I posted the press release from Cabela's.

Cabela's NTC will be run in conjunction with the Cabela's MWC West division tournament in Devils Lake, North Dakota.

What does this mean?

It means that both tournaments will run the same dates, with the same location and same rules, run by the same people. Teams "could" be registered for both tournaments. If they were, their weight would count in both events -- for both purses.

NTC qualifiers are NOT REQUIRED to sign up for the MWC Devils Lake tournament. The NTC entry fee is $300. It is optional, though. If they want to pay $800 entry fee plus membership ($40 per person; $45 per family) they can. If they do...their weight will count toward both events and be eligible for both purses. If they don't - their weight will count just for NTC.

If a Cabela's MWC team wants to be in the NTC they will have to have earned that spot through one of the grass roots organizations that feeds into the NTC. They can't just "want to" sign up -- they have to have been awarded the spot through a club/organization from the 2008 season.

Cabela's is gathering the information from the local clubs and determining how many spots (and who) will be invited. Our office in Minnesota will handle the correspondence with the local clubs after that happens -- and with the anglers once they are designated an NTC qualifier.

There will be a form that will be made available to NTC qualifiers as well as an online option for signing up. That will coordinate through the MWC office in Minnesota.

Hope that helps with the majority of your questions at this stage. Please note that if you are an NTC qualifier and want to make lodging arrangements I've posted lodging information on this bulletin board from the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce. Hope that helps.

We have not solidified the location for the weigh-in yet....but we will probably be using all ramps for launch in the mornings and doing on-the-water inspections at a central location. Will be making a trip up to Devils Lake in the next few weeks to firm some of this up. The NTC tournament is expected to be 200-250 boats. The MWC tournament is expected to be 50-100 boats.

For those of you new to working with the MWC -- here's our contact info:

Toll-Free: 1-877-893-7947
Direct:
Talia Carpenter 952 352 7537 (or call the toll free and touch ext 4 for Talia)
Jeff Ahlstrand 952 988 7417
Kristine Houtman 952 988 7116 office 612 710 5584 cell

Email: events@masterswalleyecircuit.com
Web: www.masterswalleyecircuit.com
Cabela's MWC
12301 Whitewater Drive
Minnetonka MN 55343