I gave a presentation to the NPAA last week that gave the anglers 4 reasons to fish 4 tournaments in 2006. I can't put the whole powerpoint presentation here -- at least I dont' think I can. (I'll give it a shot, though.) Anyway, I could at least print out the highlights of that presentation for all of you that weren't able to be there.

The strength of the MWC is in its team format. Fishing with someone that you can share in the planning and preparations -- and success. Have fun fishing with a best friend. Or a lot of families fish together. Husbands & wives. Brothers. Fathers & Sons. Have you considered spending more time with YOUR DAD? How about fishing the MWC with him? Our YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER?

4 Reasons to fish 4 tournaments in 2006.
#1. You need 4 tournaments to make the run for Team of the Year. It's hard work, and one has to have successes and failures along the way. Constantly improving. But the reward is significant. Not just monetarily, although there is $20,000 bonus in the Team of the Year hunt ($13,000 to the 1st place Team, and $1750 each for 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th) but joining the ranks of Kavajecz, Parsons, Skarlis, Samson, Propst, Gray, McCelland -- and more recently Wilson, Solis, Renschen, DeLain, Chenier, Zachowski, Manthei, Janny & Papineau.

#2 -- 4 tournaments DRASTICALLY improves your odds for fishing in the World Walleye Championship. You'll never have a chance to earn the title WORLD WALLEYE CHAMPS if you don't GET THERE. Last year, 44 teams fished 4 tournaments. 23 of them are going to the Championship next year. That's 52%. Only 12% of the teams that didn't fish 4 tournaments are going to the Championship. So you have 4 1/2 times more chance to make it to the Championship by making sure you're in for 4. Some teams finished as low as the 90s in the Central division for rank; but because they did well in the Challenge tournament still got into thte Championship from the 20% that are invited from that group. It's definitely an advantage as the TOP TEAMS in the Challenge all reach the Championship through their division. The 20% ends up coming from below that first group.

#3. Improves the chance that you will cash a check. When we look at just the Central Division and East division -- we see that 30% in Central and 36% in East cashed a cash. But 64% of the teams fishing 4 or more tournaments cashed a check in 2005. That's TWICE the odds of cashing a check. And not only that -- but 32% (or 1/2 of that 64) actually came out in the black -- in the sense that they earned more in prize money than they paid in entry fees.

Our first place payouts are good -- with $28,512 for 1st place in a full field -- down to $9,000 and $12,000 for Henderson Harbor and Dunkirk last year for smaller fields.

Let's look at ten case studies of teams that fished 4 tournaments last year:

Mike Tompkins & Travis McDonald
$5,278 in tournament winnings
$1,750 in Team of the Year Points Payout
$476 in Championship
$7,504 in 2005 winnings

Kevin Dahl & Steve Stack
$7,792 in tournament winnings
$1,000 in Ranger Cup
$500 in Championship
$9,292 in 2005 winnings

James Preissner & Rodney York
$6,000 in tournament winnings
$2,617 in Team of the Year Points Payout
$1,000 in Ranger Cup
$9,617 in 2005 winnings

Kevin Dahlhauser & David Koller
$13,000 in tournament winnings
$13,000 in 2005 winnings

Wayne Butz & Don Frederick
$12,112 in tournament winnings
$2,617 in Team of the Year Points Payout
$500 in Championship
$15,229 in 2005 winnings

Neil Hammargren & Doug Newhoff
$10,032 in tournament winnings
$8,000 in Championship
$18,032 in 2005 winnings

Jeff Russell & Doug Lampen
$10,000 in tournament winnings
$867 in Team of the Year Points Payout
$12,000 in Championship
$22,867in 2005 winnings

Randy Carroll & Ed Klein
$29,304 in tournament winnings
$2,617 in Team of the Year Points Payout
$476 in Championship
$32,397 in 2005 winnings

Jay Janny & Kim “Chief” Papineau
$13,792 in tournament winnings
$19,435 in Team of the Year Points Payout
$33,227in 2005 winnings

Steve Stein & Kenny Ludwig
$28,512 in tournament winnings
$2,000 in Ranger Cup
$7,000 in Championship
$37,512 in 2005 winnings

These ten teams account for just shy of $200,000 in payout -- that's $20,000 average per team. That's about 1/4 of the teams that fished 4 tournaments last year fairing this well for the season!

#4. Walleye Madness. You'll need to fish 4 tournaments in 2006 in order to be seeded into the "Brackets" for 2007. Most of you know how it works -- so I won't belabor those details here -- but essentially you pay a $200 fee to get seeded (having to fish 4 tournaments also). Then, in 2007 there will be a bracketed tournament with #1 seeded against #64, #2 against #63, etc. in 2007 there will be an additional $600 entry fee for the bracketed Walleye Madness tournament. Then, at Spring Valley in 2007; you advance on Day 1 weight if you beat the ONE TEAM you are bracketed against. Then same thing for day 2. If you are still in the bracket after those two days; you are in the Sweet Sixteen. There is an $800 payout for all teams that make it there, earning what you have into it back. Then...in April or May of 2007 we'll have a Sweet Sixteen 3 day tournament. Day 1 the field reduces to 8. Those 8 get another $800 payout. Day 2 the field reduces to 4. Those 4 get another $800 payout. Then on the final morning 4 teams reduce to two (say...noon). Those two teams get another $800 payout. Then those two teams go back out for another 4 or 5 hours and come back in to determine the Walleye Madness Champ. $20,000 to the winner. Now those payouts are based on 64 teams getting in. If less teams would get in the payouts would adjust down. When the rest of the world is going crazy for March Madness in college basketball -- let's have our fun with Walleye Madness in fishing!

Then I went through schedule/payouts/conservation fund. Etc.

Just thought you might like to see these details here as well. Questions? Feel free to ask.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Kristine Houtman>,