Walleye Classic expanding for 2025

For 2025, the event will again run Friday through Sunday, June 6-8, creating The WNY Walleye Classic and City of Dunkirk Festival weekend extravaganza.

The event is coordinated by Primitive Patriot Outdoors Executive Director Josh Larsen and his six-man team in conjunction with the City of Dunkirk.

Larsen recently announced, “We will add an optional large Big Foot Calcutta this year for the first 25 teams that wish to enter. There will be an $800 entry fee with payouts for the biggest box (heaviest six-fish bag on competition day) with $10,000 for first place, $6,000 for second and $4,000 for third.”

This optional Calcutta allows anglers who might not have the biggest bag to win the tournament to go home with serious money if the winner of the actual competition day is not registered for this Calcutta. It’s a “what-if” chance, similar to an optional Calcutta run in the Sunset Bay Walleye Shootout. Many teams will hurry to register for this additional option; registration ends for this Calcutta after the 25 sign-ups.

Lake Erie walleye are known for moving from the eastern basin (Dunkirk) to the western basin (Cleveland) as winter sets in. This school of walleye was thick just off Cleveland this past weekend. They typically return in June to the Dunkirk area of Lake Erie each year.
Photo courtesy of Zachary Taylor Kaczmarski

Larsen announced a significant rule change for the 2025 WNY Walleye Classic. The tournament waters will now include all the United States waters of Lake Erie, a change made due to the high number of walleyes near the New York waters, just across the Pennsylvania line, during the tournament. In addition, the boat check and polygraph procedures will be improved, with winning teams provided a specific time for the polygraph.

The 2024 winner was Captain Chuck Pohlman of the team “Catch-The-Best,” with 31.15 pounds for the heaviest bag, with their big fish at 5.69 pounds; they cashed a check for $5,800. Second place, with 29.48 pounds, was team “I-Con” with Captain Rob Oram at the helm. Their big fish was 5.16 pounds, which was good for $2,800. In third place was Captain Dave Waldeck with team “Hunten Eyes,” weighing 29.06 pounds, good for $1,800, and their big fish of the bag was a 7.6-pound walleye — the biggest walleye of the competition day — good for extra cash.

“In 2025, we will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the WNY Walleye Classic, and we are working to add some great prizes,” Larsen said. “Our goal is 75 competition teams for this year. We look forward to 2025, the continued growth and expansion of this tournament, and we look forward to seeing everyone back in action next season. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and see you all in June.”

Registration for the 2025 WNY Walleye Classic will open on Jan. 1. The tournament will run on June 6 (Big Fish Friday) and June 7 (actual competition day), with the last day of the City of Dunkirk Festival on Sunday, June 8, with that day also being the official “blow day” if winds are too strong to fish the tournament the day before. To register (after Jan. 1), visit https://www.primitivepatriotoutdoors.com/wny-walleye-classic.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Nov. 23 to Jan. 19: Late Canada goose season — South Area. See syllabus.

Nov. 30 to Dec. 14: Pennsylvania Regular (firearms) deer season. See https://www.pgc.pa.gov.

Dec. 9-17: NYS Southern Zone late big game season for archery, muzzleloader and crossbow.

Dec. 12: Erie County Federation of Sportsmen, monthly meeting, 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, 7 p.m.

Dec. 15: Last day of NYS Great Lakes musky season.

Dec. 26 to Jan. 1: NYS Southern Zone holiday deer hunt season for archery, muzzleloader and crossbow.

NOTE: Send Calendar info or related outdoor news to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com.