Lake Francis Case will see a lot of activity on August 25th and 26th as anglers and fishing gurus converge on the area for the 2023 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) tournament.

“We will see anglers of all skill levels. The MWC is open to all who wish to experience a high quality event with great payouts,” explained Tournament Director Jeff Kelm. “We have many teams of anglers who have lots of history in the fishing industry, some fishing the MWC or other circuits for decades.”

The waters of Lake Francis Case and all of its connecting rivers, creeks and canals are planned to be a part of the outlined boundaries for this tournament which is presented by Dakota Lithium. Walleye and/or sauger, 15 inches or more in size, will be sought after by all who are entered in the tournament. A mandatory meeting for contestants will occur on August 24th. Tournament officials will go over rules and any other guidelines at the Fort Randall Casino in Lake Andes during the meeting.

Kelm outlined, “This event will be a total weight event of the course of two-days of fishing. Each team is allowed to bring five fish per day to the scales. The winner will win a cash payout along with a $1,000 National Team Championship prize package to the NTC (National Team Championship) at Lake Erie in 2024.”

The Fort Randall Marina will serve as the launch area and weigh-in site for the tournament. It is planned that teams will be able to take off at 7 a.m. in the morning on the days of competition. Weigh-ins for fish will start at 3pm. Fun and fierce competition is to be expected on Lake Francis Case for the big event. The beautiful venue will also make for an epic tournament.

“This will be a dog fight in the dog days of summer. Fish are solidly in a summer pattern in cooler deeper water, which plays well for fishing near Pickstown as the deeper water in Lake Francis Case is close by. The scenery around the Pickstown area is awesome for pictures, sightseeing and of course making memories,” noted Kelm.

Payouts for the tournament will be based on the number of entries. Two-member teams may participate regardless of experience, club or sponsorship. The only stipulation for this 2023 event is that anglers be members of The Walleye Federation. If those wishing to enter are not currently members, they may join at registration time. This event’s deadline is the end of the day on August 21st.

Kelm detailed, “I encourage everyone to check out masterswalleyecircuit.com for information about the MWC, registration and we recently released the 2024 schedule, so make plans to join us next season too.”

In 2023 thus far, the MWC has hosted competitions on the Illinois River in Spring Valley, Illinois plus on Lake Erie and Wisconsin’s the Bay of Green Bay. Pending permits and contracts, the MWC will travel to Chamberlain, SD in 2024 on April 26th and 27th. They will also be in Webster, SD, on Bitter Lake, August 9-10th, 2024.