The team selection process for the 2004 Cabela's National Team Championship has been completed. All tournament directors will be notified of the complete selections via email (where applicable) and USPS priority mail starting Wednesday Nov. 26th. Please contact your tournament director to review your team's status. For teams that placed high in more than one association please check all associations applicable.

Congratulations to all teams who competed in qualifiers. The selection process this year have been extremely difficult because of the increased quality of the competition. Your efforts have made this tournament the most prestigous team event in walleye fishing.

The tournament will be held in early June 2004. The location will not be announced until after the first of the year.

Chuck, how can we get a hold of you? Phone? Email?

Chuck- Is there any way Cabela's can post the list to this site (udate section) or to the Cabela's site?? Thanks.

I agree, it would be nice to see all the names of the teams going and where they are from.

Just wondering if you have read our questions or not.Waiting for replies.

Saginaw Bay seems like a strange choice to me considering what types of circuits the teams are coming from, but if that is true I'm all for it.

My reply above was to a guy who wrote "saginawbay" all jumbled up. The message was deleted for some reason. This has got to be the most over-moderated board on the internet if you're gonna delete stuff like that. Reminds me of the wwr thread that kept getting locked and unlocked.

Someone probably saw it and figured it was jibberish, and that's probably why it was deleted. I saw it yesterday, and almost zapped it myself, but figured it out and left it.

Juls

Clever decryption. I must be a little slow. It does seem odd that it would get dusted.
God Speed!

Yes it does seem strange someone would delete a post on mere speculation of a tournament site,,,unless of course thats where the tournament is going to be.So should i make my reservations now or wait another month or so??LOL,Kdog

It wasn't mere specutlation of where a tournament site would be, but rather a jumbled up word of "Saginaw Bay" that made it confusing to the moderator who deleted it.
Had the poster just said, "Saginaw Bay", it probably wouldn't have been deleted, but he chose to scramble up the letters, in fun I assume, that confused the moderator that deleted it.

Just my observation....

Juls

Chuck are you out there?????? Can you respond to this post?

I made the list of teams, HOORAY!!!

Now we just need to know whwre we are going too on our road trip in June! Any hints???

Magic
See you on the water!!!

How did you access the list? Is there a web site? Thanks

Chuck, heres the bump. any answers on the lists?

The circuit director for the qualifier got it in the mail yesterday (Monday). See your tournament director for Cabelas qualifier.
Magic
See you on the water!!!

TTT -Come on Chuck any kind of response will do.

Chuck, you started it, please respond.

I myself would like to know if by next year (2004) it is possible for Cabelas to set rules that will govern there team championship for the furture. I myself also made it but I guess I was on the bubble until our tournament director got confirmation this week. There was a team that lives in my state but qualified in another state & apparently Cabelas wanted to send them in our spot even though they did fish the circuit I did but happen to live in the same state. I can't understand why Cabelas can't get a set rules for all clubs trying to qualify teams to go to this Team Championship. If they want it to be an invitational tourney then tell us. It's not fair to teams that fish a whole season & think they made it & find out maybe they did not make it. Come on Cabelas it can't be that hard to come up with a set of rules that tells you the eligilbilty needed to quilify for this Team Championship.

How about 1 more bump, chucks maybe hunting?

Amen

I couldn't say it better. I haven't talked to a tournament director yet who understands how people are selected.

Give Cabelas a break guys, It's the same with anything that's new you have to work out the bugs.

I don't have problems with organizations working out the bugs.

I have problems with organizations not explaining the rules that I'm supposed to live by. Open communication is always best.

I agree, I fished a circuit where the winners quilified for the NTC. Well, the winners of 2 of the tournaments did not get an invite by Cabelas. That stinks!

I can also understand working bugs out, but this is the 3rd year they have held this event & I would think after three years you would have had plenty of time to work it out.
B Bob

The 2004 Cabela's NTC will NOT be returning to Milford Lake, KS in 2004. Though we would have submitted a bid to host, we were not selcted as a bid site.
We want to say thanks to everyone that asked us to have it at Milford again, but understand Cabela's wanting to move it around.
If we get a bid packet for 2005, we will bid it.
Good Luck to all of the teams and Good Fishing.

Can you tell us who all submitted bids?

Mississippi River,Devil Lake,Saginawbay ?

Devils Lake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do not know if Cabela's made the choice or our MWT board was involved, but the top 5 finishers from last years tour are NOT going, we have several much lower finishers accepted. I hope the MWT board has not shot themselves in the foot with this decision if they had any part at all. Cabela's, if it was your decision why did you not take the 5 best finishers from our tour?

They did take the top 2 teams! Don't know how they? chose the other 3 teams?

I can see Devil's lake and Mississippi river since Cabela's has stores that are kinda close by, but do they have a store near Saginawbay?

How about Chamberlin? Mitchell, SD has a Cablea's.

Capt Paul,
You meen that your Top 5 teams were not taken? They took teams that finished under them? If so how did they determine who they took?
B. Bob

Bob, don't have any idea, but our top 5 are not going. End of story, that is wrong, either on the part of Cabelas or on the part of the MWT board.

Rumor has it ! Man nothing like having to drive 1,000+++++ miles every year to fish this event. But, I am not complaining because you are lucky and good to be part of this event! Looking forward to it.

OUR CLUB WAS ASKED TO SUPPORT A CNT ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN DUBUQUE. BUT IT GETS BID OUT WITH OTHER CITES. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I HAVE A PLACE FOR THE 2004 CNT. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

From the state of Maryland TP195 and MDeye

So now the moderators delete all posts that they just don't understand, as well as the ones that break the very clear rules stated by Scott? I had a post dusted the other day for reasons I'll never understand. This is getting out of hand, in my honest opinion.

Mr Dan Mejeski,

That shouldn't be a suprise. You worked it out with your good friend Chuck that you and 9 other teams from a private run MULTI-SPIECES tournament with only 15 boats in it would be put on the list. All from Montana.

It's your doing things like this that has caused 150+ members to quit the Billings Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited. You aren't the most popular person out there.

Many of those people who have quit Walleyes Unlimited swear they will never fish another Cabela's tournament again or ever spend another dime at their stores.

I know this post will probably get dusted, but I promised many of those people out there that I would put it on here for them so they would not incriminate themselves.

Aren't you directly tied into the new Team Cicuit that is starting next year?

I understand That two teams from off the board on the M.W.T made the cut is that true? If so I understand why the top five teams didnt make it after all.I hope they take this tournament out west as far away as possible and it ends up during one of the M.W.T. tournament dates.

If Cabela's knows the location they should post the information.Why keep it a secret.The sooner everyone knows the better.Maybe it's still undecided. Just have to wait and see.

Boy Jack, Your right on the money on this one. Dan Majeske thinks he runs the whole state of Montana walleye fishing. I wonder how all the rest of the states would feel if they new that in Montana you only had to have 15 teams in their Cabela's qualifier to qualify 10 teams!!
People in MT must purchase alot more product from Cabela's to get that kind of entry placement or else something Fishy is going on. That tourney wasn't even a walleye event, It was a multi-species event. Maybe someday Dan will get what's coming to him

The Cabelas qualifier for the State of Mt. was advertised as the Cystic Fibrosis Tourney all spring and summer. It was also advertised as a BENEFIT tourney. BENEFIT as in NO prize money. Cabelas offerede to help out by trying to draw a full field.
Unfortunately, most od the teams in the Mt. Walleye Circuit were not interested in fishing for a great cause. Those of us that did fish the tourney had a great time!
Not everyone in Walleyes Unlimited of Mt. likes Magic, including me, but he spent his time and money to travel to Ft. Peck to try to win one of the qualifying spots. All the teams in the Mt. Circuit had the same chance to fish the tourney. They chose not to.
Those that did fish the tourney shauld be commended for spending their time and money fishing for a great cause. C.F. is a terrible disease!
The Mt. qualifiers caught 15 to 40 lbs. of WALLEYES during a tough bite. Unfortunately, I was not one of them.
Apparentley, some people have a bone to pick with Magic. Please do it in another forum. The Mt. qualifiers for the Cabelas National Tourney deserve to go just as much as any of the other teams that won a spot. Don't bet against them. You may lose.
Thank You CABELAS for lending your good nace to help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

probably close to one of thier four stores that sell boats.
Just a guess.

Sorry you feel that way, all I know is I fished a Cabelas Qualiier and qualified. It was listed for 5+ months, anyone could have fished it. Cabelas had asked that other tournaments be qualifiers and they had no response back. I fished a tournament, WOW what heat for qualifying!!! It was NOT a multi-species tournament, it was a walleye tournament, with measuring boats by Alvie, etc. Anyone could have called Gina to find out the rules, she was the tournament director, applied for the Cabelas qualifier etc, I had nothing to do wityh that part. Yes a bass and northern belt buckle were given out for the biggest bass and northern but I don't think that was considering it multi species.

Cystic Fibosis will be a qualifier again and I hope you all fish it, it's for a great cause
Magic
See you on the water!!!

It is my understanding that some qualifiers will ask you when you enter a tournament if you want to chip in say 20 bucks per team to be eligible to qualify for the NTC.

If the top 5 finishers did not anti up for what ever reason they would not be eligible for the NTC. So you are getting the top numbers of people who wished to be considered, and not necessarily the tournament winner.

You must remember that who ever does get in still has to beat about 249 other teams to win that thing.

Good luck qualifiers

Just a bit more info on your MT tourney comments.
I doesn't appear that it was as much a hard fought battle to make the cut weight as you might suggest. Here are a couple of other facts that say it wasn't such a tough bite..

1) The two tournaments held during the 3 weeks prior to the Cabela's Qualifier posted record or near record weights.
Gov. Cup(July 11,12) - 1st place = 47.38 lbs, 20th place = 22.24 lbs
Jordan tourney(July 25,26) - 1st place = 57.22 lbs, 20th place = 24.18 lbs

2) Cabela's Qualifier(Aug.1,2)- 1st place = 49.1 lbs, 10th place = 8.3 lbs

3) the tournament held after the qualifier once again produce a better showing.
Fall Classic(Aug.9,10)- 1st place = 48.06 lbs, 10th place = 21.55 lbs, 20th place = 11 lbs.

It would appear that it was indeed a pretty good bite all summer at that lake. Making the cut had more to to with a poor turn out(17 boats total showing up)than anything. It would appear that most simply chose to fish the more competitive tourneys that took place around the qualifier.
Over and out.......

I have a hard time understanding what you are saying. This is what you said.

1. The bite at Fort Peck was good all summer, for everybody? Everyday?

All walleye fisherman know that can't happen. Everyday it could change from a great bite to no bite. Right?

2.Making cut was due to poor turn out?

How could that be true? 49lbs of walleye at the C.F. tournament. beats both the Gov. Cup and the Fall Classic. Right?

3. Lack of teams because there was no competition?

How would anyone know that before signing up? you dont know who is going to be fishing the tournament, until it starts. Or do you mean no cash makes it no competion?

The only good thing out of these posts on the C.F. tournament is I hope everybody NOW knows that the C.F. tournament is a walleye tournament, has a great cause and should not be over-looked next year!!!
I fished most of the wyoming circuit tournaments and some of Montanas and enjoyed the C.F. tournament more that all the others.
P.S. Try fishing for a cause other that your pocket book sometime and maybe you will see what found. A great time, a great charity and trip to a Cabelas National Team Championship. As for no competition? I would like to see you do better.
Hope to see you there Next year.
Skeeter Team.

Considering that we hosted the 2003 event and I notice some questions concerning the hosting of the event, I want to share with everyone a quick look at the Cabela's NTC selection process.
Cabela's is open to having any community or organization with a lake that has a walleye population ask for a bid packet. Of course, the lake must be big enough to host the tournament. Once the community gets a bid packet, they answer some simple questions about the community and resources. Cabela's reviews all submissions. This is a very competative process, as the Cabela's NTC brings hundreds of thousands of dollars to the host community. As an example, the Milford Lake NTC brought a minimum of $227,000.00 in economic benefit to our community. This was actual dollars, not multipliers or roll-over.
Cabela's then selects a number of submissions which they will make site visits to. This is when the community puts on its best show, as to help attract the NTC. Once site visits are over, each of the final communities are asked to submit incentive packages, what they will provide for the tournament and anglers. Just for information, the cost to host the Cabela's NTC at Milford Lake was between $36,000.00 to $40,000.00 dollars.
After they get all incentive offers, they make the decision, and then the real work begins.
As I stated in an earlier posting, Junction City and Milford Lake would love to host the NTC again. The anglers fishing the event were great and the overall event excited our community and state.
The process was truly about the lake, community, and motivation of the local residents.
We hope we receive a Cabela's NTC bid packet for the 2005 event.
Have a great holiday period.
Oh yea, the Quail, Pheasant and BIG Whitetail Deer are sure making for a great time this hunting season in Kansas.
Rick Dykstra
Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau
www.junctioncity.org

Rick- One more time>> Can you tell us all of the cities that put in a bid???? or not??

Rick is tourism director for Junction City Kansas.

Great, but just maybe he knew who he was bidding against?

We did NOT get a bid packet to host the 2004 Cabela's NTC, though would have really competed if we did. We understand the need for Cabela's to move around, though look forward to getting a packet in 2004, for the 2005 NTC.
We got one phone call asking questions about hosting the NTC, it was from Dubuque,IA. This one call asking questions does not implly they submitted a bid, just want to be honest with the information we have.
Heck, WE would love to host the Cabela's NTC every year!!!!!

They better check the new slot limits for the miss. in Dubuque Iowa before a mistake is made. We will have a weightin like Minnesota in 03

DUBUQUE DID PUT IN A PACKET TO HOST THE CABELAS TOURY.

What is everybody's toot? Is everybody going to fly to the lake next week and find the fish and expect them to be there 6 months from now. I think no one needs to know location until June 8th then everyone can pile into their trucks, make reservations on the road and then all prefishing would be equal.:)
Not really, I want to be the first to know I have a U-haul rented and ready to go - I'm moveing till mid June.

Come on I'm itchin to go

The man said " not until after the first of the year"

>The tournament will be held in early June 2004. The location
>will not be announced until after the first of the year.