This is based out of Garrison, ND on the far east end of the lake. And it already has a waiting list over 50-deep for this $15,000 first place tournament. The 252-team, 2-day tourney filled the day it opened…crazy. This year is the 44th annual, making it one of the oldest running walleye tournaments in North Dakota. NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR’S CUP ( Offical Website ) It’s definitely catching the attention of anglers all over the Midwest. So let’s take a look at the tournament scene this year in North Dakota. Devils Lake kicks off in May and the last tournament I know of on Lake Sakakawea is in October.

With an $85,000 purse being dispensed to anglers (if tournament fills), the bar, again, has definitely been raised!īetween the 2 BIG lakes of North Dakota, Devils Lake & Lake Sakakawea, it seems there’s a big tournament going on every weekend of the summer. And wait, the Williston CVB just released a $30,000 first place tournament the first weekend in October. Heck, the Casino Cup circuit (formed this year, more on that later) has a $16,000 championship first place. NOW, the bar has been raised to $12,000 for many North Dakota tournaments. I remember when $10,000 seemed like a big purse for 1st place. Have you seen the payouts in this year’s North Dakota walleye tournament schedule?

The walleye tournament scene in North Dakota is getting awfully competitive in recent years, and for good reason. Not only do you learn from other anglers, but many I call good friends now. I’ve gotten to know many of the anglers who fish the same tournaments, and the comradery has been a life-changing experience. Since then, I usually do between 4-6 tournaments a year now. I’ve been competitive all my life and needed to determine if this was to be that outlet and it was. While everyone in the tourney wanted to win, I was more interested in the experience than anything. The tourney had been around for a long time and to win it meant you needed some serious fish. This tourney was the spring kickoff on the first weekend of May. A good friend of mine offered to let me jump in as the 3rd wheel years ago, in Bismarck’s infamous Big Muddy tournament. I can remember my first walleye tournament like it was yesterday.

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