake City, Minnesota, and will include a total of three qualifying events, plus a year-end championship. Official registration for all events will begin Jan 5, 2015, both online and by phone. The NWT website offers numerous details on the circuit, including official rules, tournament structure, payout and incentives.
All 2015 NWT events feature 100% payback. A fully rigged Ranger Boat, plus cash, is guaranteed for first place at each event – a minimum total value of $57,000. Multiple contingency programs are available for even higher payout. Anglers that fish all three regular-season events, in addition to the top points leaders, will qualify for the three-day, entry-fee championship.
The Cabela’s National Walleye Tour also includes unmatched television and media coverage, allowing a national audience to watch the action unfold from each event throughout the season. Airing on multiple networks, the NWT will be seen on the Pursuit Channel, NBC Sports Network and Fox Sports Net North.
For more details, anglers are encouraged to call 612-424-0708 or visit the website at www.nationalwalleyetour.com. From here, site visitors can register for events, view the TV schedule and learn more about what’s in-store for 2015.
20 15 NWT scheduled events:
May 8-9 – Mississippi River (Lake City, Minn.) June 12-13 – Leech Lake (Walker, Minn.) July 24-25 – Green Bay (Green Bay, Wis.)
Championship – September 17-19 – Devils Lake (Devils Lake, N.D.) About Lowrance The Lowrance® brand is wholly owned by Navico, Inc. A privately held, international corporation, Navico is currently the world’s largest marine electronics company, and is the parent company to leading marine electronics brands: Lowrance, Simrad Yachting and B&G. Navico has approximately 1,500 employees globally and distribution in more than 100 countries worldwide. www.navico.com.
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