KC WALLEYE CLASSIC FISHING TOURNAMENT IS MOVING THIS YEAR!!!

THE COMMUNITY-FAMILY EVENTS AND THE FINAL AWARDS CEREMONY WILL BE AT THE SANFORD CENTER THIS YEAR!

The Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic Fishing Tournament, presented by Acme Tools will be held Saturday June 8, 2024, starting at the waterfront on Lake Bemidji. This year will be the 24th annual event and it promises to be bigger and more fun than before. 

The Walleye Classic has contributed over $1.1 Million to our worthy beneficiaries since it’s inception. John Marcum, Grand Knight of the Bemidji Knights of Columbus Council said, “The Knights are determined to continue the tradition started by Kraus-Anderson and carried forward by the Bemidji Knights. Beneficiaries of this year’s Walleye Classic include: Bemidji Youth Baseball, Take A Kid Fishing, American Heroes Outdoors, Boy Scouts, Fishing Has No Boundaries, Special Olympics, Let’s Go Fishing, All Pro Dads, Bemidji Lumberjack Fishing Team, Minnesota DNR, and Bemidji Knights of Columbus Council 1544.”

Raffle tickets for the 1650 Lund Angler boat/ 50HP Mercury motor and Shorelander Trailer sponsored by Ray’s Marine and other valuable prizes are on sale for $10 each from any member of the Knights or can be found at:

ACME TOOLS – Bemidji

RAY’S SPORT AND MARINE – Hwy 2 Wilton

LUEKENS VILLAGE FOODS NORTH – Service Counter

LUEKEN’S VILLAGE FOODS SOUTH - Service Counter

ACE ON THE LAKE – Cashier station

NORTHWOODS BAIT AND TACKLE – Hwy 71 N @ Fern Street

TIMBERLINE SPORTS- Blackduck, MN

The Walleye Classic kicks off at 7AM on Saturday  at the Bemidji Waterfront with Joe Vene singing the National Anthem as 100 teams of anglers set off for a day of competitive fishing. While the teams are fishing, the Sanford Center will be alive with food, fun and family activities. The KCWC Committee is planning family events including bouncy houses, casting contests and other entertainment! The awards ceremony starts at 6pm as you watch the TOP 10 teams pull their boats through the Sanford Center Arena before assembling on stage and showcasing their fish!

Keep following the KCWC website and Facebook pages for more exciting updates to this year’s tournament!  

2024 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS WALLEYE CLASSIC RAFFLE TICKET LOCATIONS
 

ACME TOOLS – Bemidji

RAY’S SPORT AND MARINE – Hwy 2 Wilton

LUEKENS VILLAGE FOODS NORTH – Service Counter

LUEKEN’S VILLAGE FOODS SOUTH - Service Counter

ACE ON THE LAKE – Cashier station

NORTHWOODS BAIT AND TACKLE – Hwy 71 N @ Fern Street

TIMBERLINE SPORTS- Blackduck, MN

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS – Bemidji members:

Or mail a check, $10 PER Ticket, to:

KCWC Raffle
PO Box 1788
Bemidji, MN 56619-1788

We will mail the stubs to you!

OUR TOURNAMENT HAS FILLED OUT.

If you are interested in fishing the KC Walleye Classic, please register on our waitlist.  We will contact you when a slot opens.  First come first served from the waitlist.

Register now!!!

2024 KCWC Registration

All registrations for 2024 will be processed through the 2024 KCWC Walleye Classic registration portal on this site.  The registration button will appear on the home page on February 1, 2024 at 8:00AM.

The 2024 KCWC is a 100-team event. The field will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. A waiting list will be established after the 100 team field is filled.

Phase 1: Registration begins on February 1, 2024, for returning anglers from the 2023 KC Walleye Classic whether returning as an intact team or returning with a new partner.   Your completed Tournament Entry along with the entry charge of $480.00 plus fees ($497.10) per team, must be received on the tournament website by February 29, 2024.

Phase 2: On March 1, 2024, registration opens for new anglers,

Listen to Fishing Paul Bunyan Country as Kev Jackson and Phil Hodapp discuss the KC Walleye Classic Fishing Tournament on June 8, 2024

Click on Link:   Megaphone

24th ANNUAL KC WALLEYE CLASSIC

June 8, 2024

LAKE BEMIDJI WATERFRONT

The Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic is a competitive, catch- photo- release walleye-fishing tournament to be held Saturday, June 8, 2024 on Lake Bemidji and Lake Irving. The tournament has raised over $1.1M for local charities over the past 23 years

One hundred two-person teams will again compete for more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. Anglers will start their engines at 7:00 a.m. at the Bemidji Waterfront.  The Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic is presented by Acme Tools/Milwaukee Tools/Honda Power Equipment. 

The community is invited to attend family activities hosted by All Pro Dads and several other beneficiary organizations in the afternoon with food and beverages available.  The awards presentation is at 5:30 p.m. and is open to the public. First prize is $15,000.00, with other cash and prizes awarded to the top 20 teams.

A Lund 1650 Angler boat equipped with a 50 HP Mercury Motor and Shorelander trailer donated by Ray’s Marine in Bemidji will be raffled off at 5:30PM.  Other cash prizes will also be raffled off at this time.

Proceeds from the Walleye Classic will benefit Bemidji Youth League Baseball, Wounded Warrior Guide Service, Bemidji Area Special Olympics, Fishing Has No Boundaries, Let’s Go Fishing, Take A Kid Fishing, Bemidji Boy Scouts, All Pro Dads, The Bemidji High School Lumberjack Fishing Team, the Knights of Columbus, and the local fisheries through DNR.

KCWC Committee Announces new Grand Prize of $15K for 2024 Champions

The KC Walleye Classic Committee is proud to announce they have added additional prize money making the Grand Prize for the 2024 KCWC Champion a whopping $15,000!! 

The top twenty places in the tournament are eligible to receive cash prizes with19th place receiving a free registration for the 2025 KCWC valued at $497.10.  The prize list is available for viewing on the "Prizes" page.

2024 Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic

Set for June 8, 2024

The Bemidji Knights of Columbus Council #1544 is proud to announce the 24th Annual KC Walleye Classic date is set for June 8, 2024 at Lake Bemidji  and Lake Irvine.  This year, 100 teams will once again launch from the Lake Bemidji Waterfront at 7:00 A.M. and compete for a new Grand Prize of $15,000.00.

The top placing 20 teams are also eligible for cash prizes with 19th place team receiving a free 2025 registration to fish in the 2025 KCWC!  Anglers also are eligible for random drawings for other valuable prizes that will take place once fishing has concluded for the day.

2023 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS WALLEYE CLASSIC DONATES

$100,157.00

TO LOCAL CHARITIES

MORE INFORMATION ON THESE DONATIONS FOUND ON

BENEFICARY PAGE

Congratulations to the 2023 KCWC Champions!!!!

PAT MCSHARRY & DAN FULLER

BAG WEIGHT-  38.69902991

3/8/2023

Tournament Director John Marcum announced at 2:30 PM today, the tournament is officially full with 100 teams registered to compete in the 23rd annual Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic.

Registration remains open for "Wait List" teams. Teams from this list will be selected in the order they were registered in the event a registered team cannot compete.

01/24/2023

The Knights of Columbus Committee sent invitations to the 2022 Captains this week.  If you were a Captain last year and are planning to return to the tournament with your same partner you can register your INTACT TEAM beginning on February 1st, 2023.  That morning at 8:00 AM a button will appear on the upper left side of our home page where you can Click to begin the process.  Entries are being handled on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVED basis.  Your Captain letter has the required code to allow your entry into the tournament.  This tournament is limited to 100 boats.

Returning anglers with a new partner will be eligible to register for remaining slots beginning at 8:00 AM March 1st, 2023. Entries handled on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS.

The event will open to the public on March 1st at 8:00 AM for remaining slots.  A wait list will be created once the tournament fills.

Click the links below from Fish Donkey to see short videos describing the APP

How to Enter a Fish

How to Measure a Fish

1/24/2023

The June 10, 2023 Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic, presented by Acme Tools/Milwaukee Tools/Honda Power Equipment- angler registration is approaching fast! Our committee has been meeting through the fall and has been busy planning for our next event!

We have been working to evolve this tournament to catch/photo/release format with more and better features. 

We are planning to provide fantastic opportunities for anglers’ families, friends and the community to follow the tournament live at the waterfront and online at the KCWC Facebook page, @KnightsofColumbusWalleyeClassic.

Angler registration begins at 8:00 AM, February 1, 2023, with returning, intact teams from 2022.  Returning 2022 anglers with a new fishing partner are eligible to begin registration on March 1st, 2023.

Remaining slots will be open to the public on March 8, 2023. 

Continue to monitor this website and our Facebook page for additional updates as the tournament approaches. Last year's Captains will be receiving a sign-up  reminder in the mail in just over a week.

This year the KCWC will be raffling off a 2023 Lund 1650 Angler Tiller with a 50 HP Mercury engine and trailer which is being donated by Ray's Marine, Lund boats, and Shorland'r Trailers and will include trolling motor and graph. 

Please also remember to support the tournament by buying raffle tickets  when they become available shortly.  We will announce the locations to purchase tickets soon.

If you have questions, please contact Tournament Director John Marcum at bowhunterjohnm@gmail.com.

The Knights of Columbus Walleye Classic will be conducting the 22nd event on Saturday, June 10 2023,  at the Lake Bemidji Waterfront! This will  once again be a CATCH/ PHOTO/ RELEASE tournament using Fish Donkey APP to document your catches.

More information about this tournament will be posted on our website and FACEBOOK page soon.

Sundquist and Holley, who also won the KCWC in 2004, claimed the championship with 13.86 pounds. Duane and Travis Peterson took second and the Legacy prize with 13.38 pounds. Big Fish prize went to Kurt Knott and Marty McSharry with a 5.81 pound fish!