NEW Item RCL mailing list
Join the
mailing list! This list has been formed to share information on ridesharing,
lodging info and press releases for the RCL tournaments Enter your email
address below, then click the 'Join List' button Enter your email address
below, then click the 'Sign Up' button
For additional information, please contact:
Brian G. Sayner, Vice President, Communications, (270) 362-5212
Dave Washburn, Communications Specialist, (270) 362-5213
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OPERATION WALLEYE INTRODUCES NEW TOURNAMENT SERIES
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky., (Dec. 21, 2000) — Operation Walleye announced Thursday
the introduction of a $2.9 million professional walleye fishing circuit
known as the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Series.
The announcement comes less than three months after the organization
held its first walleye event – the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Championship
in Green Bay, Wis. The RCL Championship held Oct. 4-7, 2000, awarded a
top prize of $300,000 cash to Scott Glorvigen of Grand Rapids, Minn., instantly
placing him among the sport’s top all-time money winners.
Named after retail giant Wal-Mart and boat manufacturers Ranger, Crestliner
and Lund, the RCL Series will be the world’s most lucrative walleye fishing
circuit and the center of attraction for the nation’s 4 million walleye
anglers.
According to Operation Walleye president Charlie Hoover, the Wal-Mart
RCL Series is intended to elevate competitive walleye fishing to national
stature through top-dollar tournaments and big name sponsors – a formula
that has worked well in other professional fishing arenas.
“We view this as an opportunity to help grow the sport as a whole,”
Hoover said. “After an extremely successful RCL Championship earlier this
year, we decided to continue the momentum and build on the foundation that
has been laid by that event and by the tournament organizations that supported
it.”
The 2001 RCL Series will consist of four qualifying events and a year-end
championship. Each full field qualifier will award anglers $390,750 and
a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat. The top Pro Division award in each qualifying
event is $50,000 plus a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat, and the top Co-Angler
Division award is $15,000. The RCL Championship will feature a top award
up to $400,000 in the Pro Division and up to $150,000 in the Co-Angler
Division. All told, the RCL Championship purse could pay up to $1.4 million
cash.
The first tournament of the new series will be held April 11-14 on
Lake Erie in Port Clinton, Ohio, followed by a stop in LaCrosse, Wis.,
May 9-12 for a tournament on the Mississippi River. The two remaining qualifying
tournaments will be held June 13-16 on Saginaw Bay in Bay City, Mich.,
and Sept. 5-8 on Devils Lake in Devils Lake, N.D.
Green Bay, Wis., the site of the inaugural RCL Championship, will host
the 2001 RCL Championship Oct. 2-6. There, North America’s finest walleye
anglers will fish the Fox River and Green Bay for the sport’s top award.
Ranger, Crestliner and Lund boat owners will fill the 175 pro slots
in each RCL qualifying event while 175 co-angler berths in each tournament
will be available to the public. Entry fees for each tournament are $1,250
for pros and $500 for co-anglers.
Anglers in each qualifier will fish in three elimination rounds. The
full field will compete for two days, after which the field will be cut
to the top 60 pros and co-anglers who will then compete for one day in
the semi-final round. The top 12 pros and co-anglers after the semi-final
round will advance to the final day of competition. Catch weights carry
over for the first two days, but anglers will start the semi-final and
final rounds from zero.
Entry fees for the $1.4 million championship are $1,500 for pros and
$750 for co-anglers. A total of 200 anglers from the RCL qualifiers and
other sanctioned tournament organizations will compete in each division
in the championship.
Founded in 1968 and based in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is a premier
builder of fiberglass fishing boats that are known as “The Leader by Innovation,”
Crestliner has specialized in building affordable aluminum fishing and
pleasure boats since 1946. Today’s Crestliner designs feature rivet-free
hulls backed by North America’s premier warranty. Lund produces more
than 60 different models of premium aluminum fishing boats. The company
started its tradition of quality in 1948 and continues to perfect the art
of aluminum boat building from its New York Mills, Minn., and headquarters.
Complete program details and entry forms will be forthcoming on the
Web at www.operationwalleye.com. Additional information on the 2001
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Series is also available from Operation Walleye at
270-362-5259
RCL 2001 Schedule
of tournaments and information
Date:
April 11 - 14, 2001
Location
Lake Erie Port Clinton, Ohio
Host
Ottawa County Visitors Bureau
109 Madison Street
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452
Phone: 800-441-1271
Marina
Catawba Island State Park
4049 E. Moore's Dock Road
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452
Phone: 419-797-4530
Registration
April 10, 2001 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Pre -Tournament Meeting
6:30 p.m.
Performing Arts Center
821 Jefferson Street
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452
Housing
Comfort Inn Waterfront
1723 Perry Street
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452
Phone: 419-732-2929
Priority
registration for Operation Walleye events to commence March 26
General RCL registration begins March 27
Attention Walleye Anglers: Operation Walleye will begin accepting priority
entries for the 2001 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit at 8 a.m. CST March 26.
Priority entries will be accepted from Pro Division anglers who enter all
four events and are Ranger, Crestliner or Lund Owners, and from Co-anglers
who own a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat.
The Pro Division is open to all Ranger, Crestliner and Lund boat owners
who are at least 16 years old. The Co-Angler Division is open to all anglers
who are at least 16 years old regardless of boat brand.
General tournament entry opens March 27 at 8 a.m.
Each full-field qualifying tournament will award anglers $390,750 and
a Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat. The top Pro Division award in each qualifying
event is $50,000 plus a new boat. The top Co-Angler Division award is $15,000.
The RCL Championship, slated for Oct. 3-6, will feature a top award of
up to $400,000 in the Pro Division and up to $150,000 in the Co-Angler
Division.
Up to $2.9 million could be awarded during the 2001 season, making the
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit the most lucrative walleye fishing series
in the history of the sport.
For more information, contact Operation Walleye at 270-362-5259.
04/03/01
Attention Walleye Anglers:
Do you want a chance to win up to $50,000 plus a fully rigged Ranger,
Crestliner or Lund boat powered by a Mercury or Yamaha outboard? If so,
sign up for the first Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit tournament on Lake Erie
in Port Clinton, Ohio, April 11-14.
This $390,750 event is the start of the most lucrative walleye fishing
series in history, and there are still a limited number of openings in
both the Pro and Co-Angler Divisions.
Ranger, Crestliner and Lund boat owners are eligible to fish as pros,
while co-angler berths are open to the public. Entry fees are only $1,250
for pros and $500 for co-anglers. Register online or call Operation Walleye
at 270-362-5259 to reserve your place in history
Walleyes Inc. website is maintained
by Randy
Tyler Fishing the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Circuit, Masters
Walleye Circuit and the Team Walleye Circuit. All rights reserved.Copyright
1999/2002
Please visit these site sponsors
