Lindy Pro Chris Berglund Earns Spot in NWT Championship

Lurenet congratulates Lindy Pro Chris Berglund on qualifying for the National Walleye Tour Championship on Lake Huron in September.

“I hope to rely on my Minnesota roots,” Chris Berglund of Grand Rapids said about the National Walleye Tour Championship on Lake Huron Sept. 3-6. Traditional Minnesota tactics, including pitching Lindy Live Bait Jigs and fishing leeches under Thill slip bobbers, played an important part in getting Berglund into the exclusive championship field, so he hopes that translates to the vast waters of Lake Huron.

That said, trolling crankbaits, including Bandit Walleyes and Smithwick Perfect 10s, also contributed significantly to this season’s success, so he’ll be ready to identify what the fish are doing and what conditions dictate and to devise his strategy accordingly.

Berglund, who began competitive walleye fishing less than a decade ago by competing in local tournaments, is among only 41 pro anglers who qualified for the championship and are competing for a Ranger 620FS powered by a Mercury 250 Pro XS and $30,000. He has fished past NWT championships as a co-angler, but this is his first on the pro side. In 2022 he missed championship qualification by a single place in the Angler of the Year standings.

Season-Long Challenges

Fishing the NWT, with most events on large waters that frequently feature high wind, big waves, strong currents or other challenges can bring unexpected turns at any time, forcing critical strategic decisions. Berglund’s 2024 season featured plenty of curveballs, and his decisions about how to contend with each played a key role in him reaching the championship.

The season opener at Lake Erie, where Berglund posted a season-best tenth-place finish, was anything but smooth sailing. Seven miles into a 52-mile run to his spot on Day 2, rough water tore off his kicker motor. His co-angler was in first place going into the day, so they resolved to seal the hole, plug the gas line, cut and tape wires and continue the rough ride. That persistence produced the second biggest bag of that day. Berglund said the return trip was through some of the scariest stuff he has ever driven in.

At the Mississippi River, a curveball came in the form of a barge in a lock that significantly lengthened the travel time to his key area and shortened his fishing widow.

At Green Bay, it was a severely off bite that impacted virtually the entire field and forced him to call an audible. After catching only three walleyes in practice and being one of many anglers to zero on the first competition day, he had to make the difficult decision to abandon almost all hope of a good finish and fish an area where the walleyes were smaller but more cooperative to ensure that he brought in fish and remained in the championship picture.

During the final regular season stop at Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota, Berglund broke a prop blade partway through a long second-day run. Not being near an area where he had any confidence, he decided to “limp” the rest of the way, having just enough power to get on plane and run about 35 mph. That made for a long ride, and he knew it could put his motor at risk, but he felt like it was the only option. That provided he and his partner a short window in his key area to catch enough weight for a solid finish before quite necessarily starting the return trip extra early to ensure they got back on time.

Complications are part of tournament fishing, and with the big-water venues that typically host NWT events, they are something every angler faces. Success requires making the right decisions and at times possessing an unwillingness to be defeated by circumstances. Lake Huron, where the championship will be held, is apt to serve up its own set of challenges, so Berglund knows he needs to be ready with plans A, B and C and be prepared to make difficult decisions and adjust on the fly.

Critical Walleye Bait

The Lindy Live Bait Jig is critical to Berglund’s total walleye fishing approach, in part because of its versatility. He uses Live Bait Jigs to present crawlers, minnows and leeches and with various conditions and a broad range of situations.

He values the versatility of presentations he can achieve with the same jig, which is critical for walleye tournaments held on a wide range of water types that deliver every imaginable condition. “By simply changing the knot position, I can change the way a bait reacts in the water, and that can make all the difference some days,” he said.

Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle and Lurenet wish Berglund all the best as he prepares for the NWT Championship in a few weeks!