GNWC 2006 Championship Set for Alexandria, MN
Category: Tournament
Dec 16th, 2005 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Dec 16th, 2005 at 12:00 AM
Walleye anglers looking for a national championship with a location that caters to the multiple fishing styles of teams from all over the Midwest need to circle the dates of October 12-14, 2006! That’s when the 140 competing teams on the Grand National Walleye Cup(GNWC) circuit will converge on the Alexandria, MN area for the 2006 GNWC National Championship. Five lakes and over 6200 acres of fishable water that all offer a good walleye population while at the same time presenting a different type of walleye structure! So, yes, it’s time to get on those thinking caps and develop the game plan that will carry you to the GNWC National Championship. “We are very excited about working with the community of Alexandria, and the many opportunities that await our 140 teams of anglers. This location has all the right ingredients for a challenging and enjoyable national championship,” said an excited Bernie Barringer, GNWC Executive Director, as he talked about the state of 10,000 lakes. “It’ll take some work and some time to pin down where the ‘eyes will be in mid-October. But what a place to hold this tournament with so many variations on the ways anglers can catch fall walleyes. The community of Alexandria has a great ‘northwoods’ feel to it, and we’ll be there at a great time for the fall foliage and the great fall fishing.” As in past years, the GNWC will be a multi-region walleye circuit. In2006 this includes the states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin, along with the new wild card Open Division. “We will be inviting the top 20 teams from each of the six regions, plus the new Open Division for a total of 140 teams,” added Barringer. Joni Karger, the Marketing & Tourism Coordinator with the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, echoes Barringer’s thoughts. “We are very excited that we were chosen to host the 2006 Grand National Walleye Cup’s National Championship. Hopefully after the teams have seen what Alexandria has to offer, they will see why Alexandria is the ultimate destination to Live, Work, Play, Prosper and to catch Walleye.” So, what are these waters like? First off, the lakes: Le Homme Dieu, Darling, Carlos, Geneva and Victoria. That’s five totally different lakes all connected by a channel system. Corey Bohn, local businessman and GNWC competitor, said, “It will really be a challenge for the teams to learn five different lakes. So much will depend on the weather in mid-October.” According to Bohn, Carlos and Le Homme Dieu are the typical walleye mainstays. However, there are walleyes to be found in all five lakes. Plus, mid-October can be prime time walleye action. “These lakes can really take off in mid-October.”