Steve Weisman
02-22-2005, 04:11 PM
GNWC Teams Prepare for 2005 Season
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
As spring approaches, anglers fishing the Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) are getting ready for what looks to be an outstanding series of competitive regional qualifiers and regional championships, with all seven roads leading to the 2005 National Championship presented by Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Outboards.
"It's been a long winter, and as I talk to many of the teams fishing the GNWC, they are excited to get things rolling. We've worked hard to give the teams the best walleye waters that we could in each region, and the GNWC staff is looking for another exciting season." said GNWC Executive Director Bernie Barringer. "Our goal continues to provide a competitive fishing experience for the weekend warrior at an affordable price, and I am certain that we are filling a definite need in the walleye tournament world."
Flexibility remains a cornerstone of the circuit with anglers being able to fish in just their own state or region, or they can compete for the National Championship presented by Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Outboards. Regions include the Great Plains (Nebraska-Kansas), Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. However, to become a National team eligible for advancement to the National Championship, the team must declare its intent as a "National Team" and put $100 into the National Championship pot before the first event in their region.
The entry fee remains at $210 per team for all events with an 80 percent payback. Also, $10 of the entry fee will go to an enhanced fishing conservation fund that goes directly back to enhance that region's fishery.
"I look for continued growth in all of our regions, and after last year's tremendous National Championships at Lake of the Woods, I know there are teams who just plain can't wait for the 2005 National Championship on Lake Erie," said Barringer. "Vermilion, OH will be our host community, and they are rolling out the red carpet for us. On the line will be a first place prize of two fully rigged WX 1880 Skeeter boats rigged with Yamaha outboards, Minnkota electric trolling motors and Lowrance Electronics. With a retail value of $35,000 per rig, this brings the first place purse to $70,000."
In addition, a third fully rigged WX 1880 will be given away in a drawing at the National Championship. Each angler who fishes in the National Championship will have a chance to win this boat. It will be given away at the tournament in a random drawing, and all contestants that meet eligibility guidelines will have one chance to win.
With the help of major sponsors, several awards will also be given throughout the year. "Sponsorships help us reward the teams who fish the GNWC. We have a partial list completed so far, and we expect to release several other sponsorships and their awards before the season kicks off," noted Barringer.
First, there is "Skeeter Boats Performance Program". The owner of a Skeeter boat who wins a GNWC qualifying tournament while fishing in the Skeeter will be awarded an additional $1000 above their GNWC winnings by Skeeter Boats. Any owner of a Skeeter boat who wins a GNWC regional or national championship tournament while fishing in the Skeeter will be awarded an additional $3000 above their GNWC winnings by Skeeter Boats. In addition, the top-finishing Skeeter owner in each of the nine championships (eight regionals and the national) will receive $1000. This extra $1000 is above the $3000 for winning, so if you are a Skeeter owner and you win any regional or national championship you would receive an additional $4000!
The "Yamaha Team of the Year Award" goes to the team in each region that finishes with the fewest points after completing all four qualifiers in that region will win a Yamaha T-8 kicker motor. This motor is valued at $2900, and is considered the best trolling kicker motor available anywhere.
Next, there is the Lowrance "YOU WIN!" Award. In addition to the cash purse, the winner of each of the eight regional championships will receive a Lowrance LMS-332C color sonar/GPS for each team member. These units have a $700 MSRP, making the award worth $1400. You will see why at Lowrance, they say "We lead, we find, You Win!"
YoNet "Yo So Close" Award goes to the three teams that finish just out of the money at each tournament, including the regional and national championships. They will receive a YO net, the landing net that folds and stores in your boat compartment and deploys in just six seconds.
TowTector, manufacturers of the TowTector Shield, the finest towing boat protector on the market, will offer the TowTector Comeback Award at each of the regional championships and the national championship. The team that advances the most places from day one to day two at each regional championship will receive a custom-made TowTector Shield valued at $269. At the National Championship presented by Skeeter Boats, the team that advances the most places will receive two TowTector Shields with a retail value of $538.
Aqua-Vu Underwater Viewing Systems will provide two loaner cameras to be checked out by the tournament director for pre-fishing at each of the qualifiers and will also award an underwater viewing system as a door prize at each of the Regional Championships and the National Championship.
Aqua Innovations Mega Bubble award is worth an additional $250 to any team who wins a tournament if their boat's livewell is equipped with the Aqua Innovations oxygen enhancement system. Plus they will be awarding systems to the anglers as door prizes at the championships and offering discounts to GNWC members.
"There is a lot of interest in the GNWC this year. I encourage anybody who would like to experience tournament fishing to give the GNWC a try. If people have questions, they can call me at 1-800-890-3474. In addition to the seven region circuit, there are other benefits of being a member of the GNWC."
One additional benefit of becoming a GNWC team is the opportunity to get the GNWC official magazine Walleye Wisdom. The quarterly magazine includes complete tournament coverage, walleye how-to articles and tips to help people become better anglers.
The GNWC website (www.walleyecup.com) continues to be the hub for GNWC members. "We want the GNWC website to be user friendly and an important site to visit on the Internet," added Barringer. The site includes detailed scheduling information on locations and host communities, tournament results and highlights, how-to articles, along with a message board and free classifieds for members.
Major national sponsors for the GNWC include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Lowrance Electronics, AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU, Aqua Innovations, VIB"E" Lure Company and UpNorthOutdoors.com.
Interested anglers can also call 1-800-890-FISH (3474), or they can email the GNWC at info@walleyecup.com.
By Steve Weisman
GNWC Publicity Director
As spring approaches, anglers fishing the Grand National Walleye Cup (GNWC) are getting ready for what looks to be an outstanding series of competitive regional qualifiers and regional championships, with all seven roads leading to the 2005 National Championship presented by Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Outboards.
"It's been a long winter, and as I talk to many of the teams fishing the GNWC, they are excited to get things rolling. We've worked hard to give the teams the best walleye waters that we could in each region, and the GNWC staff is looking for another exciting season." said GNWC Executive Director Bernie Barringer. "Our goal continues to provide a competitive fishing experience for the weekend warrior at an affordable price, and I am certain that we are filling a definite need in the walleye tournament world."
Flexibility remains a cornerstone of the circuit with anglers being able to fish in just their own state or region, or they can compete for the National Championship presented by Skeeter Boats and Yamaha Outboards. Regions include the Great Plains (Nebraska-Kansas), Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. However, to become a National team eligible for advancement to the National Championship, the team must declare its intent as a "National Team" and put $100 into the National Championship pot before the first event in their region.
The entry fee remains at $210 per team for all events with an 80 percent payback. Also, $10 of the entry fee will go to an enhanced fishing conservation fund that goes directly back to enhance that region's fishery.
"I look for continued growth in all of our regions, and after last year's tremendous National Championships at Lake of the Woods, I know there are teams who just plain can't wait for the 2005 National Championship on Lake Erie," said Barringer. "Vermilion, OH will be our host community, and they are rolling out the red carpet for us. On the line will be a first place prize of two fully rigged WX 1880 Skeeter boats rigged with Yamaha outboards, Minnkota electric trolling motors and Lowrance Electronics. With a retail value of $35,000 per rig, this brings the first place purse to $70,000."
In addition, a third fully rigged WX 1880 will be given away in a drawing at the National Championship. Each angler who fishes in the National Championship will have a chance to win this boat. It will be given away at the tournament in a random drawing, and all contestants that meet eligibility guidelines will have one chance to win.
With the help of major sponsors, several awards will also be given throughout the year. "Sponsorships help us reward the teams who fish the GNWC. We have a partial list completed so far, and we expect to release several other sponsorships and their awards before the season kicks off," noted Barringer.
First, there is "Skeeter Boats Performance Program". The owner of a Skeeter boat who wins a GNWC qualifying tournament while fishing in the Skeeter will be awarded an additional $1000 above their GNWC winnings by Skeeter Boats. Any owner of a Skeeter boat who wins a GNWC regional or national championship tournament while fishing in the Skeeter will be awarded an additional $3000 above their GNWC winnings by Skeeter Boats. In addition, the top-finishing Skeeter owner in each of the nine championships (eight regionals and the national) will receive $1000. This extra $1000 is above the $3000 for winning, so if you are a Skeeter owner and you win any regional or national championship you would receive an additional $4000!
The "Yamaha Team of the Year Award" goes to the team in each region that finishes with the fewest points after completing all four qualifiers in that region will win a Yamaha T-8 kicker motor. This motor is valued at $2900, and is considered the best trolling kicker motor available anywhere.
Next, there is the Lowrance "YOU WIN!" Award. In addition to the cash purse, the winner of each of the eight regional championships will receive a Lowrance LMS-332C color sonar/GPS for each team member. These units have a $700 MSRP, making the award worth $1400. You will see why at Lowrance, they say "We lead, we find, You Win!"
YoNet "Yo So Close" Award goes to the three teams that finish just out of the money at each tournament, including the regional and national championships. They will receive a YO net, the landing net that folds and stores in your boat compartment and deploys in just six seconds.
TowTector, manufacturers of the TowTector Shield, the finest towing boat protector on the market, will offer the TowTector Comeback Award at each of the regional championships and the national championship. The team that advances the most places from day one to day two at each regional championship will receive a custom-made TowTector Shield valued at $269. At the National Championship presented by Skeeter Boats, the team that advances the most places will receive two TowTector Shields with a retail value of $538.
Aqua-Vu Underwater Viewing Systems will provide two loaner cameras to be checked out by the tournament director for pre-fishing at each of the qualifiers and will also award an underwater viewing system as a door prize at each of the Regional Championships and the National Championship.
Aqua Innovations Mega Bubble award is worth an additional $250 to any team who wins a tournament if their boat's livewell is equipped with the Aqua Innovations oxygen enhancement system. Plus they will be awarding systems to the anglers as door prizes at the championships and offering discounts to GNWC members.
"There is a lot of interest in the GNWC this year. I encourage anybody who would like to experience tournament fishing to give the GNWC a try. If people have questions, they can call me at 1-800-890-3474. In addition to the seven region circuit, there are other benefits of being a member of the GNWC."
One additional benefit of becoming a GNWC team is the opportunity to get the GNWC official magazine Walleye Wisdom. The quarterly magazine includes complete tournament coverage, walleye how-to articles and tips to help people become better anglers.
The GNWC website (www.walleyecup.com) continues to be the hub for GNWC members. "We want the GNWC website to be user friendly and an important site to visit on the Internet," added Barringer. The site includes detailed scheduling information on locations and host communities, tournament results and highlights, how-to articles, along with a message board and free classifieds for members.
Major national sponsors for the GNWC include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Lowrance Electronics, AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU, Aqua Innovations, VIB"E" Lure Company and UpNorthOutdoors.com.
Interested anglers can also call 1-800-890-FISH (3474), or they can email the GNWC at info@walleyecup.com.