Walleye Weekend 2024 nets 83 teams

Tim Brody - Editor

A close finish in this year’s Sioux Lookout Walleye Weekend.
Put on by the Walleye Weekend Committee in association with the Sioux Lookout Anglers and Hunters (SLAH), 83 teams took part in this year’s tournament on June 8 and 9.
Anglers competed in teams of two in the two day tournament on the MAP B (Minnitaki, Abram, Pelican and Botsford) lakes. Teams were allowed to submit four fish per day – one over slot size if they were able to catch it, and the rest under slot size. 
Taking first place was the Sioux Lookout team of Shaun Reid and Chris Edwards with a two day total of 19.98 pounds. Reid and Edwards also had the big fish of the day for Day 2, weighing in at 5.99 pounds.
Coming in second was the Sioux Lookout team of Derrick Sawdo and Allan Sawdo, also with a two day total of 19.98 pounds. 
As per our tournament rules, the highest daily weight decided the tie. 
In third place was the Dryden team of Brandon Kamm and Dale Barker, with a two day total of 19.97 pounds.
JP Kennedy and Cliff Kennedy had the big fish for Day 1, weighing in at 5.72 pounds.
Winnipeg angler Megan Donnelly fished in the tournament with her dad, Ken.
Her father, she said, is a regular in the tournament. This was her first time competing.
“My dad is from Sioux Lookout and I’ve spent all my summers my whole life here,” she shared. 
She celebrated her birthday on the first day of the tournament.
“It was really awesome… The volunteers did an awesome job,” she commented of competing. 
“With my son (Troy), every year we participate in this tournament,” shared Sioux Lookout angler Rick Crawford.
“We enjoy fishing…. It gives us an opportunity to spend a couple of days in the boat together and have some fun with a bit of competition added in there,” Crawford added.
He said the volunteers who ran the tournament did an awesome job. 
Another Sioux Lookout angler, Karla Madsen, is also a regular in the tournament. 
“It’s just great to be out on the water. Lots of fun, lots of fish. We just always have a great weekend and appreciate the volunteers putting it on,” she said.
Balmertown angler Dar Woods and her husband Jerry Woods are also regulars in the tournament.
She also thanked the volunteers for all their hard work and said she enjoyed fishing in the tournament.
Walleye Weekend Coordinator Tiana Korobanik said it was a great tournament. 
“It was overall a great turnout and couldn’t ask for anything better,” she said, adding, “The weather held up, we had a solid crew, boat release was great.”
“Volunteers are the backbone of this. These sort of events wouldn’t happen without them and I’m forever grateful for them,” she commenting, thanking everyone who helped make this year’s tournament happen and everyone who competed.
“I’d say maybe between 50 – 60 percent of the boats are actually from out of town, so obviously we appreciate everyone making the drive, they’re coming from Kenora, Winnipeg, the States,” she said.
Full results can be found on the Sioux Lookout Walleye Weekend Facebook page.