GREEN BAY, Wis. – The city of Green Bay is no stranger to high-level competition. On July 24-25, that competition will take place on the water, not the gridiron, as the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour hosts its third qualifier of the 2015 season on the sprawling sub-basin of Lake Michigan. And just like its football, Green Bay boasts incredible walleye fishing – all but ensuring an open-water slugfest.

 

In addition to the lucrative tournament payout, anglers will be fishing for points in the year-long Lucas Oil Angler of the Year race. Currently leading AOY with 374 points is HydroWave pro Mark Courts.

 

“It’s a great position to be in, but honestly, it’s not something that I think about when I’m practicing or even during the tournament,” explained Courts. “I don’t want to get too caught up in the race. I need to focus on what the fish are doing, work hard, do my thing and everything else falls into place.”

 

Courts admitted he’s optimistic about the Green Bay event and the year-end championship on Devils Lake.

 

“I will say I’m excited about the next two bodies of water,” he added. “Green Bay is always fun, and always challenging. I think we’re going to see some big weights; the walleye population is healthy and I love to troll. I’m excited to get out there.”

 

Historically, Green Bay is known as a troller’s paradise and while planer boards, night crawlers and spinners will get plenty of use, spoons and jigs will also account for numerous fish. Last year, first- and second-place finishers Keith Kavajecz and Gary Parsons cast an ice-fishing lure, the Moonshine Shiver Minnow, to dominate the Bays de Noc event, Green Bay’s neighbor to the north.

 

Courts said something comparable could happen again this year, although Michigan waters are off-limits to tournament anglers.

 

“That bait or similar baits could definitely come into play. There are a lot of glide baits like that out there and they are effective. There could be a cranking bite too. Everyone thinks it’s just going to be pulling spinners over humps, but you have to have an open mind.”

 

Local Appleton, Wis., angler Dean Arnoldussen also believes casting will be more prominent than in years past. He went so far as to predict that half the field be will be casting instead of trolling.

 

“Traditionally, we don’t cast on the Bay,” said the renowned Ranger pro. “But that mindset is changing and people are keying in on those casting spots.”

 

Green Bay’s walleye fishing in late June and early July has been mediocre, thanks in large part to an influx of alewives, a prominent Great Lakes baitfish. Arnoldussen believes the bite will only improve in the coming weeks as the fish migrate north and the alewives spread out.

 

“Right now, the fish are scattered and transitioning. A lot of fish are coming out of the river and dispersing to the mud flats. The water temperature in the lower Bay is about 70 degrees. As that warms up, the alewives head north and the walleyes will follow. Compared to last year, that migration is ahead of schedule.”

 

Some of the more popular areas include Geano’s Reef on the south end and the Chambers and Strawberry islands to the north. To reach Chambers Island, anglers must endure a 60-mile one-way run from the takeoff location in Green Bay.

 

“That distance makes this a very interesting, strategic tournament. You want some sort of wind to key on certain points and certain rocks. But if there is wind, the travel is going to be tough. The bottom line is that you’re not going to have much time to fish if you go north. We hope to have a couple game plans with fish both north and south, depending on the conditions.”

 

Both Courts and Arnoldussen think catching walleyes should not be a problem.

 

“The bite should be good, it should be really good, but things can change overnight,” added Courts. “One strong wind can completely change the water temperature and destroy your area.”

 

“Late July and early August is probably the best time of year to have a tournament on Green Bay, but it is still going to be weather dependent,” Arnoldussen said. “Everyone is going to catch fish. But to win the tournament, you’re going to need a strong game plan that balances running time versus fishing time. I will say the winning weight will be very close to 60 pounds (over two days).”

 

Anglers will take off each day at 7 a.m. Central time from Metro Boat Launch, located at 102 Bay Beach Rd. in Green Bay. The daily weigh-ins will also take place at Metro Boat Launch, beginning at 3 p.m. The full field fishes each day with the winner in each division being determined by the heaviest cumulative weight.

 

The National Walleye Tour consists of three regular-season events and a year-end championship. Each regular season event is a two-day, pro-am tournament and delivers over a 100 percent payback. Pros compete against other pros, and co-anglers compete against other co-anglers.

 

Registration is ongoing for the Green Bay event. The deadline for guaranteed entry (by signing up with a pro or co-angler) is July 8. Registration can be taken over the phone at 501-794-2064 or online by visiting www.nationalwalleyetour.com/tournaments/register/. For more information on rules and tournament payouts, visit www.nationalwalleyetour.com.

The Green Bay Registration and Meeting will be held at the Cabela’s Green Bay store on Thursday evening.  THANK YOU for having us!

 

Thursday, July 23 – Registration 2-4pm/Pairing Meeting 5pm

1499 Lombardi Ave

Ashwaubenon, WI 54304