02.Dec.2011
MINNEAPOLIS — FLW today announced the 2012 National Guard FLW Walleye Tour schedule and the return of the Walleye Tour Championship to the Mississippi River at Quad Cities. The 2012 season will feature four nationally televised regular-season events on America’s premier walleye fisheries as well as the no-entry-fee, nationally televised championship event on NBC Sports as part of the “FLW” show that airs every Sunday. Priority registration is now open.
Kathy Fennel, President of FLW Operations Division stated: “We’ve listened to our walleye anglers and are confident that the 2012 schedule features fisheries that will provide quality fishing opportunities and exciting weigh-ins. We are also pleased to be able to add significant money to the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour Championship purse.”
April 19-21, Mississippi River; Red Wing, Minn.
May 10-12, Lake Erie; Port Clinton, Ohio
July 12-14, Lake Oahe; Pierre, S.D.
Aug. 2-4, Bays de Noc; Escanaba, Mich.
Championship
Oct. 25-28, Mississippi River; Quad Cities, Iowa & Ill.
The four Walleye Tour qualifying events will be three-day, cumulative-weight tournaments. Pro anglers will compete for a top award of up to $63,500, and co-anglers will vie for a top prize of up to $10,500 in each tournament. Paybacks will be based on paid entries from 110-boat fields. First-place, however, is guaranteed regardless of field size. The paybacks will be $2,000 through 30th place on the pro side and $400 through 30th place on the co-angler side. For complete payout tables visit FLWOutdoors.com. Entry fees for 2012 are $1,250 per tournament for pros and $350 per tournament for co-anglers. Pros and co-anglers will be randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight.
The 2012 Walleye Tour Championship will be a four-day cumulative-weight event that will consist of the top 40 pros and 40 co-anglers in the point standings plus the 2011 FLW Walleye Tour champion and Angler of the Year in both the pro and co-angler divisions. Pros will be competing for as much as $100,000, while co-anglers will be competing for as much as $15,000. Pros and co-anglers will be randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight.
“We couldn’t be happier to be hosting the 2012 Walleye Championship tournament in the Quad Cities,” said Joe Taylor, president and CEO of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are proud of our region, and to be able to showcase our cities and this fishery is an honor we don’t take lightly. We have worked very hard with FLW to ensure that we can meet and fulfill all of the requirements that this caliber of tournament brings to the area. We are looking forward to October and can’t wait for the championship to begin.”
The Angler of the Year title will be awarded to the top point earner in both the pro and co-angler divisions. The top pro will receive $10,000, and $2,500 will go to the top co-angler at the end of the fourth regular-season event.
Priority registration is now open for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from the 2011 FLW Walleye Tour. Deposits for all four tournaments must be received by Jan. 30, 2012, in order to secure their priority entry position. For Ranger boat owners (Ranger owners with current registrations who will use their Ranger boat in FLW Walleye Tour competition) and sponsor entries (FLW Outdoors may reserve sponsor spots in each qualifying tournament), deposits will be accepted to hold spots for tournaments beginning at 8 a.m. CT Jan. 31, 2012.
For other entries, deposits will be accepted to hold spots for tournaments beginning at 8 a.m. CT Feb. 1, 2012. Pros entering all four tournaments by Feb. 29, 2012, who provide co-anglers (with membership numbers) will be given top priority. Co-anglers entering all four tournaments by Feb. 29, 2012, who provide pros (with membership numbers) will be given top priority. Pro and co-angler priority are granted when matching pro and co-angler entries (listing each other’s name and membership number) are received by the priority deadline and are contingent on both anglers competing in the tournament entered. Pros and co-anglers who enter all four tournaments by Feb. 29, 2012, will receive the next highest entry priority. All other entry priority will be assigned by the date and time of entry.
Complete details regarding rules and registration requirements are available at FLWOutdoors.com, or by calling (270) 252-1000 for more information.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Walleye Tour on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWWalleyeTour and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWOutdoors.
About FLW
FLW is the best in fishing, on and off the water. Anglers worldwide can compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge.
