The winners of the 2022 Saskatchewan Premier's Walleye Cup. (SaskPremiersWalleyeCup/Facebook)

By northeastNOW Staff

GOING FISHING

Organizers expecting another successful year for the Premier’s Cup

Aug 11, 2023 | 5:00 PM

A longstanding tradition on Tobin Lake is back this weekend as the Saskatchewan Premier’s Walleye Cup is in full swing.

The annual event, now its 35^th year, began on Thursday and will run until Saturday. The festivities got underway with a boat parade through downtown Nipawin before many of those boats hit the lake.

Sherry Hidlebaugh, Marketing Co-ordinator with the Premier’s Walleye Cup said the town is excited for the event and explained why it has the name of Premier’s Cup.

“It is named after the Saskatchewan premiers,” she said. “Over the years we’ve had several premiers who have attended the cup and we even had one who fished in it, that was Brad Wall back on our 25th annual (cup).”

Just under 100 boats are competing this year for about $50,000 in prize money, with the final awards expected to be handed out on Saturday evening.

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

'We're all connected in a web of life': Tipi teachings offer life lessons at Fort Battleford

2h ago

assistance

Thirty cabins burnt on Lac La Ronge, owners seek relief from province

15h ago

20 years as chief

Ahtahkakoop Chief Larry Ahenakew elected for sixth term

15h ago

For Hidlebaugh, she said not only is the event a major attraction for Nipawin residents, but it also brings in fishers and tourists from other communities, which in turn, boosts the local economy.

“It is part of the fabric of Nipawin,” she said. “We continue each year to welcome fishermen back and some of the fishermen that originally came from the very first year of the Premier’s Cup, have done things like bought homes and cabins and camp here all summer. It means a lot to us.”

Boats are already out on Tobin Lake with the final fishers coming back around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

—

news@northeastnow.com

Twitter: @northeastNOW_SK