SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (August 2, 2023) — With the conclusion of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s National Walleye Tour (NWT) presented by Progressive regular season, all eyes are on the 2023 National Walleye Tour Championship in September on Devil’s Lake in North Dakota. The Top-40 Pro-Anglers and Co-Anglers in Progressive Angler of the Year points qualify for this year’s championship. Pro-Anglers competing in the no-entry fee championship, will be fishing for a first-place prize of a 2023 Nitro ZV20 w/ Mercury 225 Pro XS plus $30,000 cash, Co-Anglers will be fishing for a first-place prize of $6,500. Additionally, one in two anglers will walk away with a paycheck at Devil’s Lake.
Among the championship title on the line, Pro- and Co-Anglers will be fishing their final tournament to capture the 2023 Progressive Angler of the Year honors.
Here are the 2023 National Walleye Tour Championship qualifiers based on official Progressive Angler of the Year points:
Pro-Anglers
- JOHN HOYER- WAYZATA, MN++*
- DUANE HJELM- PIERRE, SD*
- DYLAN NUSSBAUM- ST MARYS, PA
- ERIC MCQUOID- KEWAUNEE, WI+
- TOM HUYNH- WOLVERTON, MN
- JUSTIN SCHNEIDER- MALONE, WI
- DUSTIN T MINKE- WALKER, MN
- MATT SCHIEFELBEIN- SOBIESKI, WI
- MIKE DEFIBAUGH- BELLEFONTAINE, OH
- AUSTIN RAGOTZKIE- EDGERTON, WI
- WILL PAPPENFUS- SHEVLIN, MN
- MAXWELL WILSON- CAMPBELLSPORT, WI+
- ISAAC LAKICH- RICHFIELD, WI
- CHASE PARSONS- DENMARK, WI
- JASON PRZEKURAT- STEVENS POINT, WI++
- CURT HANSON- MAYVILLE, ND
- CODY PIXLEY- BOZEMAN, MT
- JAMES JJ”” DEBERNARDI- WAYNE, IL
- DANNY PLAUTZ- LAKE MILLS, WI
- COREY HEISER- WEST FARGO, ND
- KEVIN MCQUOID- ISLE, MN
- KENT ANDERSEN- AMERY, WI
- DAVID KOLB- LINWOOD, MI
- MARK COURTS- HARRIS, MN*
- ZACHARY AXTMAN- RUGBY, ND
- BRIAN BASHORE- SIOUX FALLS, SD
- OWEN WILCOX- LAUREL, MT
- JOSH WIESNER- FOND DU LAC, WI
- TOMMY KEMOS- OCONOMOWOC, WI*
- DRAKE HERD- ALEXANDRIA, MN*
- DAVID WOYAK- HARTLAND, WI
- NICHOLAS KOTOWSKI- WEST BEND, WI
- BILL SHIMOTA- NORTHFIELD, MN
- NICK SCHERTZ- TOMAHAWK, WI
- DAVID LANDSTEINER- CLAREMONT, MN+
- JACOB ELL- BISMARCK, ND
- JAKE CAUGHEY- FARGO, ND
- GARY PARSONS- GLIDDEN, WI
- JAKE LAPINE- OSHKOSH, WI
- KOREY SPRENGEL- BEAVER DAM, WI+*
- WESTLEY RUF- ARLINGON, WI
Co-Anglers
- JESSE GLINES- BUFFALO, SD
- JONATHAN CIESLAK- HARTLAND, WI
- ERIC WESOLOWSKI- PULASKI, WI
- TYLER KROUPA- LAKE PRESTON, SD
- PAUL STOKES- STOCKBRIDGE, MI
- ALEXANDER KENNY- MEQUON, WI
- TIM ZIRBEL- OSHKOSH, WI
- LANCE KLICH- BLUNT, SD
- TANNER THOMPSON-MOAD- VOLGA, SD
- JEFF CORTEZ- FOREST LAKE, MN
- JASON TREBERG- CHASKA, MN
- RICH WEISS- NORTH PLATTE, NE
- TRINITY SCHAFF- FARGO, ND
- ANDREW KOTOWSKI- WEST BEND, WI
- BRETT KALTENBACH- CANISTOTA, SD
- ANABEL BERG- PALISADE, MN
- CHRIS SCOUTEN- HAZELTON, ND
- DILLON GORMAN- BARABOO, WI
- JEREMY BENGTSON- RIVER FALLS, WI
- TYLER HOPPA- WESTON, WI
- JACOB GARRELTS- ARMSTRONG CREEK, WI
- CHRIS REINHARDT- MONDOVI, WI
- JOHN HERD- ALEXANDRIA, MN
- BILL WARREN- FORT WAYNE, IN
- JEFF BURNS- WABASHA, MN
- SAM BENGTSON- RIVER FALLS, WI
- DRAKE MCCARTHY- MINNESOTA LAKE, MN+
- BRANDON MURPHY- WORTHINGTON, MN
- ALLEN HANSON- RIO, WI
- JUSTIN OSTERBERG- KILLDEER, ND
- RANDY VIKE- OREGON, WI
- TIMOTHY BERG- PALISADE, MN*
- PAUL SELLE- LEXINGTON, SC
- DONALD KLYM- BISMARCK, ND
- GREG BALLERING- MILWAUKEE, WI
- THOMAS BLANCHARD- DETROIT LAKES, MN
- NICHOLAS DRAEGER- MILWAUKEE, WI
- KOLTON KRAWIECKI- PILLAGER, MN
- DYLAN THOMPSON- ALBERT LEA, MN
- TOM SAMP- ELDORA, IA+
- STEVE BEASLEY- MACOMB, MI
*= Former Angler of the Year
+= Former NWT Championship Winner
Additional information on the events, contingency prizes, and more exciting announcements will be shared soon. For more information on updated angler qualifications, please visit www.nationalwalleyetour.com.
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National Walleye Tour events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of these well-respected brands: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Progressive, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Aftco, Garmin, Power-Pole, TH Marine, Sunline, Gamakatsu