MWC World Walleye Championship Alexandria, Minnesota

Techniques, Tactics, and the Gear That Got It Done

The 2025 MWC World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, Minnesota was a grind, but one packed with lessons, adjustments, and a whole lot of time spent reading the fish and the weeds. This system held some incredible fish..the challenge was figuring out when and how they wanted to eat.

Finding the Right Fish

Throughout the week, we found that most of the better walleyes were sitting in small pockets of weeds on humps or inside turns. Not so much the outside edges, but those tight inside turns where the weeds opened up just enough to hold bait and give the fish ambush cover.

Depths varied anywhere from 8 to 19 feet, and the key was staying flexible and willing to move. Those fish would shift just enough from day to day that you couldn’t lock into one exact depth or patch and expect the same results.

Electronics and Observation

We leaned heavily on Garmin LiveScope, not only to locate fish but to watch their reactions in real time. It was interesting to see how quickly their attitude could change …whether from boat pressure, weather fronts, or even subtle changes in water temperature. Some days they’d rise up off the bottom to crush a bait, other days they’d only commit if it dropped right to them. Every fish acted a little different, and paying attention to that body language was critical.

Presentations That Produced

When working those weed pockets, we rotated through a few main setups depending on cover and bottom composition:

• Slip Bobber & Minnow: When fish were tucked deep into the weeds, this was a great way to stay in the strike zone longer.

• Drop Shot & Nightcrawler or Minnow: Perfect for hovering just above the grass and triggering neutral fish.

• Northland Tackle Stand-Up Tungsten Jig with a Crawler: Shined on cleaner bottoms or sandy transitions.

• On the heavier side, I ran ½- to ¾-ounce jigs with a small shiner or sucker.

• For shallower weed pockets, ¼- to ⅜-ounce jigs with crawlers did the trick.

When the system filled with massive schools of shiners, we quickly learned to avoid fishing right in the bait balls. If you got too close, your bait didn’t matter …the walleyes were too full or distracted. The best bites came just outside those areas, where active fish were waiting for easy pickings.

Rods That Made the Difference

• JT Mag Light: My go-to for those heavier stand-up jigs … plenty of backbone yet a soft enough tip to keep fish pinned.

• JT Panhandler: Perfect for the lighter stand-up jigs in the shallower pockets, giving great feel on those subtle crawler bites.

• JT Spinning Snare Rod (9’2”): This was my slip bobber setup, and that extra length was a huge advantage. It made casting easier and helped pick up slack quickly on the hook set.

Adapting to Changing Moods

From day to day, the fish’s mood could swing dramatically. Sometimes it was all about finesse and patience; other times you needed to be aggressive and force a reaction. That’s tournament fishing …constant reading, reacting, and adapting.

At the end of the day, Alexandria reminded me why I love competitive walleye fishing. Every decision matters, every detail counts, and when it all comes together, it’s a feeling like no other.

Big thanks to JT Outdoor Products, Northland Tackle, and Garmin for the gear that helped make it all possible.