Grand National Walleye Cup National Championship Heads to the Okoboji Chain
of Lakes
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
A year of 20 qualifying tournaments and five state championships on the
Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) trail has come down to one huge three-day
shootout for 80 of the top walleye teams in the Midwest as they converge on
the Okoboji Chain of Lakes October 9-11.
On the line will be a first place payout worth $16,000 plus two gold and
silver cups, while second place will be worth $8,000 plus trophies. Payout
will run through 20th place. Included in the first and second place payouts
will be $3000 in Mercury Outboards certificates and $3000 in Ranger Boats
certificates. In addition, the National Champions will get a web page
designed by the premiere outdoor website company in the United States, Up
North Outdoors.
GNWC Executive Director Bernie Barringer looks with anticipation to the
Grand National Walleye Cup Championship. “We are bringing some of the best
walleye teams in the Midwest to a chain of lakes that can produce incredible
walleye fishing. As a tournament director for over 10 years, it has been my
dream to be able to run a multi-state team tournament with the final event
being a national championship.”
In addition to the payout to the top 20 teams, the ABU Garcia Big Fish
Award of two 6500 Linecounter reels will be awarded each day to the team
which catches the big fish each day, while the Berkley Family award of $250
in Berkley product will go to the top placing family team.
A final award will be the YoNet Comeback Award. “AMFYOYO has given a net
away at each state championship. Now, they are giving two nets away to the
team which makes the biggest comeback in the standings from day one to the
final day,” noted Barringer.
Barringer continued, “We’ve had a tremendous year in each state –
Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. I’m proud of the
efforts of the teams in each of the states. I really think that walleye
enthusiasts will enjoy coming to the weigh-ins each day to find out not only
who is on fish, but what techniques have been used to catch the fish.”
Barringer also commented on the sponsorships for the GNWC. “We’ve had
great sponsorships with our major sponsoring partners: Ranger Boats, Mercury
Outboards, Berkley, ABU Garcia, The Sportsman Channel and
upNorthOutdoors.com. Now, to showcase the National Championships, we have
added an additional seven National Sponsorship Boosters, and we are thrilled
to have them become part of the big show.”
National Sponsorship Boosters include Waters Edge Marine, Ranger Boats
and Mercury Outboards dealer in Johnston, IA; Tom’s Plumbing and Heating of
Arnolds Park; Motor Inn Auto Group of Algona, Estherville, LeMars, Spencer
and Spirit Lake; Carlson and Sanderson Real Estate, selling properties
throughout the Iowa Great Lakes; Okoboji Tourism, the vacation guide to the
Iowa Great Lakes; The Dickinson County News, the official newspaper of
Dickinson County; and AMFYOYO, manufacturer of the YoNet, the collapsible
net that goes from stowed to fish in six seconds.
Although the actual competition begins on Thursday, the National
Championship Banquet will be held on Wednesday at the Spirit Lake Expo
Building at 6 p.m. “The banquet will be a time for us to recognize the State
Championship and Mercury Team of the Year partners from each state. In
addition, we will give away a lot of really nice door prizes. A short rules
meeting will follow,” noted Barringer.
The three-day competition begins on Thursday with opening ceremonies and
take-off at 7 a.m. Weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. sharp. Both take-off and
weigh-in will be at the State Park Pier located at the amusement park in
Arnolds Park.
“The weigh-in will be something for people to see,” said Barringer. “We
will be staggering the weigh-in so that a third of the teams come in at 3
p.m., another third at 3:15 p.m. and the final third at 3:30 p.m. I
encourage people to be at the weigh-in by 2:45 so they don’t miss a thing.
They will be exciting, and I expect some very nice fish come in. The final
day will be very educational for anyone who wants to learn more about
fishing the Iowa Great Lakes.”
Another part of the excitement will be the filming of the National
Championship by the Walleye Wisdom television crews. The action will be part
of the GNWC’s new walleye fishing show that will be aired on the Sportsman
Channel this fall.
For those interested in learning more about the GNWC, call
1-800-890-3474, email the GNWC at [email protected] or check out the
official GNWC website at walleyecup.com. The website has all of the latest
in GNWC information in only, but also in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South
Dakota and Wisconsin.
Major sponsoring partners for the GNWC include Ranger Boats, Mercury
Outboards, Berkley, Abu-Garcia, The Sportsman Channel and
UpNorthOutdoors.com.
Television viewers who do not have The Sportsman Channel and want to
watch the GNWC’s television series Walleye Wisdom, are encouraged to call
their cable company or satellite television provider and ask them to include
it in their package.
