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Will The FLW Walleye Tour Cease Operations?

Category: Tournament

 Oct 23rd, 2012 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Oct 23rd, 2012 at 12:00 AM

The 2012 competitive walleye angling year is coming to a close this week as the FLW Championship gets underway on the Mississippi out of the Quad Cities. Anticipation is high despite a very tough bite, but rumors in the industry the FLW will be leaving the competitive Walleye angling arena, placing 100% of the FLW focus on Bass, have been very persistent.

The official FLW response to those rumors sent to the Pros and other supporters of the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour via email stated only that a circuit will be available for the Pros to fish in 2013, pointedly excluding any mention that the circuit would be run by or in any manner affiliated with the FLW.

OutdoorsFIRST has received numerous telephone calls and emails from industry sources, tournament Pros, and media sources regarding the FLW Walleye Tour over the last 60 days, persisting with numerous telephone and email comments while we attended the MWC Championship last weekend. The information offered was consistent and clear, and appears to be accurate.

We feel this news is now ‘out into the public’ and worthy of comment.

 It appears that the FLW Championship will be the last Walleye tournament the FLW will host.

Reports are a new circuit is forming up quickly, and a schedule of events will be announced at the FLW Championship this week. Out of respect for the organizers and the FLW, we will wait until the official announcement to comment further.

Despite extremely tough economic times for the Industry, the FLW has been considered the ‘flagship’ Walleye circuit since the closing of the PWT a few years ago. The addition of Mercury Marine as a sponsor had opened the field to more of the Pros who had fished the PWT, and the competition in 2012 was more rough and tumble and more interesting for the fans of competitive walleye angling.

If indeed the information we have received is correct, and we believe it is, we look very much forward to covering the new Circuit.

 If indeed the information we received is true, the FLW Walleye Tour’s friendly personnel and superb hospitality will be missed by Walleye fans, the Pros, and our Walleye coverage team.

It will be an interesting 2013.