Decision Made To Cancel Merc Walleye Fishing Tourney

Walleye fishing enthusiasts will have to wait another year for the Merc
National Walleye Fishing tournament. Organizers announced Wednesday they made the decision to cancel the 2020 Tournament in Fond
du Lac. FDL Festivals already moved the Festival Portion of Walleye Weekend back to August, with the plan to keep
the Fishing Tournament where it was, June 12-14 on Lake
Winnebago. 

Mercury Marine Senior Manager of Competitive Angling
Michelle Kilburn said “The decision to cancel the fishing tournament was a hard one. Our
Mercury Marine team and collaborators at the Walleye Federation arrived at this
difficult decision after assessing current public‑health recommendations and
considering forecasts of when social‑distancing imperatives might relax enough
to allow for a successful event.” Kilburn went on to say, “We concluded
that the timing does not work in the event’s favor or the public’s trust. With
less than a month remaining before the tournament’s scheduled start, there is
too much uncertainty about whether we would be able to include essential
elements that define this event, bring people together and make it something
special for the community.” 

There was no thought to postpone the event to August, as the catch-and-release style of the tournament is best
suited for cooler temperatures, creating high survival rates for fish. In
addition, moving the tournament back would create scheduling conflicts during
the active fall competitive and championship fishing seasons.