Bays de Noc to Host 2011 Cabela’s National Team Championship Walleye Tournament

ESCANABA, MI - Friday, June 11, 2010 – At the demand of top anglers in the United States, the Bays de Noc will host one of the most prestigious tournaments in walleye fishing in 2011. The Cabela’s National Team Championship (NTC) tournament will be held in conjunction with the Cabela’s Master’s Walleye Circuit (MWC) in what promises to be one of the largest walleye tournaments in the world in 2011.

The joint tournament will be held August 6 & 7th on the championship waters of the Bays de Noc, historically noted as ‘The Walleye Capital of the World’. The joint tournament is expected to bring a field of about 400 2-angler teams to the area.

The Bays de Noc last hosted this event in 2004. Anglers from all over the nation, as well as professional anglers from right here in Delta County, hit the Bays in search of walleye. According to Vickie Micheau, Executive Director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, “Because of the quality of fishing and the hospitality shown from residents of the area, the anglers requested that the tournament revisit the Bays.” Micheau added, “This event is possible because of our positive working relationship with the Bays de Noc Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. We are so pleased with our strong partnership that allows us to take advantage of great events like this.”

Steve Masters, Executive Director of the Bays de Noc Convention and Visitor’s Bureau adds, “When the Chamber contacted us about this opportunity, we immediately jumped at the chance to host another successful tournament with them. This is a great chance to get heads in the beds while showcasing our world class fishery.”

This will prove to be a huge event for the area – with enough angler participation, there is hope that the Bays de Noc could be featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for the size of the tournament.

The MWC is the longest-running professional walleye tournament circuit in the United States and provides a competitive platform for walleye anglers. The MWC office in Minnetonka, Minnesota will handle tournament registration and correspondence with clubs and anglers for both the MWC and NTC.

The NTC, one of the most prestigious walleye tournaments in the country, is considered by many to be the pinnacle of competitive walleye fishing. Teams qualify for the NTC by accumulating points through competition in local tournaments organized by more than 50 sanctioned grass roots walleye clubs across the United States.

For more information about the 2011 Cabela's National Team Championship, log on to www.cabelas.com/events or call the Cabela's Masters Walleye Circuit at 877-893-7947 ext 4 or online at www.masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Additionally, more information can be obtained about the tournament through the Delta County Commerce center by calling 906-786-2192 or online at www.deltami.org.