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Whitefish Chain of Lakes Offers Challenge for GNWC Teams
By Steve Weisman GNWC Publicity Director
The teams fishing the Minnesota Region of the Grand National
Walleye Cup (GNWC) are preparing for a truly formidable challenge,
the Whitefish Chain of Lakes Tournament scheduled for Sunday,
June 12. The Whitefish Chain is just that: 14 inter-connecting
lakes. Each has its own unique characteristics and fishing opportunities.
Therein lies the challenge: where and how. The smaller lakes,
the shallower lakes or the larger, deeper lakes - and only 14
from which to choose. The tournament take-off and weigh-in site
will be at Piney Ridge Resort on Upper Whitefish, and the rest
of the Whitefish Chain is fishable for the GNWC teams. "It will
be interesting to see what strategies the teams use. So much
water and so many lakes. Time is a key element, and they are
restricted to eight hours-from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. How far will
they be willing to go? There are several no-wake areas on this
chain, so time management will really be a key," said GNWC Executive
Director Bernie Barringer. Bruce Bryant, owner of Circle B Outfitters
Bait Shop, agrees with Barringer. "There are a lot of good walleye
areas." Bryant rattled off Upper Whitefish, Lower Hay Lake and
Cross Lake as three likely lakes, but as far as what the bite
will be like, he could only shake his head. "Our May weather
has not been good for fishing. It was warm early and late April
and cold all of May. Two weeks of sunny 70 degree weather would
really make a difference in fishing." So with 14 bodies of water
from which to choose, extensive pre-fishing will be at the forefront
for the GNWC anglers. The tournament director will have the
trailer at Piney Ridge Resort from 6-8 p.m. the evening before
the tournament to take late entries and answer questions. Take-off
is at 7 a.m. with the weigh-in commencing at 3 p.m. sharp at
Piney Ridge Resort. "I encourage the general public to come
to Sunday's weigh-in. It's free to the public, and it is a great
opportunity for folks to get a glimpse at what tournament fishing
is all about. Also, we will have a couple of Aqua-Vu underwater
cameras set up in our release tanks so that the public can see
how they work. The audience will also get to hear from the teams
and find out what presentations and tactics worked to trigger
the fish. This is a great way to learn about taking walleyes
on the Whitefish Chain," added Barringer. For those interested
in entering, the entry fee remains at $210 per team for each
tournament. Openings do still exist for the Whitefish Chain
qualifier, and Barringer encourages interested anglers to contact
him at 1-800-890-FISH (3474), or email the GNWC at info@walleyecup.com.
"I also encourage people to check out our website at www.walleyecup.com
for all the latest information on the Grand National Walleye
Cup," added Barringer. Major national sponsors for the GNWC
include Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Lowrance Electronics,
YoNet Folding Nets by AMFYOYO, Aqua-VU, Aqua Innovations, Cabela's
and UpNorthOutdoors.com. National championship sponsors are
Towtector Shield and the VIB"E" Lure Company
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