MWC Championship kicks off October 5th
Category: Tournament
Oct 3rd, 2006 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Oct 3rd, 2006 at 12:00 AM
Minnetonka, MN – For an entire year, teams worked at various tournaments, adding up pounds, points and prizes, with one of the goals being a coveted invitation to the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit World Walleye Championship. The enclosed field of 60 teams will be returning to Pools 9 and 10 of the Mississippi River to compete for over $100,000 in prize money. The new Champions will take home $25,000, plus thousands more available in sponsor contingency bonuses. This grand-daddy event will be held Thursday, October 5th through Saturday, October 7th at the Cabela’s store in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Everyone is invited to watch the weigh-ins beginning at 4pm each day. Fishing and boating seminars will be held at the site from 1pm to 4pm each day as well. A special community event will be held on the water on Wednesday, October 4th as local dignitaries and citizens have been invited to fish in a pro-am day. Each two-person Championship team will take out a third person as their guest – to learn a little bit about the skills of the anglers – and for the anglers to learn a little bit about the area from their guest. The Falling Rock Walleye Club will assist MWC staff with tournament operations for inspecting boats and weighing the fish on stage.”Getting invited to the Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship is truly an industry honor,” shared Steve Pennaz, Executive Director of the North American Fishing Club and co-host for the MWC stage. “These anglers have worked hard to get here and are privileged to compete in such a distinguished field. Competition will be tough – but you can bet every single one of these teams will be up for the challenge.”This year marks the fifth consecutive year that the Championship has been held on these two pools, with some years in low-water conditions, some in high, and everything in between. 2006 looks like another low-water challenge, which probably means the weight to win will be a little smaller.”Past Championships on the river have shown that the ability to locate active walleyes during the anglers’ pre-fishing is the key to a successful tournament, ” shared Kurt Beckstrom, editor of North American Fisherman magazine and co-host with Pennaz on the MWC stage. “Teams that can pinpoint a few productive spots where they can cast jigs and cranks, or fish live bait rigs during the practice days will place high in the standings.”Additional cash prizes are being offered to the field including:Toyota: Top finishing team towing their boat with a Toyota Tundra will win the Toyota Angler Award of $2,500. The Ranger Cup: Top finishing Ranger Boat owner registered in the Ranger Cup program will receive $1,000Tommy Docks Comeback Award – for the team that moves up the most from day 1 to day 3 — $500Ice Armor: Two new Ice Armor outwear gear suits; plus if the lucky team that is drawn for the new suits wins the tournament; $1000 bonus.Lindy Drift Control Award: $200 cash plus two new Lindy Drift Control socks for the team that finishes the highest and uses any drift sock during the tournament.Food Source Lures, Farm & City Insurance Services, Pennzoil Marine & Cabela’s have onsite games where anglers and fans can win cash and Cabela’s gift cards and other nice prizes. The Inhibitor Tough Times Award: $100 bonus to the team that weighs the smallest basket of fish (but not a zero.) Panther Marine Tech: $100 cash bonus for top finishing team with Panther or ElectroSteer productsThe following teams have been invited to the 2006 Championship. Jay Janny, part of the reigning Team of the Year with Kim “Chief” Papineau was asked about the conclusion of their big year. “It’s really been two special years in a row,” shared Janny. “Last year everything came together for us – and it was my best year money-wise. This year it was such an honor to hold the Team of the Year title, but health challenges really changed our perspective. This was our worst year for prize money! Our attitude shifted to just being thankful that we could fish together at all. I’m grateful for all of it – and for every day that my friend Chief and I could be on the water together.”Team # — Names and Hometowns1 Jay Janny of Eagle, WI & Kim “Chief” Papineau of Escanaba, MI2 Keith Eshbaugh of West Alexander, PA & Jeff Behr of Pittsburgh, PA3 Randy Carroll of Oswego, IL & Ed Klein of Wayne, IL4 Tim Waltz of Williamsport, PA & Jamie Sherman of Cambridge Springs, PA5 Jeff Russell of Grand Haven, MI & Doug Lampen of Allegan, MI6 Douglas Yohe of Bradford, PA & Darrin Pound of Bradford, PA7 James Preissner of Hastings, MN & Rodney York of Centerville, MN8 Nate Capton of Niagara Falls, NY & Dave Waldeck of Sanborn, NY9 Don Kohl of Suamico, WI & Tom Zag of Rudolph, WI10 Matt Davis of Marion, OH & Dan Gies of Huron, OH11 Greg Erdmann of Green Bay, WI & John Schneider of Shawano, WI12 Paul Kemery of Russell, PA & Alan Baumgardner of White Hall, MD13 Matt Bobber of Appleton, WI & Bill Bobber of Appleton, WI14 Bob Henton of Spartansburg, PA & Lance Conner of Spartansburg, PA15 Steve Stein of Leavenworth, KS & Kenny Ludwig of Leavenworth, KS16 Mike Bringedahl of Twin Lake, MI & Tod Conner of Hopkins, MI17 George Gahagan of Sheboygan, WI & Russell Gahagan of Chilton, WI18 Jeff Lash of North Lawrence, OH & Tim Joseph of Utica, OH19 Gary Gray of Oshkosh, WI & Glenn Wangerin of Escanaba, MI20 John Dalzot of Spring Valley, IL & Gary Dalzot of Spring Valley, IL21 Mike Tompkins of Green Bay, WI & Travis MacDonald of Menasha, WI22 Kevin Dahl of Muskego, WI Steve Stack of Muskego, WI23 Kyle Harmsen of Waupun, WI & Rick Kielmann of Waupun, WI24 Wayne Butz of Oneida, WI & Don Frederick of Appleton, WI25 Jim Schommer of Fond du Lac, WI & Robert Schommer of Eden, WI26 Troy Walwood of Grand Haven, MI & Robert Walwood of West Olive, MI27 Dean Nathe of Wausau, WI & Paul Thompson of Mosinee, WI28 Ted Stehney of Beverly Hills, MI & Les Burley of New Baltimore, MI29 Kevin Carstensen of Merrill, WI & Rich Olds of Stevens Point, WI30 Dan Bodinger of Chilton, WI & Steve Bodinger of Chilton, WI31 Doug Hoster of Seneca, IL & Marc Hoster of Seneca, IL32 Mark Piper of Green Bay, WI & Randy Blasczyk of Green Bay, WI33 Joe Okada of Madison, WI & David Okada of Madison, WI34 Mike Scarbrough of Waterloo, IA & Tim Ahrens of Waterloo, IA35 Casey Bohn of Fond du Lac, WI & Tony Miller of N Fond du Lac, WI36 Keith Daniels of Fond du Lac, WI & Greg Jaroch of Fond du Lac, WI37 Dave Schmidt of Oshkosh, WI & Mark Zillges of Oshkosh, WI38 Mark Ramge of Oshkosh, WI & Cary Literski of Waupaca, WI39 Jim Swiggum of Manitowoc, WI & Tracy Virnoche of Manitowoc, WI40 Vince Raimondi of Hoffman Estates, IL & Doug Larsen of Westmont, IL41 Mark O’Brien of Appleton, WI & Rich Stadler of Oshkosh, WI42 Brad Knoll of Menasha, WI & Kurt Knoll of Appleton, WI43 Brian Sislo of Porterfield, WI & Dan Sislo of Medford, WI44 Larry Keller of Neshkoro, WI & Chad Kropp of Neshkoro, WI45 Gary Merkel of Arlington, IL & Bruce Merkel of Spring Valley, IL46 Dennis Butz of Suamico, WI & Scott Allen of Green Bay, WI47 Bruce Sesko of Lake Villa, IL & Erik Sesko of Trevor, WI48 Tim Harms of Owatonna, MN & Chad Kruse of Allison, IA49 Charlie Brant of Russell, PA & Tim Fields of Clarendon, PA50 Dan Wheaton of Yorkville, IL & Ted Koplin of Yorkville, IL51 Tony Dowiatt of Stevens Point, WI & Matt Dowiatt of Goodfield, IL52 Jim Wahl of Eldridge, IA & Dave Nichols of Cedar Rapids, IA53 Mark De Deker of Larsen, WI of Cathy De Deker of Larsen, WI54 Jason Muche of Neenah, WI & Mark Hanson of Oshkosh, WI55 Kevin Dahlhauser of Cottage Grove, WI & David Koller of Iron Mountain, MI56 Maury Schmerbach of Dubuque, IA & Mike Glynn of Dubuque, IA 57 Kevin Jenny of Gretna, NE & Brett Vinzant of Bertrand, NE58 Marty Stuefen of Cedar Rapids, IA & Mickey Stuefen of Cedar Rapids, IA59 Ron Fear of Hermiston, OR & Don Skinner of Arvada, CO60 Chad Miller of Phoenix, AZ & Carl Heller of Norfolk, NECabela’s is the title sponsor for the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official Sponsors are Toyota, Lindy Legendary Tackle, Mercury Motors, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), Ranger Boats, MotorGuide, Lowrance Electronics and the North American Fishing Club. Associate sponsors are Salmo Performance Lures, Panther Marine-Tech Products, Tommy Docks, The Inhibitor, Food Source Lures, Ice Armor, Pennzoil Marine, Farm and City Insurance Services and Walleye Central.