2016 MFN Fall Classic Champions - Perry Caverson and Denis Martin.

2016 MFN Fall Classic Champions – Perry Caverson and Denis Martin.

As the 2016 NOWT season nears the end, the second last tournament of the year did not disappoint anglers and spectators. Anglers were welcome back to the community of the Mattagami First Nation with a hot and tasty all-you-can-eat pasta bar hosted by J &L Lakeview Retreat and Restaurant. Anglers made their way in to complete registrations, catch up with friends (and competitors!), and reviewed the tournament rules and procedures with MFN Fishing organizers.

The forecast for Day 1 included a rainfall warning for the area with reports indicating up to 50 mm of rain to fall Saturday. The field of over 70 boats had anglers suited up for a wet day of fishing – but the rain held off until the end of the day. The result – perfect overcast day for walleye fishing! Despite the ideal weather, the weigh-in illustrated the success of a few, and the challenges for many.

The team of Perry Caverson and Denis Martin hoisted a bag of walleye weighing in at 16.37 lbs, a significant lead over the second best weight of 12.53 lbs.

Day 1 Top 3 Teams (weight in pounds):

  1. Perry Caverson / Denis Martin (16.37)
  2. Nick Huckson / Jason Doyon (12.53)
  3. Sebastien Lizotte / Jonathan Morin (11.41)

After a night of steady rain and wind, anglers woke up to a sunny, cool Sunday morning. Wet boats had bilge pumps running before heading off to the check-in station. The change in weather could make things challenging for the top anglers to maintain their lead, and also for those close behind to narrow and surpass the gap. By the end of the day, several teams rose to the occasion while others struggled, hoping to remain in contention for a cash prize with the success from Day 1.

Day 2 Top 3 Teams (weight in pounds):

  1. Mark Jensen / Jason Kirley (14.68)
  2. Dan Hein / Didier Germain (12.47)
  3. Jody Villeneuve / Chad Vis (12.20)

The end of Day 2 and the total weights concluded the story of the weekend. The lead established on Day 1 by Caverson / Martin was enough to keep them ahead of the pack, despite their much lower Day 2 weight. Sunday’s heaviest weight belonged to the team of Mark Jensen and Jason Kirley, but with a zero weight for day 1, it was enough to land them with an 11th place finish.

Final Top 3 Teams:

  1. Perry Caverson / Denis Martin (22.50)
  2. Jody Villeneuve / Chad Vis (20.88)
  3. Dan Hein / Didier Germain (19.99)

The MFN Fishing Committee would like to thank all our generous sponsors for their support.

Our utmost gratitude to all volunteers who helped with the setup, operation, and clean up this weekend!

Congratulations to all anglers for participating and supporting the Mattagami First Nation.

Proceeds from our events go towards improvements in the Mattagami First Nation community including recreational programs, equipment, and child/youth initiatives.

Without the support, effort, and participation of our sponsors, volunteers, and anglers this event and our initiatives would not be possible!

The MFN Walleye Tournament is set for June 3-4, 2017. Registrations are currently being accepted online for this event! See our June Tournament page for full details.

Full results are available on the NOWT Tournament Results page.  Photos are posted to our Facebook Page!