Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader

‘Drop us a line!’ says Slave Lake’s Anglers Cup committee – pun certainly intended. The big walleye tournament is going ahead again in 2021, after a year off.

“We just got our license last week,” says chief tournament organizer Tracey Crain. “We’re getting entries in already.”

Canadian Tire is again the chief sponsor, so call it the Canadian Tire Anglers Cup.

The tournament this time around will be slightly changed to accommodate health restrictions. It won’t change the basics, but Crain says there won’t be any get-togethers, before, during or after. That means no rules meeting, no barbecue and no awards ceremony.

“There’ll be drive-through registration at the curling rink,” she says. Teams will be handed a package with rules and such, and it will include masks. Competitors aren’t expected to wear them out on the lake, but if for some reason officials (fire department volunteers) need to board a boat, the masks will be there.

Other than that…. the weigh-in station is back at the pump house on the river. Having it out on the lake in the lee of Dog Island was good while it lasted, but a storm three years ago “sank our dock,” Crain says, and that was the end of that.

Entry forms, rules and regs – everything you need to know about how to take part – is online at anglerscup.ca.

“It’s looking good,” says Crain. “Fishermen are anxious!”