FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Hollingsworth and Navis Grab A Second Cabela’s MWC Victory and Truett & Stier Win Cabela’s MWC East Division Team of the Year – presented by Cabela’s

Minnetonka, MN – August 23, 2009 – With an impressive ten pound spread, New Yorkers Bob Hollingsworth (Kenmore) and Jim Navis (Grand Island) won the Lake Erie tournament out of Dunkirk, New York with ten fish weighing in for 66.07 pounds. They were the only team to produce two thirty-plus pound baskets both days and the honor awarded the duo $10,300 in cash prizes. This was their second Cabela’s MWC victory. Their first was in 2004 on the Eastern basin of Lake Ontario out of Henderson Harbor, New York. When they win -- they win big. In 2004 their margin over second place was over 35 pounds! Asked about their accomplishment, Hollingsworth replied, “Usually there’s a mistake along the way that ruins your chances, but that just didn’t happen this time. This is great.”

Mistake-free is right. Hollingsworth and Navis weighed 32.68 pounds on day one which put them in third place. However the teams above them struggled on day two and the winners put together a repeat performance with 33.39 pounds for a total of 66.07 pounds. They fished 9-10 miles west of Dunkirk in 72’ of water. They were 4’-5’ off the bottom, but the big fish came in the morning on a high line. The duo used the traditional Dunkirk technique of large Dipsy Divers with Renosky Crystalina 5” plugs. The Dipsys were watermelon black tiger (set at 3 ½) in which Hollingsworth painted the bottom a bright fluorescent green and doctored the top with a little pink. “I just don’t like the chrome showing on the bottom,” mused Hollingsworth. The deeper rig was the blueberry muffin coloring (set at 1) and the bottom was painted black. They trolled about a one mile pattern at 1.8 miles per hour. “Bob and I try to keep it fun in the boat and not get too serious,” shared Navis, all smiles after the win. “We have a dollar bet everyday we fish together on who gets the first fish and another dollar bet on who gets the biggest fish of the day.” Navis paid his two bucks to Hollingsworth on the stage with a laugh.

Second place honors went to Charlie Robinson from Perrysburg, Ohio and Mike Zaborski from Sheffield Lake, Ohio with a total of 56.02 pounds, paying $5,000.

Third place was awarded to the Pennsylvania team of Doug Yohe (Bradford) and Tim Waltz (Williamsport) for 55.63 pounds. They also won the $1,000 Ranger Cup bonus for being the top finishing team in a Ranger boat and in the Ranger Cup bonus program, $200 from Oxygenator for having the Oxygenator system in their livewell and $100 from NPAA for being members of the National Professional Anglers Association. Altogether with sponsor bonuses Yohe and Waltz cashed in $4,500.

Fourth place went to the Ohio team of Matt Davis (Marion) and Dan Gies (Huron) with 55.45 pounds cashing in $2,500.

Rounding out the top five was Dave Truett of Valparaiso, Indiana and Daniel Stier of Clearwater, Minnesota with 53.97 pounds. The high finish for Truett and Stier catapulted their standing to the top of the MWC East Division points (142) and awarded the duo the honor of Cabela’s MWC East Team of the Year. Fifth place paid out $2,150 plus $2,145 for the Team of the Year for a total of $4,295. “We had a good year this year,” shared Truett after the win. “We consider the Cabela’s MWC the Grandfather of all the circuits and we feel honored to fish it and to have won this title. The competition is stiff when you have two guys working the team together – harder than in a pro-am environment. This is truly an honor.” Truett and Stier had only a short time to pre-fish at Dunkirk, so felt fortunate for such a strong finish. Stier is no stranger to angler-of-the-year awards, having achieved several in other circuits. In fact, Stier was the walleye division Ranger Cup winner in 2008 and won a brand new Ranger boat, fully equipped, valued at $60,000.
“There’s a lot of tough competition in the MWC,” added Stier. “Dave and I feel fortunate that we had such a good year in the circuit together.”

The Lowrance Electronics HDS $500 bonus was paid to the sixth place team of Dan Johnson of Fayetteville, Ohio and Larry Rhoads II of Oregonia, Ohio for being the top finishing team who uses a Lowrance HDS (High Definition System) sonar/chartplotter display unit during the tournament. They cashed in an extra $100 bonus from Farm & City Insurance Services for being on Team FCIS, cashing in a total $2,480.

Biggest fish of the tournament awards were paid as follows:
Day One:
Paul Kemery of Russell, PA and Steve Ritter of Russell, PA – 10.21 pounds for $450
Jeff Lash of Massillon, OH and Alan Baumgardner of Essex, MD – 9.91 pounds for $300
Garry Olsen of Forestville, NY and Jeff Alguire of Silver Creek, NY – 9.66 pounds for $150

Day Two:
Steve Reynolds of Hamburg, NY and Casey Reynolds of Boston, NY – 10.15 pounds for $450
Chuck Sabatose of Brockport, PA and John Pendleton of Brockway, PA – 8.96 pounds for $300
Bob Hollingsworth of Kenmore, NY and Jim Navis of Grand Island, NY – 8.81 pounds for $150

The remaining top five teams in the East Division points were paid out cash bonuses of $289. They were as follows:
Tie 2nd – Matt Davis of Marion, OH & Dan Gies of Huron, OH 137 points
Tie 2nd – Bob Gooding of Lincoln Park, MI and Mike Gooding of Monroe, MI 137 points
4th – Nate “Butch” Capton of Niagara Falls, NY and Dave Waldeck of Sanborn, NY 135 points
5th – Doug Yohe of Bradford, PA and Tim Waltz of Williamsport, PA 133 points

All top five teams in the MWC East are invited to compete in the 2010 Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship.

Bob and Mike Gooding received the honor of MWC East Division Father and Son Team of the Year. Bill Murray of Howell, MI and Bob Murray of Fenton, MI received the honor of Brothers Team of the Year. There was no husband and wife team awarded for MWC East this year. Teams must compete in all three tournaments within a division to utilize their points for Team of the Year honors or Championship berths.

The City of Dunkirk was proud to host the Cabela’s MWC for the third time in five years. The Northern Chautauqua County Conservation Club coordinated the volunteers for inspecting the boats in the morning and assisting with the fish handling and the weigh-ins each afternoon and will receive the Cabela’s MWC Walleye Conservation Fund of $675 from the anglers.

One last tournament remains in the 2009 qualifying tournament schedule at which time the overall MWC Team of the Year will be determined. Next up is MWC West in Webster, South Dakota on Waubay Lake, September 12th and 13th. October 7th through 10th the Championship will take place on Western Lake Erie and the Detroit River.

Cabela’s, the world’s foremost outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is entering their eighth season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Ranger Boats, Mercury, MotorGuide, Lowrance, Fishouflage, Versus (Vs.) Television Network and North American Fishing Club. Associate Sponsors include: Farm & City Insurance Services, O2 Marine Technologies, 3-IN-ONE No Rust Shield, Fin-tech, Ryjus and Reflections.

The Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is the longest running professional walleye tournament circuit in the United States and is celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2009. This season there are three qualifying tournaments in each division (Central, East & West) and the World Walleye Championship. For more information on the Cabela’s MWC or to view the 2009 schedule, visit: www.masterswalleyecircuit.com. Questions – email: events@masterswalleyecircuit.com or call: 877-893-7947.

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