Weather postpones start of walleye tournament

There were no fish stories told May 4 in Lorain with the opening day of the Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit Team Walleye Tournament postponed until May 5, according to a news release.

For safety reasons due to gale force wind warnings, the tournament was delayed a day and 63 teams from around the country now will compete on May 5-6. Saturday’s weigh-in will take place as scheduled at 3 p.m. with Sunday’s weigh-in taking place slightly earlier at 2 p.m.

“We understand that a postponement is hard sometimes and may cause schedule issues but the safety of our anglers is always our primary concern and we will always err on the side of safety,” the release said.

Jeff Kelm, Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit master of ceremonies, said they were excited by Lorain’s hospitality and were eager to get out on the water, taking the extra time on their hands in stride.

“We’re super excited,” Kelm said. “The bite is good on Lake Erie and the guys have been having a great time pre-fishing here last week. They’re definitely bummed out they weren’t able to get out on the water today but it was the right call with gale force winds.”

Lorain Port Authority Executive Director Tom Brown said in a phone interview he didn’t expect the temporary setback to affect the rest of the tournament, and anticipates teams heading out on the water May 5 with the weather expected to settle down.

“It’s always good to have them here,” Brown said. “I had recognized a lot of the fishermen from last year’s tournament and we’re happy to have them back in Lorain. We are expecting a lot of people down at Black River Landing this weekend.”

The tournament kicks off at 7 a.m. on May 5 and 6:30 a.m. on May 6 with boats gathering at Black River Landing before heading out on Lake Erie, with teams returning with their five biggest fish to be weighed. Each fish must be at least 15 inches long and winners are determined from the combined weight of both days.