The Dryden Walleye Masters tournament this year saw superb fishing action that brought hundreds of visitors to the local community.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) was one of the sponsors of the event where 270 anglers from northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and the United States gathered in Dryden for the 29th edition of the tournament.

“This tournament benefits our community immensely,” said Tanis Rostek, who is the chairman of the annual event. “Most anglers from out of town come to fish for the week, use our hotels and motels, and restaurants, gas stations, bait shops – all are frequented by these anglers. Our tournament in Dryden is a huge boost to tourism in this area.”

Ms. Rostek thanked the NWMO “for its generous sponsorship” and added, “if it were not for organizations like yours, we would not be able to put on the type of tournament that we do.”

This year’s tournament saw $80,000 in cash and prizes given to the top 30 teams. The first place prize worth $30,000 went to Dryden’s own Jeff and Blair Dingwall. The father and son duo were in the lead after day one, and took the Walleye Masters title with a two-day total haul of 32.88 pounds.

Work is already underway for the tournament next year that will celebrate a 30-year milestone for Walleye Masters. For more on next year’s event, visit the Walleye Masters website.