The Ohio Walleye Federation – Vic’s Challenge

The Ohio Walleye Federation held the first annual Vic’s Challenge out of Geneva State Park (Lake Erie) on July 18th 2015. This was the OWF’s first Lake Erie Event this year which was open to anyone no membership required. With an over 110% payback including bonuses for Family, Ranger / Starcraft, Big Fish, and Big Sheep head sponsored by Vic’s Sports Center In Tallmadge OH. There was a lot on the line when the 40 boats hit the water including a $4000 1st place payout. After an unusually cool summer so far, the fish were reported to be in a later than normal summer pattern meaning long boat rides, even with water temps in the lower 70s. Weather forecasters predicted that wind conditions would be light and variable giving the anglers waves of 2 ft or less which was not the case when the anglers arrived at the ramp. So with lake conditions in the 2-4 ft range and some 5 ftrs mixed in there the anglers knew they had their hands full with both fishing and driving the boat. Finishing First Place was the team of Kopf / Riggs / Shoroune who brought in the Big Fish and Big basket  weighing in at 39.64lbs. Taking Second place was the team of Duffus / Loveland / Romano with a weight of 38.78lbs and rounding out the top 3 was the team of Pelz / Bird / Bird with a weight of 37.86lbs. All three teams reported catching their fish with similar methods of worm harnesses on 3 oz inline weights and dipsys. One thing was the same for all 3 boats they made long boat rides to find the right fish. We would like to thank all our sponsors for making these events possible please see www.fishowf.com for complete results and to support our sponsors. Remember…….. HAVE FUN AND FISH!!

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Walleye Madness in Geneva

Walleye Madness Tournaments held their fourth and final tournament of the year July 25, 2015. The sold-out field launched out of Geneva State Park looking for Lake Erie gold. Teams spread throughout the lake looking to score a record setting $3000 first place prize.

The team of Matt Whitacre and Jim Gywnn took top honors with 32.60# bag. In a close second Zak Jobes and Dan Niese with 32.00#. Zak and Dan were also the top finishing Mercury outboard team which earned them additional $150. Tied for third place was the teams James Dean/Jeff Metzger and Frank Burkhart/Clint Kendrick with 31.55#. Dave Maholic and Mike Minton finished in fifth place with 31.20#. Jim Cooper and Steve Fielder took top Lund Boat Honors. Father/son team Ed and Nick Oleksy took Buckeye Big Fish with a 9.35# walleye.

Teams spread throughout the central basin from Geneva to Conneaut. Teams fished anywhere from 55 to 76 feet of water. Both deep diving crankbaits and worm harnesses worked well. Many teams reported using dipsey divers to get down to the fish lower in the water column. Deep Huskey jerks and Reef Runners also worked well. For full results please go to walleyemadness.net

Walleye Madness Tournaments are sponsored by Buckeye Sports Center, Lund Boats, Mercury Marine, Oakley and Mepps. The series offers no-membership fee required 100% payout tournaments, plus $500 per event in sponsor bonuses. Cabela’s National Team Championship qualifying is provided by the series affiliation with the national organization The Walleye Federation.

For more information contact:
Greg Bentz
Walleye Madness Director
(440)390-8054
info@walleyemadness.net
walleyemadness.net

The Bays De Noc Great Lakes Sports Fisherman Results

The Bays De Noc Great Lakes Sportsfisherman held the first of 4 walleye series NTC qualifier events on May 30, 2015. The event took place out of the historic town of Nahma in Delta County on Big Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan waters. The day was blustery with high North winds. This didn’t stop 16 teams from taking the water and it didn’t stop the walleyes from biting. Teams weighed a 3 fish basket only allowing two over 23 inches and one slot.

 

Team Cassidy/Corbett took honors with a 19.4 pound basket for 1st place. The second place team of Plourde/Jack weighed 17.4 pounds. Third place went to Hanisko/Porath with a 16.9 pound basket. 4th place team Tourangeau/Krueger weighed 15.15 pounds. The top four places received a cash check. Here is the results of the remainder of the field:

 

Alimenti/Martin 15.5 pounds

Fries/Upton 15.2 pounds

Wilson/Wery 14.2 pounds

Kallio/Gartland 13.3 pounds

Way/Forvilly 8.5 pounds

Kallio/Eastman  4.11 pounds

Houghton/Houghton 3.12 pounds

Kositzky/Tellefson  3.10 pounds

Sliva/sliva  3.9 pounds

Anderson/Anderson 3.1 pounds

Stone/Webber 0

Neubauer/Rouse 0

 

The second Bay De Noc Walleye Club event; the Bays Classic will take place on August 8th, out of Escanaba. This event will host a NTC side pot. Any interested teams can contact the tournament director Jerry Plourde at 906-420-0022 for additional information.

 

 

Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Returns To Bays de Noc July 31-Aug. 1

Ponca City, Okla.—July 9, 2015—A high-stakes, big-water walleye battle of epic proportions will break out when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit returns to the world-class waters of Little Bay de Noc out of Escanaba, Michigan, for a regular-season qualifier July 31-August 1.2015-MWC-logo

Launching from scenic Gladstone Harbor, the event offers two-person teams two full days of competition on both Big and Little Bays de Noc, along with the adjoining Michigan waters of Lake Michigan. Collectively, the fisheries offer incredible walleye opportunities. In fact, the destination is so stellar, it was just selected to host the 2016 Cabela’s National Team Championship—which draws hundreds of grassroots walleye anglers from across North America.

Judging by past tournament results, the upcoming Cabela’s MWC qualifier should yield great fishing and more than a few behemoth baskets. For example, when the Circuit visited Escanaba in 2011 for a regular-season event combined with the Cabela’s NTC, it took more than 30 pounds per day to claim the crown. Circuit vets Korey Sprengel and Derek Navis eventually claimed top honors with a 64.41-pound, 10-fish limit. Thanks to the Circuit’s lucrative payback program, Sprengel and Navis earned more than $20,000 for their MWC victory in cash and sponsor contingencies.

Payouts are based on the number of teams entered in each event. In 2014 the Circuit rewarded anglers with a total payback of more than 127 percent, and that trend continues this season. Plus, the MWC Big Fish Pot and sponsor bonuses from Ranger, Lowrance, Abu Garcia, Zippo Outdoor Brands and Okuma add thousands more to the total.

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. And new for 2015, the creation of an option pot adds even more chances to cash in. At the recent Petenwell Lake qualifier, for example, tournament champions Barb and Danny Plautz added $2,730 in option pot cash to their total winnings.

Adding to the excitement, all Cabela’s MWC tournaments are designated as “State Championship Qualifying Events.” Teams from the state where the event is held are eligible, along with teams from a state not hosting an MWC event in 2015 (provided at least 10 teams from their state are competing in the event). Besides bragging rights, state champions will earn a $1,000 prize package including custom trophies, custom State Champions rings by Tight Lines Jewelry, decals, a berth in the Cabela’s NTC, and a spot on the MWC website’s Wall of Fame. In states hosting two events, teams must fish both tournaments to be in the running, which means Michigan teams must have fished the Detroit River qualifier along with the Bays de Noc event for a shot at the state title.

Teams will be allowed to weigh five walleyes measuring 15 inches and over each day, and the team with the heaviest two-day total weight will be crowned the winners. Weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public, will be held at Gladstone Harbor beginning at 3 p.m. daily. As a bonus to budding tournament fans, the Cabela’s MWC, National Professional Anglers Association, Pure Fishing and Zippo Outdoor Brands will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the day-one 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. Deadline to register for the Bays de Noc tournament is Monday, July 27th.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is in its 14th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Abu Garcia, Lowe Equipment Attachments, Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, The Walleye Federation and Zippo Outdoor Brands. Associate sponsors include: Yellow Bird Fishing Products, Okuma, T-H Marine and Tight Lines Jewelry. For more information, visit masterswalleyecircuit.com, email info@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.
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