Canada's Premier & Largest Walleye Trail is preparing for another season!

A new season is upon us as the 2012 Princecraft Northern Ontario Walleye Trail(http://www.nowt.ca/) prepares for another year of success.  As Vice-President of this organization, I have seen this Walleye Trail continue to grow in popularity each year.  As Canada's largest walleye trail with over 900 anglers on a yearly basis, an opportunity to meet many amazing people is without a doubt one of the reasons I do this.  The friendships I have been able to create on this trail will last forever.  Every year I am like a little kid waiting for Christmas as I count down the days until the first tournament.  First tournament means, catching up with old friends and making new friends.  That nervous feeling you get in your stomach on the first day of the tournament lets you know you have arrived and it is time to deliver.

This year's trail will be comprised of 6 tournaments spanning June until the end of September.  Approximately $150,000 will be given out this year to the top anglers for each event.  Registration fees run anywhere from $200-$350 per tournament.  This makes each tournament affordable for all to participate and allows for others to sample that competitve fishing edge.  You can also fish with a different partner each tournament if you like or fish wiht someone consistently, choice is yours.  Many anglers are competing for the coveted Angler of the Year honours.  Anglers only need to fish 3 events to qualify for bragging rights.  These tournaments are live release and the NOWT works hard to deliver zero mortality for each event.  All events are 2 day total weight tournaments.  All events are 6 fish per day(2 over 18.1 in and 4 under) per team with the exception of Sault Ste Marie.  Sault Ste Marie is a 5 fish limit with no upper slot, only a 15 inch minimum.  This creates some large weights and large fish.  The trail stops are: Mattagami First Nations(Gogama Area), Dubreuilville, Geraldton, Sault Ste Marie, Kapuskasing and Sagamok First Nations(Espanola/Massey area). Check out the site for dates at http://www.nowt.ca/.  Registrations are already being accepted for each event and these tournaments typically fill up fast.

This trail has also caught the attention of many great anglers and major manufacturers within the industry.  Some Northern Ontario Walleye Trail anglers have been named to Team Canada to represent our great country against some of the most notable Walleye Anglers in the business.  AIM's Canada vs USA walleye championship will be a much hyped and anticipated event of the year for our Trail anglers.  This will be a true opportunity to compete against the best and get a true measure of one's ability.  Being a good Angler is only one of the credentials necessary to represent Team Canada.  Other credentials as important and even sometimes more important are: team participation, willingness to share information, personality, professionalism, positive attitude, personal sacrifice, and strong representation for the country.

Be a part of this trail and you will have the opportunity to meet many great anglers.  As an angler you will also share in one of Canada's best kept secrets, the Northern Ontario Walleye Trail.  Scenic landscape, incredible fishing and great people!

Shane Turcotte
Vice-President Northern Ontario Walleye Trail