Cabela’s MWC West Division Heading to Devils Lake 7-28-2010
gengberg July 28th, 2010
Cabela’s MWC West Division Heading To Devils Lake
–Presented by Versus
July 21, 2010 Minnetonka, MN-Anglers will have fishing options aplenty on one of the planet’s finest walleye fisheries when the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit tackles Devils Lake, North Dakota, August 21-22.
“Any style of fishing can win,” said Al Freidig, MWC angler and director of the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce. “You can slip-bobber, jig, pitch cranks, troll-you name it. At the Chamber’s walleye tournament in June we had walleyes come from 2 feet to 36 feet of water, and everything in between.“
Fishing with teammate Clinton Devier, Freidig finished eighth at the MWC’s Devils Lake stop in 2009-and he didn’t hesitate to sign up for this year’s event. Although he believes many anglers will be trolling bottom-bouncer rigs or crankbaits in depths of 36 to 40-feet-plus in August, he says the shallow bite could still prevail.
Credit this diversity of fishing options to an abundance of walleyes, habitat and forage in this ever-expanding High Plains paradise. Northeast district fisheries supervisor Randy Hiltner says walleye catch rates in state test-nettings are at near-record levels. Freidig concurs, noting that 18- to 21-inch ‘eyes are extremely common, with larger fish possible on any given cast or trolling pass. And with an ample food supply ranging from freshwater shrimp to young-of-the-year white bass, opportunistic walleyes could be anywhere in the system.
Freidig cautions anglers to factor the wind into prefishing strategies. “With water levels the way they are, you won’t be able to get a boat under the Highway 57 and 20 bridges with a west wind,” he noted. “Given the tournament is launching at Grahams Island State Park, this would eliminate East Devils and East Bay. But even then, there’s still 100,000 acres of water to fish.” (MWC regulations allow teams to fish all of Devils Lake; it will be up to each team to make the call on negotiating the bridges.)
Based on a 75-team field, the top 15 teams will share a $39,040 cash purse, with the victors claiming a $12,340 first-place check. Sponsor bonuses including Cabela’s Angler Cash, Berkley Premier Team, Ranger Cup, Lowrance HDS, and U2 the Oxygenator add another $3,700 to the table. Plus, anglers have the option of entering the Big Fish Pot, which pays cash awards for the top three walleyes each tournament day. At the Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, circuit stop in June, the Big Fish Pot paid a total of $3,400.
Teams have until August 2 to register before the $100 late fee kicks in. Registration closes August 16. For more information, visit: www.masterswalleyecircuit.com; email: events@masterswalleyecircuit.com; or call: (877) 893-7947.
Teams will launch out of Grahams Island at 7 a.m. and return at 3 p.m., with weigh-ins held at Burdick Arena. The MWC and National Professional Anglers Association will present a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic immediately after the first day’s weigh-in. Youths receive rods and reels donated by Cabela’s and Berkley, and tackle packages courtesy of Northland Fishing Tackle.
This is the second of three stops in the MWC West Division’s 2010 season. The circuit visited Mobridge, South Dakota, May 8-9 and heads for Waubay Lake out of Webster, South Dakota, September 18-19. Continue Reading »
