Lake Pepin Open Walleye Classic Tournament 2007

22nd Annual

LAKE PEPIN OPEN WALLEYE CLASSIC

Sponsored by Walleye Searchers of MN

Qualifying tournament for Cabela’s

“National Team Championship”

April 28, and 29, 2007

Colvill Park, Red Wing, MN.

ENTRY FEE: $320 PER TEAM

$20 will go toward the National Championship fee

Prize Money based on 100 Team Field

1st Place $10,200

2nd Place $ 5,100

3rd Place $ 3,600

4th Place $ 2,000

5th Place $ 1,600

6th Place $ 800

7th Place $ 700

8th Place $ 600

9th Place $ 500

10th Place $ 400

Optional Big Fish Pot $20/Boat

Rules meeting – will be held at 7:00 PM April 27, 2007

American Legion Hall, 218 West 4th Street, Red Wing, MN.

Come early and have Dinner.

Chicken, Fish, or Shrimp baskets available for $5.00

At least one team member must be in attendance at this meeting.

Launch site – Colvill Park, Red Wing, MN – 6:30am – 2:30 pm both days

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

John Walter

15 Field Ave. SW

Byron, MN 55920-6301

Phone: 507-775-6406

E-mail: [email protected]

or visit us on the

Walleye Searchers of MN Web Site

http://www.walleyesearchers.com

Why is this always the same weekend as the FLW League? You’d think they could move it up or back. Participation has stunk the last couple years when trying to compete with FLW.

The FLW picked theirs to be on the same weekend as the LPO. The LPO was in that spot long before FLW. People plan their tournament fishing [tournament anglers] mostly early as they know when the regular tournaments will be on the river as they are the same weekends every year. Moving a tournament around trying to please another tournament really gets people mad because then they can’t turn in for the vacation early [Jan/Feb] like many guys ”have” too. A tournament also could lose their rights/seniority by moving it around and the LPO has been going on for 22 years which is the longest of any of the other tournaments in April on pool 4. Theres alot more to it than people realize. It was even brought up at the last years rules meeting to the tournament guys at the LPO rules meeting and everyone wanted to keep it on the normal weekend that it is. Its too bad that that weekend is for both as I know alot of guys would like to fish both but there are tournamrnts every weekend in April so all weekends are full. Notice the FLW is going out of Wisconsin to get a permit on pool 4 in April. They also won’t always be coming to pool 4 in April either. Unfortunately this does happen at times.
Thanks, Bill

Thanks Bill for the reply. I’ve fished the LPO for a number of years but because of the conflict with the FLW the participation in the LPO has been subpar. I believe last year we only had like 34 boats and it was disheartening. With the payout of the FLW increasing and a one-day event verses two-day, I’m guessing the LPO will suffer as long as FLW is on the same weekend. With declining participation in the LPO, Walleye Searches needs to retool the event to make it what it once was. I love this tournament, have faired very well, but cannot participate due to the FLW. Good luck. Mike

You will notice that the entry fee for the LPO has increased which will make the payout much better.
Thanks, Bill

I haven’t fished this contest in several years. But i would think that with the FLW drawing some “Pro” minded contestants away from the LPO, that would make this contest even more attractive to others. It almost looks like a very ripe cherry waiting to be picked.

Does that mean you are planning on fishing Glenn?
Thanks, Bill

Any idea on boat count as of now?

No I don’t Steve. John Walter handles that. Are you and your father-in-law fishing it? Pretty good payout this year.
Thanks, Bill

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Any idea on boat count as of now?

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I talked to John yesterday as of Monday it was 13, I am sure more will jump in at the last minute that is usually the case.

Around 75% of the fishermen always sign up at the rules meeting.
Thanks, Bill

Bummer. I would have fished it.

The LPO is a good tournament but hits with bad timing considering the FLW is in town. The LPO will be lucky to draw 30 boats this year which is too bad considering the payouts on a full field are very strong.

Hopefully they don’t start early like they did last year. It didn’t sit to well with the FLWers.

The reason they ran early last year and will again this year is for safety, not a good idea to have all those boats from both tournaments taking off at the same time.

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Bummer. I would have fished it.

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Well if you cant chris let me borrow your boat and I will

FLW.

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FLW.

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So

You said you were going to borrow mine we’ll just trade for that day You have some driving to do dont you

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The reason they ran early last year and will again this year is for safty, not a good idea to have all those boats from both tournaments taking off at the same time.

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We all have our beliefs and that certainly was not the “core” issue during the LPO meeting. Seems a few of the “good” honey holes potentially would be tied up with an FLWer considering the distance to some good locations were literally seconds away for FLW but a couple minutes away from Cove Park. Either way, 6:30 or 7:00: we’ll deal with it.

Mike,

it is not just my belief, I have been a member of Walleye Searchers for years, I ran the LPO for 5 years, John Walter who runs the LPO now is a good friend of mine and we just had this conversation the other day while we were out fishing. I can assure you that John could care less who gets to what spot first his main concern is SAFETY FIRST. Oh and for the record I am fishing the FLW that day

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The reason they ran early last year and will again this year is for safety, not a good idea to have all those boats from both tournaments taking off at the same time.

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We all have our beliefs and that certainly was not the “core” issue during the LPO meeting. Seems a few of the “good” honey holes potentially would be tied up with an FLWer considering the distance to some good locations were literally seconds away for FLW but a couple minutes away from Cove Park. Either way, 6:30 or 7:00: we’ll deal with it.

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Oh and for the record I am fishing the FLW that day

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Hey Steve,

Why don’t you pull some strings and convince them it’s not safe for anyone with you on the water, and pursuade the LPO to launch at noon

For your information, I have listened to all the critics for the last two years regarding the conflict between the LPO and the FLW. If any of you have ever tried to set up and run a tournament, you would find out it is not a picnic with all the new laws and regulations that the tournaments and the DNR have to abide by.

And by the way, I worked with Mark Dorn last year to resolve the conflict, and Mark said there would be no conflict this year as they were moving a week later. So I don’t know what happened with this agreement since they changed directors.

The LPO moved out of May several years back to eliminate major conflicts with Bass tournaments. We are the only TRADITIONAL large tournament in April and the DNR would like for us to stay there.

This situation reminds me of when the MWC wanted to come back on pool 4, several years back, under the new rules and they couldn’t. They were quite upset because they couldn’t get their way, with all their MONEY and PUBLICITY.

The DNR also told me that they are getting so many more tournament request than they can possibly allow. That is the reason that the FLW is launching out of Bay City, WI.

As far as the LPO launching early, I got that permission from the DNR in the morning before I ever talked to any of the tournament fishermen that evening at the rules meeting, AND ONLY FOR SAFETY REASONS.

So if you have any complaints about the conflict between the LPO and the FLW, take your complaints to the FLW.

Thanks.

John Walter

All I can say is that John does an outstanding job directing the LPO. I am sure he volunteers well over a hundred hours of his time so fishermen will have a smooth and safe tournament. John and the other LPO volunteers don’t get a penny for all their time (and sometimes grief) they donate by putting on this tournament. Directing tournaments can be a difficult and complex job, and I know John will do his absolute best to make the LPO a success for the fisherman.

Thank you John, your efforts are very much appreciated by many of us!

Dave Gulczinski

Either way, I was cool with the decision as I fished the LPO. I don’t forsee the FLW switching anytime soon. The tournament is well attended and for league purposes may be the only tournament out of the 3 to come close to a full field. I wish the LPO good luck and if the FLW continues to be on the same weekend as the LPO maybe the LPO should switch to a “1” day only and make it a Sunday. Any thoughts on this?

I am not sure how the rest of the club feels as I am not able to attend meetings anymore because of my job but that might not be a bad idea.