The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) World Walleye Championship will take place on Little and Big Bay De Noc this weekend with top anglers from the United States competing for $100,000 in cash and prizes. The event, which is nationally televised on NBC Sports marks the last in a series of 11 tournaments and will wrap up the 2013 Masters Walleye Circuit season with the crowning of the World Champion October 19th at 4:30 pm ET at the UP State Fair Grounds in the Miracle of Life Educational Pavilion.
Weigh-ins will be held in the Miracle of Life Building at the Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds (2401 12th Ave N, Escanaba, Mich.) Thursday – Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET. Tournament launches out of Gladstone Harbor at Van Cleve Park in Gladstone each morning at 8 a.m. ET.
Steve Masters, Director of the Bays de Noc Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) said, “The anglers have been be in town practicing and getting familiar with the fishery for about a week in hopes of claiming the title Walleye Champion of the World. We have never had an October tournament in my nearly ten years at the CVB and it will be interesting to see the positive effect the tournament has on increasing overnight stays at our members hotels and motels. The tournament is a great way to showcase our local fishery and the assets of our local area to these visitors. It is common to have visitors come to our area for the tournament, and then return with family and friends to enjoy all that our area has to offer.”
Vickie Micheau Director of the Delta County Area Chamber of Commerce said, “Besides future boosts in tourism, the tournament brings a very real immediate positive economic impact to the area. The event is expected to bring over 50 two-person teams to the area. Additionally, staff and family members will bring the number of visitors up even further. Each of these people will stay, eat, pick up necessities forgotten at home, grab some last minute forgotten equipment from our local business community and, if possible, see a few of our sights while in town.”
Masters and Micheau credit the City of Gladstone, Bay de Noc Great Lakes Sports Fisherman, the UP State Fairgrounds, Bay Pines Center and their organizations respective memberships for making the area tournament friendly for the organizers and the anglers that participate in the tournaments.
Masters added, “We could not bring this type of positive economic impact into the area without the help of various parties involved and we are grateful for all of their support. Attending the launching of the boats and the weigh-in ceremonies are free, we encourage people to attend the launches at Vancleve Park in Gladstone at 8am and the weigh-ins Thurs – Sat at the UP State Fair Grounds at 4:30 on the same days.”
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