Maggie Kelch

Despite Mother Erie’s temper tantrums during October and November, hundreds of big walleye were still weighed in by anglers in the two fall walleye derbies again this year.
Both the Walleye Slam and Walleye Fall Brawl kicked off on Saturday, Oct. 18 and ended on Sunday, Nov. 30. During that time period, Lake Erie experienced some of the windiest fall weather in recent memory.

Registration is open for Lake Erie walleye anglers to enter the two largest fishing derbies on the lake. 
Registration for both the Walleye Slam and Walleye Fall Brawl is on pace to equal past years. In fact, there were more than 400 anglers signed up in each tournament just a few weeks after registration opened. Both the Walleye Slam and Walleye Fall Brawl will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 18 and run until Sunday, Nov. 30. Both tournaments will be awarding new boats as their top prize, and this year the Slam is introducing some new side pots to the competition

A night-fishing trip off the shores of Cleveland on Nov. 24, 2023, landed an angler from Olmsted Township a monster size walleye and two fishing boats. 
Ryan Smith was trolling offshore when he landed a 12.54-pound, 29.5-inch walleye that won the Walleye Fall Brawl and the Walleye Fall Slam in 2023. Once again this year, thousands of anglers are entering the Walleye Fall Brawl and Walleye Slam in hopes of getting just as lucky as Smith did last year.