Lake Minnewaska Fall Walleye Classic Sept. 11-12 -- $6k first place

[Corey Bohn]

The 7th Annual Lake Minnewaska Fall Walleye Classic will be held Sept. 11-12 in Glenwood, MN, and will feature a guaranteed $6,000 first place payout. This tournament has filled the last three years with 75 plus teams, and will fill again this year as we are already in the mid 50's in regard to boat numbers.

The minimum size walleye requirement for this year's tournament has been lowered from 15 inches to 14 inches. Rules meeting is set for 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10 at the Minnewaska House. Entry fee is $350 per team with an optional $20 big fish pot.

Payouts based on a 75 team field are as follows:

1----$6,000 guaranteed

2----$3,000

3----$2,000

4----$1,500

5----$1,350

6----$1,200

7----$1,000

8----$700

9----$600

10---$500

11---$350

12---$350

13---$350

14---$350

15---$350

There are also 2 divisions within the overall tournament format. Teams are automatically placed into the divisions at no added cost, based on partner status, and fish only against teams within their division for an added $450 cash based on a full 75 team field. Divisional teams are eligible to win the overall cash payouts as well. Divisional include: the Father/Son/Daughter Division and the Husband/Wife or Boyfriend/Girlfriend Division.

Entry forms are available by emailing [email protected] or by calling Corey at 320-424-1382.

The top 15 teams who fished both the Alexandria Chain of Lakes Spring Walleye Classic and the Lake Minnewaska Fall Walleye Classic, will qualify for the year-end championship, the Fins N Feathers Outdoor Challenge, set for Oct. 16-17. The Fins N Feathers Outdoor Challenge features a Day 1 competitive pheasant hunt followed by a Day 2 walleye tournament. Points from both events are tabulated to determine the top teams. The Fins N Feathers Outdoor Challenge is a NO ENTRY FEE event and features world class pheasant hunting and walleye fishing. Teams are allowed a total of 3 shotgun shells per team members to hit 3 roosters from point with the guide and dog (10 points per bird), with inches converted to points during the Day 2 walleye tournament.

Both team and individual points are tabulated to determine the overall top 3 teams in the championship and an overall individual winner as well. Cash payouts and prizes will be awarded to the top 3 teams at the championship event. Teams fishing the 2010 Walleye Classic tournaments are awarded the same number of points as the place in which they finish. The top 15 teams with the lowest accumulative point total after the two tournaments are eligible to advance to this year's championship in mid-October. To be eligible for the championship, teams must fish both tournaments in 2010, and pay an additional $50 per tournament, with 100% of the added proceeds going to the championship payouts.

[walleyeman1]

Why are you changing the length limit? This is something the lake association wants to be done. Voluntary release of fish under 15 inches. So now it is all right for tournament anglers to keep fish under 15?

[Corey Bohn]

All fish are released immediately after being weighed. This is a live release tournament. These fish aren't being kept and cleaned. Through 7 years our live release average has been 94%.

The fish are being released. This is far different from keeping a 14 incher and putting a fillet knife to it.

[walleyeman1]

Why the shortening of the length? This so more people can be happy bringing in a 1 1b fish? So you can bring up your total fish caught and released?