Congratulations to Chad & Kyle Wattam, winners of the 2023 Musky Cup.

Perseverance pays off! The Wattam brothers first entered the Musky Cup in 2014 and this year were able to hoist the Cup and will see their names burned into it! Their Day 1 total was 2 fish for a total in a two way tie for 6th place. On Saturday, they caught two 47" fish, placing them alone in 1st place. 

The Musky Cup is the premier Musky tournament in Northwestern Ontario. Created by experienced guide and avid Musky hunter Byron Walker, he saw the need for a local tournament for all levels of Musky hunters and the Nestor Falls Musky Cup was born. The inaugural event in 2012 attracted 15 teams and has grown each year.

The Musky Cup is held on Lake of the Woods which is known for its spectacular musky fishing, so what better place to hold a Musky tournament? Starting from Nestor Falls (in the eastern part of Sabaskong Bay), the lake offers miles of fishing spots from as close as the base of the falls in town to any bay, island or inlet as far as the fishermen wish to travel (as long as they stay in Canadian waters!).

Yes, there are cash prizes and goods that can be won when fishing in the Musky Cup, but the greatest honor? Having your name burned on to the Cup. Carved from a single log, the Cup is given to the winners for the year until the next Cup tournament.

The competitors will tell you, the Musky Cup not an easy tournament to win. Until 2022 the Musky Cup had no repeat winners.

Commenting on the Musky Cup in 2021, Walker said: “The Musky Cup has been held for 10 years and 20 different names have been burned into the Cup. This shows the diversity of angling abilities from casting top water, to jigging heavy plastic in 30 feet. The end of September on Lake of the Woods offers a transition where some fish are still on summer spots and others are feeding the deep current channels.”