MWC Green Bay Tournament June 23-24

For Immediate Release For More Information Contact:

Kristine Houtman 612.710.5584

Email: [email protected]

Cabela’s MWC Tournament in Green Bay, Wisconsin Coming Up Next presented by Toyota Trucks

Minnetonka, MN – Next up for the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is the June 23rd & 24th tournament on the Bay of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The tournament will launch and weigh-in at the Metropolitan Boat Launch in downtown Green Bay, Wisconsin. The public is invited to attend the weigh-ins both days beginning just prior to 3 o’clock. Toyota Trucks is sponsoring this event and will showcase the Toyota Tundra truck onsite. A $2,000 cash bonus will be awarded to the top finishing team towing their boat with a Tundra. In addition, Toyota has donated a made-for-fishing bike that will be given away at the Youth and Family Fishing Clinic on Saturday immediately following the weigh-in.

Currently, 183 teams are signed up for the event, coming from Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Missouri, South Dakota, Kansas, Ohio, Colorado and Wisconsin. The total purse will be $102,480 with $26,800 going to first place and paying out 32 places.

This makes the second stop on the MWC Central Division. The first tournament was a very unusual event – with flood conditions on the Illinois River contributing to only four teams weighing fish and cashing a check back in March. Many teams tied for 5th place from that event, making this tournament particularly key in the hunt for Team of the Year and Championship points.

“The points are all bunched up right now,” shared Cabela’s MWC Director, Kristine Houtman. “Almost every team in this tournament has a legitimate chance for making the Championship or the race for Team of the Year. This tournament will be ‘moving day’ for a lot of teams – either up to the top tier for the last Central tournament in September in Dubuque – or down the rung to fight it out for the Championship cut. Should be very interesting.”

The MWC and the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) co-host a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic at each of the MWC tournaments. A number of rods and reels have been donated by the MWC sponsors to give to kids onsite at the clinic, along with essential terminal tackle to get them bobber fishing. “These youth events have been a great addition to the tournament weekend,” shared Frank Pilney, NPAA #920. Pilney has coordinated the clinics and the anglers that will teach the kids and families what they need to know. A parent is required to attend if a child is under 6th grade, however parents of all age children are welcome. The clinic will begin immediately following the weigh-in on Saturday, June 23rd at the stage area set up at Metropolitan Boat Launch. Toyota has donated a bike that will be given away to one of the lucky kids in attendance. Approximately 25 rods, reels and tackle boxes are available to kids that attend.

Conditions are expected to be good for the event – with a strong walleye bite in favor of a lot of teams catching their five-fish limits per day. The Packer Country Visitors & Convention Bureau is hosting the event in the community. Walleyes for Tomorrow will assist with tournament operations and will be the beneficiary of the $2,745 conservation fund for improving the Bay of Green Bay fishery.

Openings exist in future MWC tournaments. The remaining schedule is:

MWC East
July 21 & 22 – Youngstown, NY – Niagara River and Lake Ontario

MWC Central
Sept 8 & 9 – Dubuque, IA – Mississippi River

MWC West (Exhibition Tournament)

August 18 & 19 –Ortonville, MN – Big Stone Lake

World Walleye Championship (invitation only)

Oct 4-6 — Dundee, MI — Detroit River and Lake Erie

For more information contact circuit headquarters by email at: [email protected] or toll-free by phone at 877-893-7947.

Cabela’s is the title sponsor for the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official Sponsors are Toyota Trucks, Mercury Motors, Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, Lowrance Electronics, North American Fishing Club and Versus (Vs.) television network. Associate sponsors are Tommy Docks, The Inhibitor, Food Source Lures, Ice Armor and Farm & City Insurance Services.

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wishing the best of luck to Richard Young and Eric Carlson
bring home the big check guys

Quote:

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wishing the best of luck to Richard Young and Eric Carlson
bring home the big check guys

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Go get em.

Day One Results

Final Day Results

Congrats Richard and Eric on a 18th place tie with Keith and Mike Kavajecz.

Thanks, Bill

Just talked to Richard on the phone, they had a fatastic experience and cashed a check. Great Job Guys congratulations.

For More Information Contact:

Kristine Houtman 612.710.5584

Email: [email protected]

Kemos Husband and Wife Team Win $27,000 at Cabela’s MWC at Green Bay

Total purse exceeds $113,000 — presented by Toyota

Green Bay, WI — Tom and Heidi Kemos of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin bested a field of 184 teams for the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit tournament out of Green Bay, June 23rd and 24th. While Tom cut his teeth on the Masters Walleye Circuit back in the mid-90’s, this was his first circuit victory, and particularly sweet with the one he loves. Heidi, a self-proclaimed novice when it comes to tournament fishing said, “I just do what he tells me to do, and luckily I did it pretty well this time.”

Indeed. The duo brought in the maximum ten fish over two days totaling 56.57 pounds. Tom strategized staying in the lower bay at this time in the season, and targeted a little stained water in the Two-Mile Reef area, the North and East side of the reef. They trolled spinners with crawler harnesses with blue and white beads and pink and blue #6 blades.

His Mercury Pro-kicker helped him keep the troll dialed in slowly, 0.9 to 1.2 mph, targeting a 23’-25’ break line four feet off the bottom. When asked the key to his success he said, “My particular boards have a great tattle-tale indicating lite bites – and that allowed me to detect what I might have otherwise missed. When I got a lite bite I fed out 30’-35’ of line. That seemed to really make a difference.” Kemos targeted the bigger fish that were staying closer to the bottom. “If you got any higher than that you’d catch a lot of fish, but they were smaller ones. The bigger fish were further down.”

Tom Kemos is the reigning PWT Champion, winning his first-ever walleye tournament for $100,000 last fall. This was his second walleye victory; he had previously fished more bass tournaments. In the last two years he has won several honors in the PWT, but also enjoys team fishing when the schedule works. “I do this because I love the competition – and the MWC is the premier team circuit. The competition is just as fierce on the MWC as on any other I fish.”

The weekend bite was very good on the Bay of Green Bay, with the 184 teams weighing an average of 8.4 fish per team, totaling 1,555 fish at 5,830.2 pounds, a respectable 3.75 pound average. “This fishery is spectacular,” shared emcee Steve Pennaz from the stage. Pennaz is the Executive Director of the North American Fishing Club and Vice President of Outdoor Television at North American Media Group. “There were over 100 teams that caught ten-fish baskets. That’s truly amazing!”

Kevin & Karen McQuoid of Isle, Minnesota weighed the largest fish of the tournament on day one at 11.04 pounds. A total of $7,300 was paid out for big fish money with $1,850 for first place. The following teams cashed in the big fish pot accordingly:

Day 1 – 1st Place: $1,850 Kevin & Karen McQuoid of Isle, MN 11.04 lbs.

2nd Place: $1,275 Jeff Manz of Vanderbilt, MI & Greg Yarbrough of Port Clinton, OH 10.48 lbs

3rd Place: $525 Rob Krause and Dave Dretske of Berlin, WI 9.89 lbs.

Day 2 – 1st Place: $1 850 Don Olson of Andover, MN & Michael Olson of Coon Rapids, MN 10.23 lbs.

2nd Place: $1,275 Dan Wheaton of Yorkville, IL & Eric Palmquist of Oshkosh, WI 10.08 lbs.

3rd Place: $525 Tie between John Gillman & James Bakos of Freeland, MI and Gerald Arnold

of Norway, MI & David Koller of Iron Mountain, MI 9.63 lbs

Second place honors for 54.24 pounds went to John May of Forestville, WI & Chad Wertepivy of Green Bay, WI. They cashed a check for $12,100 plus a $2,000 bonus from Toyota to total $14,100. May bought his Toyota Tundra a month ago and just loves it. The Tundra is quickly becoming the new tow vehicle in the circuit.

Jerry Plourde of Cornell, MI & Dan Stier of Pierre, SD took fifth place honors with 52.2 pounds and cashed a check for $4,200 plus the $1,000 bonus from Ranger Cup totaling $5,200. In all, $113,400 was paid out to the top 32 teams.

Toyota donated a bike specially rigged to carry fishing rods to the NPAA/MWC Youth & Family Fishing Clinic on Saturday, immediately following the weigh-in. Lowrance Electronics, Cabela’s and the North American Fishing Club donated rods and reels with tackle boxes full of essential gear to area kids. After putting their very own rod in their hands, the NPAA anglers led the kids in learning to tie the knots for slip-bobber fishing. Lauren Neabling, age 4 of Oshkosh, WI won the bike which was probably more likely the size for a twelve year old. She told the anglers, “I might have to grow another week before I can ride this bike, but then I’m going fishing all by myself.”

Farm and City Insurance Services donated safety equipment to several anglers, including two new PFDs. In addition, they place $5 for every quote into the conservation fund. Ice Armor also donated a new set of outdoor gear.

The Packer Country Visitors and Convention Bureau hosted the event, and the Walleyes for Tomorrow Club provided volunteers to assist with tournament operations, such as boat inspection, parking, weighing fish, setup and tear down. In appreciation the MWC anglers have donated $15 from each entry fee for conservation efforts in the area. Club President Dan Farah acknowledged that a gift of $2,760 will help tremendously in building reefs in the Fox River, which will assist with spring spawning.

Openings exist in future MWC tournaments. The remaining schedule is:

MWC East
July 21 & 22 – Youngstown, NY – Niagara River and Lake Ontario

MWC Central
Sept 8 & 9 – Dubuque, IA – Mississippi River

MWC West (Exhibition Tournament)

August 18 & 19 –Ortonville, MN – Big Stone Lake

World Walleye Championship (invitation only)

Oct 4-6 — Dundee, MI — Detroit River and Lake Erie

For more information contact circuit headquarters by email at: [email protected] or toll-free by phone at 877-893-7947.

Cabela’s is the title sponsor for the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official Sponsors are Toyota Trucks, Mercury Motors, Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, Lowrance Electronics, North American Fishing Club and Versus (Vs.) television network. Associate sponsors are Tommy Docks, The Inhibitor, Food Source Lures, Ice Armor and Farm & City Insurance Services.

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Thanks for everyone’s support. Our first time on this body of water and I know it won’t be our last. This fishery is amazing and the future potential looks very promising.

Note to anyone planning to head out to Green Bay, bring your raingear along. Even if no rain is forecasted. The wind can turn your trip into a wet one…..

-Richard

Thanks for the heads up Richard plan on trying to go there in a few weeks possibly congrats on the place as well you guys ran with a hell of a group of guys on the leaderboard out there next time I see ya in Red Wing I owe ya one

And when they forecast 20mph winds for Green Bay they mean 30+ mph on the lake, and those white caps sneak up on a person. Thanks for the support everybody and see you on the water soon hopefully.
For now its back to reality sitting in the office at work

Nice job guys… Great accomplishment going out and finishing that well… You guys were up agianst some stiff competition and pulled it off nicley… Eric it was good to see ya at lunch the other day… Sorry i couldn’t talk more i was with the boss…

give me a call bud and we can do lunch sometime. I could bring the boat and we could hit white bear during lunch