SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (July 30, 2024) – The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Walleye Tour presented by Progressive is headed to North Dakota this week for the final regular season event of 2024. This event is also the last chance for Pro- and Co-Anglers to punch their ticket into the 2024 NWT Championship to be held early in September.
The field of 127 boats will set out on Lake Sakakawea August 1st & 2nd in Garrison, North Dakota where Pro-Anglers will be fishing for a top prize of a 2024 Nitro ZV-20 powered by a Mercury 225 Pro XS and $15,000 cash. Co-Anglers will be fishing for a first-place prize of $7,500 cash. In addition, contingency bonuses are available to eligible anglers from T-H Marine and Garmin, plus if a Pro-Angler is fishing out of an eligible Nitro, Ranger, or Triton boat they could win up to $8,000 in additional cash.
Lake Sakakawea is in the Missouri River basin and will offer up 307,000 acres of water with large depth ranges. This sets up perfect for anglers to haul in quality limits each day of the tournament. Daily weigh-ins will be held at Fort Stevenson State Park starting at 3:00pm local time.
Hunter Nitti has a slim lead in AOY but is staying focused.
Ranger Boats & Mercury Marine angler Hunter Nitti continues on a roll of chasing checks in every event this season which has him in the lead for the Progressive Angler of the Year title. Hunter is widely regarded as an expert in using electronics and he’s been dialed into the electronics game each tournament this season, and suspects Lake Sakakawea to present the same game plan for many anglers across the field to be relying on the Garmin LiveScope.
“Going into this season, I promised myself and my family that I would fish to have fun and be more ‘free’ on the water. Although I’ve made a few mistakes and let the win at Red Wing slip through my fingers, overall I am excited to be in this position. But we are in the most critical part of the season,” said the Rapala Pro-Angler. “This week going into North Dakota, I am going to stick to the same game plan I have been on all season and keep my mind off what is on the line, and I know I have a huge target on my back.”
Hunter does not have a big lead in the points race, and after the last event in Oconto, WI that lead only got smaller. Ranger/ Mercury angler, and former NWT Champion, Eric McQuoid is right behind in the Angler of the Year Race by only 5 points. With a NWT Championship title on his resume and hoisting the trophy at the last event in Wisconsin, he only needs to add an AOY title to his list of accomplishments to complete the trifecta.
Aftco/ Garmin Pro-Angler Eric McQuoid is Pressing the Gas in Second
One of the most likeable and relaxed Pro-Anglers among the NWT, Wisconsin native Eric McQuoid is nothing short of business on the water. Talking to Eric off stage, he is hardly ever seen without a smile, he always has a great fish story to tell, and never seems to let the pressure of competing on tour get to him. But on the water….Eric is all business!
“The last event was truly something special, especially having my dad [Kevin] on stage to watch me capture the win,” said the Ranger Pro-Angler. “But keep the record straight, capturing a [Progressive] Angler of the Year title would be a huge career highlight and something I truly want attached to my name.”
Eric already stands at an elite status of anglers among the NWT, having won a regular season event and the 2021 NWT Championship. But winning the Progressive Angler of the Year title would put his name among anglers like Korey Sprengel, Brett King, John Hoyer, and Duane Hjelm.
“I’m excited to get to Lake Sakakawea, even with the summer heat happening right now, I believe there stands a chance to see a lot of great fish catches. And I predict anglers will be able to catch them however they want, even the trolling guys may run into the winning group of fish.”
Mercury Angler Will Pappenfus Also Predicts Solid Weights
Will Pappenfus is known by some of his peers as the sleeper Pro-Angler that is walking around quietly, but always a major factor at the weigh-in. Will reported to the staff that he believes a solid winning weight will be a two-day total of around 57 pounds.
“The lake probably has seen the normal summertime fishing pressure, so it could be puzzling for some. But these guys are always going to catch them,” said the Minnesota angler who is currently 4th in Progressive AOY points.
“I think the glide bait pattern could shine this week, but a lot of anglers will still be relating to live bait and targeting quality fish out deep. But finding something off the beaten path will be the biggest factor.”
Lake Sakakawea Schedule:
- Tournament Dates
- August 1st & 2nd
- Daily Take-Off & Weigh-In Site
- Fort Stevenson State Park
- 252A 41st Ave NW
- Garrison, ND 58540
- Fort Stevenson State Park
- Take-Off Time – 7:00am
- Weigh-In Time – 3:00pm
Weigh-In can be viewed LIVE each day through the link here.
Immediately following the final day weigh-in on Friday, kids are invited to participate in the Kid’s Fishing Clinic hosted by the NPAA. The event is free, will take place at Fort Stevenson State Park and the first 200 first will receive a free shirt or fishing combo.
The National Walleye Tour consists of four regular-season events and a no-entry-fee championship. Each regular season event is a two-day tournament and delivers over a 100 percent payback. Pro-Anglers compete against other Pro-Anglers, and Co-Anglers compete against other co-anglers. The 2024 season kicks off with a record number of Co-Anglers signed up for all events!
For more information on rules and tournament payouts, visit https://www.nationalwalleyetour.com/
For more information on the National Walleye Tour, including the 2024 tournament schedule, fact sheets, photos, and official tournament results from past events, visit nationalwalleyetour.com. Subscribing to the NWT e-newsletter is the best way to receive up-to-date information, registration announcements, sponsor incentives, and Outdoor TeamWorks news.
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About National Walleye Tour
National Walleye Tour (NWT) is part of the Outdoor Team Works family of fishing tournaments. The OTW brand offers a wide range of fishing events from professional tournaments to grassroots fishing derbies. All events are supported by some of the top companies in the nation and include on-site activation and activities, as well as extensive media support. For live updates and information, follow NWT on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.nationalwalleyetour.com to catch up on all the action.