For further information contact:
Kristine Houtman, Events Director    
Tel., 952-988-7116    
Fax, 952-936-9755
E-mail, khoutman@namginc.com
 

CABELA'S MWC CENTRAL DIVISION OPENER MARCH 27 & 28 
LINDY LEGENDARY TACKLE TOURNEY FILLS IN ONE DAY 

    Minnetonka, MN-For more than five months, Cabela's Masters Walleye
Circuit anglers have been suffering from non-tournamentitis.  Their cure is
at hand however, and soon rods will be bending, reels will be spinning and
the familiar cry of, "Fish on!" will fill the air.
Cabela's MWC competition begins March 27 & 28 with the Lindy Legendary
Tackle Team Tournament to be held on the Illinois River at Spring Valley,
IL.  This is the 18th consecutive year that the Spring Valley Walleye Club
(SVWC) is hosting the event, which signifies the official end to the annual
cabin fever season.  The 220-team field filled in one day with a sizeable
waiting list.  Teams will be competing for over $107,000 in cash with over
$28,000 going to the winners.
At first glance, newcomers to the Illinois River find it hard to believe
that this off-colored, barge filled waterway is considered the finest sauger
fishery in North America.  It surrenders its share of walleyes as well.
Local DNR biologist Mike Cochran oversees the fishery and credits the Clean
Water Act of 1973 with improving the water quality on the Illinois.  The
results he states, is a riverway that can support large numbers of forage
fish which sauger, walleye and other game fish feast upon.  Predators get
fat on shad, emerald shiners and other minnows. Four-pound saugers are
common to the system.  Thanks to the DNR's annual fish stocking program
which is augmented by the gathering of eggs and sperm from tournament caught
fish and supported by monetary donations from the SVWC as well as the MWC
Conservation Fund, the future remains bright for this prolific
fish-producing body of water.
Last year's event was won by John Broncato (Coal City, IL) and Mark Meravy
(Shorewood, IL) with a nine fish catch totaling 31.56 lbs.  They quick
trolled three-way rigs up-river between 10 and 12 feet of water along the
main channel lip, downstream from the clam bed area.  Their rigs consisted
of minnow-imitating crankbaits on a 40-inch leader. They also used 1 to 1
1/4 ¼ ounce jigs tipped with plastic baits on an 8-inch dropper.
Unlike most major rivers such as the Mississippi, the Illinois lacks wing
dams, closing dams and riprap shorelines, which serve as fish holding
current breaks.  The Starved Rock Dam is the most obvious visible river
structure lying within tournament boundaries which end at the Henry Bridge,
but angler boat traffic below the dam can be gunnel to gunnel.  The
downriver side of bridge abutments, barge-docking facilities, barges
tied-off at the bank, or anything that breaks the river's flow will create a
fish holding eddy.  Besides the dam area, tournament hot spots include the
mouth of the Vermilion River, Peru flats, DePue clam beds and the Hennepin
flats.  Hot lures include Lindy Techni-Glo and Electric Fuzz-E-Grub jigs
tipped with minnows and Cotton Cordell Grappler Shad crankbaits.
Daily Illinois River fishing and water conditions are posted on the SVWC
website, www.spring-valley-walleye.org.   Local tournament director, Mike
Hurless, may be reached at 815-664-5487.  Further tournament information can
be obtained at www.masterswalleyecircuit.com, or by calling the MWC
toll-free at 1-877-893-7947.
Openings exist in the remaining 2004 MWC tournaments, although the Winnebago
tournament is nearing capacity at this time.  Entry fee is $600 per team.  
MWC Central
Spring Valley, Illinois River, March 27-28
Oshkosh, WI, Lake Winnebago, June 26-27
Walker, MN, Leech Lake, September 18-19
MWC East
Henderson Harbor, NY, Lake Ontario, May 22-23
Jamestown, NY, Lake Chautauqua, July 17-18
Linwood, MI, Saginaw Bay, August 7-8
In addition to Cabela's, MWC sponsors include-Lindy Legendary Tackle,
Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Ranger Boats, The Outdoor Channel,
North American Fishing Club, Smithwick Lures, Cotton Cordell, MotorGuide,
Daiichi Hooks, Panther Marine, Lure Eyes, Xtreme Sports and Walleye Central

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