The 2024 season for The Fishing Crew will kick off April 6 when hundreds of anglers take off out of Cedar Shore Resort marina and head out onto Lake Francis Case for the 23rd Annual Cedar Shore Resort Walleye Tournament.
“Spring walleye fishing and Chamberlain, South Dakota just go hand in hand,” said Curt Underhill, Tournament Director for The Fishing Crew. “The Cedar Shore Resort tournament allows the best anglers to enjoy one of the best bites of the season.”
Sitting on the banks of the Missouri River, the Chamberlain-Oacoma community is famous for the terrific spring walleye fishing the area can produce.
“Lake Francis Case, in particular the Chamberlain area, is somewhere every walleye angler should put on their bucket list,” said Nick Harrington, Owner of Lip Ripper Fishing. “This is some of the best early spring fishing you’ll find in the region.”
Anglers fishing Lake Francis Case can find both great numbers of fish, but also very large fish as well.
“Every year you can expect to see a lot of fish caught, with many teams bringing limits, but you can also expect to see walleyes 8 pounds or bigger too,” continued Underhill. “The fishing is just so good and what makes this a ton of fun for our anglers.”
The tournament is limited to 150 teams, and anglers can fish both Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7.
“Entry fee is $300 for Saturday, Day One, and then an additional $200 gets anglers into Sunday, Day Two, as well,” stated Underhill. “Day Two is optional, but is a great way to round out the weekend and just enjoy the terrific fishery we have here.”
Anglers launch out of Cedar Shore Resort marina and can fish anywhere on the reservoir between the Big Bend Dam and the Highway 44 Bridge. At the end of each day, they weigh their five best walleye/sauger with up to two being 20” or greater.
“The first priority for us is going to be fill a limit,” stated Harrington. “If we can get that done, it’s time to go find one, and hopefully two, overs that can put us in competition for the win.”
Strategy plays a key role in where anglers focus their efforts, what presentation they use, and ultimately what fish they keep or put back.
“You’ll see a lot of different strategies in this event, because there will be teams that run all the way down towards Platte and others that might not go more than four or five miles from takeoff,” said Underhill. “Whether it’s how far to run, what fish to keep or put back, strategy is really important for who is going to be sitting on top the leaderboard at the end of the day.”
While anglers are looking to find the best “slot” fish, or walleyes between 15-20 inches, the coveted “overs”, fish greater than 20 inches, can change a day quickly.
“The great thing about Lake Francis Case, especially this time of year, is one bite can really turn a day around in a hurry,” continued Underhill. “Anyone has the potential to land an 8 pounder or bigger, and it can rocket you up the leaderboard in a hurry.”
The number of 15-18 inch fish in the system means weights are often close, and this is why overs play such an important role in deciding the outcome of these events.
“The last thing we want to do is crack a big one and have nothing to go with it,” continued Harrington. “At the same time, even if your supporting cast is a bit smaller but you can pop a big one-you’re in it.”
Whether it’s to enjoy the terrific early season bite, compete against their fellow anglers, or just catch up with old friends the Cedar Shore Resort Walleye Tournament offers something for everyone.
“Fishing is tradition here in South Dakota, and this tournament is a part of that tradition,” concluded Underhill. “I’m honored to be able to host this event and can’t wait to see what this year has in store for us.”
The 23rd Annual Cedar Shore Resort Walleye Tournament will take place April 6-7. The rules meeting will take place Friday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. CT at the Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Oacoma. All anglers are required to attend this rules meeting with registration beginning at 5:30 p.m.
“We’re super excited to kick off the season and hope we can make everyone proud at the end of the weekend,” concluded Harrington.
Complete information regarding this tournament, as well as others, can be found at TheFishingCrew.com.
Lip Ripper Fishing Insider Outlook
Nick Harrington shares the Insider Outlook for the upcoming Cedar Shore Resort Walleye tournament! Find out what is on the boys’ minds and the strategy they’re looking to utilize for the upcoming tournament!
