MWC on Big Stone cancelled

[fish]

The MWC on Big Stone has been cancelled. Seems that since Cabelas is holding their championship at the same time and Cabelas may be an upcoming sponser for the MWC. It was decided to let Cabelas govern where and when tournaments will be held. To be quite honest I never thought Kaz would let himself be pushed around. Money Talks. Now we know who may be dictating the future of touraments.

[Bad Finger]

Cancelled or Re-scheduled? Curious where you got this info.

[CrestHawk]

Any further confirmation of this thread?? I don't think you can characterize this as a case of Kaz getting "pushed around". This would be an example of Kaz working with others in the industry to make sure that the new MWC is the best it can be.

[WAZ]

Yes money talks. To get the most money for the pay out at the Big Stone tournament you would want a full field. If there is another major tournament going on at the same time it would dilute your field. So there would be less money for the pay-out. So "Fish" you are absolutely correct, money talks. As far as anyone pushing Kaz around, I don't think so. He obviously thought it through and made the best decision. When it's ready for publication I'm sure he will let us know whats going on. In the mean time sit tight and find something else to nag about.

[???????'s]

Yes maybe we could get a confirmation from MWC? Just like a confirmation of a date for the championship for next year? And will the championship qualifiers next year be competing in the fall 2002 or in spring 2003? I thought the applications for next year's circuit are starting to be accepted this week...Dec. 1st? Hopefully MWC will answer a lot of the important questions that are up in the air so people can decide whether to fish it and if their calendars allow for it. Will those that competed last year be getting brochures/ applications for the new year?

[Sonny]

I guess I can Confirm, we were notified today of the cancellation. It may be a good move for MWC but it sure sucks for Ortonville. I don't think Kaz is pulling the strings, I think he's just the spokesperson.
It is sad when a Tourney can be bought out from a city who has worked so hard to make it a success.Had it not been for all the hard work put in by hundreds of volunteers this tourney wouldn't have been a diserable purchase.

[mnjimcarp]

RELAX, wow... it is really poor when people have to knee jerk and react without any idea of what they are talking about. take a moment and consider the big picture. it is really obvious to me how hard it is to be a tournament director when there are people with little or no information making such quick negative comments. come on folks, give the new MWC organizers some credit and assume that they might be making decisions that are in all of our best interest. good luck to the new MWC group.

[Sonny]

Easy for you to relax when it's not your pocket book that is getting hurt. We estimate $150,000 comes into our comunity from the MWC,not to mention the thousands of dollars for the conservation fund & the tourism assoc.

[Sonny]

CANCELLED...I got my call from Kaz this morning. Maybe get it back in 2003.

[Chris G]

Gee Sonny, I am sorry to hear about this. I hope something can be worked out to get out there this year. You guys in Ortonville put on a great tourney and we have met alot of good friends out there! Gina and I were looking forward to making sure you get in the big fish pot this year! ( if this is the Sonny I am thinking of! )
I believe Ortonville has done too much to be forgotten about and it will be back. I hope!
Chris and Gina Gasser

[Toad]

I seldom bother to post on these boards. Just lazy I guess, but this time such a dreadful wrong is being done that I just had to say something. I have fished the MWC at bigstone many times. Never have I seen a community work so hard to see that the fisherman are well taken care of. During that one week the MWC contestants are almost worshipped by the locals. They even have constructed a nice granite MWC monument with the inscription of the winners each year. Their World Championship banquet was the best ever. Shame on Cabelas for using their money and muscle to do this dreadful wrong. Shame on Kaz- The last person on earth that I expected to let this happen. To the city of Ortonville - I salute you. Forget about the MWC -turn your back on them as they have done you. Dont't let them come back if they keep up this type of backstabbing they will fall by the wayside.

[Sonny]

THANKS, That sounds like a great idea, but I don't pull the strings around here either.

[steve baugnet]

EVERYONE JUST SETTLE DOWN! i've known kaz for over 15 years and in the past he's run the most successful tournament circuit ever started. and i believe the new mwc will be just as sucessful. so please just settle down and quit wining things will work out. why don't all you winers post your real name so we all know who you are. see you all on the water----at all the mwc events!!!!!!!

[walleye guy]

If it is true maybe us locals should get a petation going to show the MWC or whoever is behind this just how much support there is in this community and maybe that might change there mind. I don't know of too many communities that support the MWC like Ortonville, Milbank, and Big Stone City. I sure hope they decide to change there mind if it is true.

[gonfishn95]

I too have known Kaz a long time and this is a good move for the overall picture I am sure he would not do anything to hurt a circuit he loves and built. And Bev helped or was it Kaz helped either way let us see. Let us all sit back and take a deep breath, and wait and see what happens. It is a long time till spring again, So relax.
I will personally miss Big Stone I like it there.
Yes folks money does talk but without their money no circuit the money you pay to enter does not cover all expenses. And that is a fact!!!! live with it.
Sonny A. what would be the chances of having some kind of tournament in that same slot of time. I am sure the whole field was not going to Cabelas. Maybe we could start something with a big payout I personally would donate my time to help put one on. Maybe for 1 year we could do without just a thought. Either way I will still go to big stone for a few days,
Larry Dawson NPAA #273

[info]

With PWT at Leech lake that next week, fisherman that fish both ckts would have to cancel one or repartner with someone else. . Sat and Sun are critical PWT pre fishing and registration days, plus there is boat inspection required for exotic spec. on thurs before pre starts.
MWC is accomidating the pros that fish both. There schedule was set back in August.

[dls]

i have fished the mwc for the last 5 yrs. i came in a real green horn just wanting to compete with some of the best fisherman and ladies in the country. i took my lumps and still do. i have meet alot of great people and some i don't care for. all i want to know is were the top fifty teams will be fishing next year. you can't get a ansewer from anyone. when i first started out you could call kaz at any time to find out what was happening and he would get back to you right away. now you can only get ahold of them only on there time. and i can understand that. but when they say you can email them and get a ansewer. well i am still waiting? i am sorry that we lost BIG STONE as a site to fish it was a blast to go out there and were shorts on sunday and have to switch to full rain gere.lol. we also lost g.b. oconto bent over backwards for all of us. but we get to go to lbdn. who if we go to load our boats to fast we get tickets. or they might be hiding in the brush just waiting for us. that they don't even want us up there. if you were at the rules meeting most of us would know. they don't want us. but because of my time i can get off of work i will still fish the mwc because it still is the best show in town. sorry it was so long just need to know.

[Fish-on]

Prairie Du Chein

[Sonny]

My real name is Arthur G. Arndt, commonly known as Sonny,former tournament directer. I worked my ##### off for 7 years helping MWC to be the success that it is. Over a hundred volunteers & myself donated thousands of hours. Pretty dam hard to be calm.

[Sonny]

It's being talked about, but the powers to be think that all we have to do is hang up a poster & announce that we're having one. As you know it takes a lot more than that, I don't think I have the energy or desire to put into a project that big.

[GM]

Is it possible that North American will reschedule at Big Stone just at a different time? I hope so, April or June. There were only 4 tournament sites for next year cutting down from previous years. That would leave only 3 which I am sure is not the case. If anyone from the MWC reads these posts can you please give some response to this? Will Big Stone be rescheduled, replaced with another site on the same days, or are we down to only 3 sites which is now hardly a tournament circuit anymore just by definition? Kaz is now just the MC and not calling the shots anymore. I hate to see any negative posts regarding him. He is the reason the MWC exists. Unfortunately no one else can seem to pull it off like Bev and Kaz, that takes a certain kind of passion and love for what you do. Maybe North American is just ironing out some rough spots, it's their first year after all. Sonny knows what it takes because of all the great tournaments he and the community of Ortonville ran over the years. Even though it is a long ride for me to get there I wouldn't miss it. I love the fishery and the community. It is my favorite of the year. Love that shallow water bite and big fish. What a combination! Thats where I first learned you can catch walleye in with the spawning carp. Couldn't believe it when I actually started catching walleye like that. I will certainly miss rolling into town late going to the Econo Lodge, going to the Dairy Queen, Bait shop, and just walking around town and shops. Most of all I will miss the people at the tournament both during and after the day on the water.