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Carpenter, DeKnikker Win Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Western Division Finale On Waubay Lake

Category: press release

 Sep 20th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Sep 20th, 2010 at 12:00 AM

September 19, 2010-WEBSTER, SD-Brandon Carpenter and Josh DeKnikker won top honors and more than $9,000 at the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit’s Western Division season finale on Waubay Lake with a 26.76-pound 10-fish total.

	Brandon Carpenter and Josh DeKnikker (Photo MWC)

“It feels good,” said DeKnikker, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, fishing his fifth MWC tournament. “Brandon and I had a really good season. He’s a good fisherman and I think we’ll be partners for quite awhile.” Carpenter, of Rockwell, Iowa, praised his partner as well. “I give Josh a lot of credit,” he said. “He ran the boat and pretty much handled the show, he did a great job

The team targeted depths of 22 to 25 feet of water, trolling jointed crankbaits 2.2 mph on three colors of Cabela’s lead-core line with a Berkley FireLine leader. “FireLine was key to us feeling whether our lures were fouled with a weed or small white bass,” said Carpenter.

Thirty-six teams-more than 70 of the West’s best anglers-competed for over $40,000 in cash and prizes on a true High Plains paradise. Carpenter and DeKnikker cashed an $8,000 first-place check, plus $500 in the Cabela’s Anglers Cash program, $200 for the U2 the Oxygenator bonus, $500 for being the first place Berkley Premier team, and $350 plus two Fishouflage jerseys for winning the Day One big-fish pot.

Travor Diegel and Paul Steffen, both of Pierre, South Dakota, took second with 21.36 pounds, good for $3,620 plus a $500 Lowrance HDS bonus and $200 for second place in the big-fish pot. Deigel and Steffen were also crowned the Cabela’s MWC’s Western Division Team of the Year, worth a $1,755 cash award.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Diegel. “I give all the credit in the world to my partner, who has taught me a lot through these three tournaments.” Steffen returned the compliment: “I’ve learned so much from Travor as well,” he said. “It’s fun to come to a tournament and dissect a lake, and fish hard and talk about fishing all week.” In other Western Division Team of the Year news, South Dakotans Jeremy and Douglas Riediger, of Lennox and Wakonda, respectively, brought home Father and Son Team of the Year honors.

Ohioans Mike Knippenburg, of Hiram, and Ryan Buddie, of Lakewood were named the MWC’s overall Team of the Year for finishing the season with 35.93 points in the Challenge program, in which teams fish an entire division plus an additional “challenge” tournament outside their division. The pair earned a pair of 14 k gold rings plus a check for $13,000.

“This is awesome,” said Knippenburg. “I’m on cloud nine that we fished against the best in the business and took home Team of the Year.” Buddie was likewise elated. “To come out our first year and compete against the world’s best walleye sticks is beyond our wildest dreams,” he said. Both MWCers credited long hours of prefishing and research to helping to take home one of the highest awards in walleye fishing.

Mike Oletzke of Watertown, South Dakota, and Rich Huebner of Correll, Minnesota, finished third with 21.33 pounds worth $2,300 plus a $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus, $300 Berkley Premier Team award and $150 in big-fish pot winnings. The team also won the Berkley Premier Bracket shootout, claiming a $500 Cabela’s Gift Card, a berth in the no-entry-fee, $100,000 2011 World Walleye Championship, and $3,500 Berkley sponsorship. In all, the top seven teams shared the $18,720 payout, plus bonuses and team of the year awards pushing the total to well over $45,000.

Day One’s weigh-in festivities were capped off with a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic courtesy of the Cabela’s MWC and National Professional Anglers Association, with free rods, reels and tackle donated by Cabela’s, Abu Garcia, and Northland Fishing Tackle. In addition, a youth bike was raffled off courtesy of the Coester Funeral Home in Webster.

“Waubay Lake is an amazing fishery, and the Webster area welcomed the MWC with open arms,” said the tournament’s Sr. Events Coordinator Dan Johnson, who credited Mike Dunse with the Webster Area Chamber of Commerce and his army of volunteers for helping make the tournament a resounding success.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is entering their nineth season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors of the MWC include: Berkley, Ranger Boats, Mercury, MotorGuide, Lowrance, Fishouflage, Versus (Vs.) Television Network and North American Fishing Club. Associate Sponsors include: O2 Marine Technologies, 3-IN-ONE No Rust Shield, Abu Garcia, Fin-tech, Northland Fishing Tackle, Ryjus and Reflections.

The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is the longest running professional walleye tournament circuit in the United States.  For more information on the Cabela’s MWC or to view the 2010 schedule, visit: www.masterswalleyecircuit.com; email: [email protected]; or call: (877) 893-7947.