Sunset Bay Shoot out walleye tourney begins today
OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek: First Place finish for Big Fish Friday was the Sleeman team Midnight Express with a 10.04 pound walleye. From left, in front: Annie, Ethan, Fisher and Craig Sleeman. Back row: Mark Outhouse and Matt Reber. Sleeman took first place in 2016 as well.
OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek: In second place with a 9.86 pound entry was, from left, John Burke, David Hartman and John Lignos.
OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek: In a fourth place finish at 9.35 pounds was Chuck Pohlman and Tim Duffy
OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek: First Place finish for Big Fish Friday was the Sleeman team Midnight Express with a 10.04 pound walleye. From left, in front: Annie, Ethan, Fisher and Craig Sleeman. Back row: Mark Outhouse and Matt Reber. Sleeman took first place in 2016 as well.
OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek: In second place with a 9.86 pound entry was, from left, John Burke, David Hartman and John Lignos.
OBSERVER Photo by Gene Pauszek: In a fourth place finish at 9.35 pounds was Chuck Pohlman and Tim Duffy
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Get ready for the Sunset Bay Shoot Out walleye tournament, which is now the highest paying professional tournament with The Walleye Federation. Tournament Chairman, Don Ruppert, announced that with the SBSO registration fee of $500 per team, and optional calcuttas, the SBSO winner has a potential payout over $130,000.00. New for 2017 is an increased payout for the Main Event on Saturday for first place at $12,500. The largest walleye on Saturday will payout $3,250, with an increased payout for second place to fifteenth place, as well as the heaviest walleye from second place to fifteenth-place.
In addition, Big Fish Friday will payout for the top five heaviest walleye. In 2017, the SBSO increased the amount of teams competing to 95. According to Ruppert, there are that many other teams waiting to still get in the event. The 2017 event is the seventh year and the SBSO has a bonus prize pack valued at $250 worth of product donated by Collville Outfitters for the team that finishes in seventh place this year. Friday was Big Fish Friday, an optional event prior to the SBSO. Anglers paid $100 per team and were allowed to bring one walleye to the stage setup on Sunset Beach. BFF anglers were allowed to depart from any marina/port and were allowed to have lines in the water starting at 6 a.m.
However, they had to return to Cattaraugus Creek/Sunset Bay by water only and have their cooler in the "cooler line" by 3:30 p.m. The coolers were then taped shut and transported by trailer to the weigh station at Sunset Beach. One walleye per cooler with bagged ice or solid ice only. No water or loose ice was allowed. Payouts for BFF take place at the mandatory captain's meeting held at Cabana Sam's at 7 p.m. on Friday night. Failure to attend the captain's meeting would have resulted in a two hour start time penalty (9 a.m.). New for 2017 was the trophies for the top three finishing walleye on BFF. Cabela's was also award Prize Packs for 18 places with a minimum value of $500 apiece.
On Saturday, fishing hours will be from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The SBSO will start 300 yards west of the pier head at Sunset Bay promptly at 7 a.m. with a shotgun start. Leaving prior to 7 a.m. will be an automatic disqualification.
All waters of Lake Erie and the Niagara River are legal fishable waters, including Canadian waters. Teams can consist of two members up to five. All Canadian and USA rules apply. Teams with three or more members are allowed a maximum of nine rods. There will be two random "spotter boats" checking to make sure the legal number of fishing rods are utilized. Identification signs for each team must be displayed.
Today, each team is allowed to bring a maximum of six walleye (only) to the scale and the largest walleye per box must be tagged with a provided zip tie. More than six walleye in the cooler will result in disqualification. Each boat is issued a "puck" after they have been inspected, before the start of the tournament. Departing the marina with- out a puck, and you cannot weigh in your fish. The pucks are returned when you drop off your cooler fish at the check station. Teams are required to be properly dressed, with no ripped or soiled apparel allowed. (Note that new for 2017, each anglers on the winning team will be presented a custom engraved Championship Sunset Bay Walleye Shoot Out Ring.)
The weigh in takes place on the stage, located on the beach in front of Cabana Sams. The weigh in will be at around 4:30 p.m. This is a big-time quality spectacle, and the public is invited. Look for the winners to be posted in the Sunday OBSERVER.