Minnetonka, MN -- It’s time for the Sweet Sixteen finals in the new bracketed tournament for team walleye fishing. The bracketed format entitled Walleye Madness has reached the “Sweet Sixteen” finals stage. The bracket is as follows:

“This is an exciting new event in walleye fishing,” shared Greg Yarbrough of Port Clinton, Ohio, seeded number one in the bracket with his partner Jeff Manz of Vanderbilt, Michigan. The duo earned Cabela’s MWC Team of the Year honors in 2006, hence their #1 seed position. “The bass world has experimented with some bracketed Championships, but this is a first for us walleye fishermen. I think it will be fun – and maybe a little frustrating, too. The rules are that you just have to beat the team you’re bracketed against. Well…..that could mean that we bring in 30 pounds and our competitor brings in 31 and we’re out. But in another bracket one team could bring in 25 pounds and the other 26 pounds, and the team with 26 pounds would advance, even though we wouldn’t advance with 30. So it is aptly named – Walleye Madness – because it will get a little crazy. You’ll have to have tunnel vision. Mano y mano. Just us versus them. One team at a time.”

The field of the sixteen finalists will compete on Lake Erie in the ‘Walleye Madness at Midnight’ town of Port Clinton, Ohio, May 10th through 12th. Weigh-ins will be at 6pm on Thursday and Friday night at Madison & Perry. Saturday weigh-ins will be at 1pm and 6pm. (Weather permitting we are able to fish on this schedule.) The public is invited to attend. On Saturday immediately following the 1 pm weigh-in we will have a Youth & Family Fishing Clinic with rods and reels for 25 lucky kids, with enough tackle to get set up for slip-bobber fishing. “We enjoy passing on our passion for fishing with the next generation,” shared Kristine Houtman, director of the MWC. “The sponsors have helped with donations so we have the gear to get the kids started – and kids love getting their own rod and reel.”

“This is the walleye capital of the world – right here on Lake Erie,” chimed in Port Clinton’s Mayor Tom ‘Big Fish’ Brown. “I don’t think there’s another city in the world that’s as seriously into walleye fishing as Port Clinton, Ohio. Every New Year’s Eve a huge celebration occurs right where we will have the Walleye Madness weigh-in site. We drop Wiley, a 20-foot 600 pound fiberglass walleye, that reminds everyone just how big the walleye get in Port Clinton,” added the Mayor with a smile. “We are certainly proud to host the first Sweet Sixteen Walleye Madness finals at Port Clinton. We welcome the Cabela’s MWC to our fine town.”

The camera crew from North American Media Group will be on-hand to film a made-for-TV show which will air on Versus (Vs.) television. See website for complete details.

Cabela’s is the title sponsor for the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official Sponsors are Ranger Boats, Mercury Motors, MotorGuide, Lowrance Electronics, Toyota Trucks, North American Fishing Club and Versus (Vs.) television. Associate sponsors are Tommy Docks, The Inhibitor, Food Source Lures, Ice Armor and Farm & City Insurance Services.

For more information contact Cabela’s MWC Club headquarters by email at: events@masterswalleyecircuit.com or toll-free by phone at 877-893-7947. More information is available on the Cabela’s MWC website at: www.masterswalleyecircuit.com