From left are Diana Steel, Tyler Hale, Isaiah Sweron, Steve Shoup, Jim Steel and Dunkirk Mayor Rosas. Photo by Craig Robbins

Walleye has been the talk of the town recently, but for folks like Jim and Diana Steel walleye fishing is a way of life.

During a recent visit with the Steels in between the 2022 Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge and beginning of the National Walleye Tour three-day event out of Dunkirk Harbor, we discussed how Innovative Outdoors and the IOWC began.

“The idea for Innovative Outdoors came from trying to help out a company promote their product at a sportsmen show,” said Jim Steel. “Due to the company not being able to sell their products in the U.S., we started a company called Innovative Outdoors.”

While the consumer side of Innovative Outdoors is one part of their passion, fishing education has always been the most important.

“We started doing educational seminars promoting the products we sell and use on our charter boat Dream Catcher,” Diana Steel said. “That moved to us not seeing very many walleye tournaments still being run on Lake Erie. That is when we began the Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge.”

Innovative Outdoors Walleye Challenge was held this past weekend, with Big Fish Friday being held Friday and the main tournament being held on Saturday.

Teams from across several states traveled to the Walleye Capital of the Northeast for a Saturday morning send off and weigh-in. IOWC allows for teams of two to five anglers to fish as a team. Each team is allowed to bring six fish to the weigh in. IOWC is a live weight tournament and anglers are encouraged to keep their fish alive.

From the state-of-the-art real time certified scale system and fish holding tanks, IOWC strives for accuracy and proper use of the walleye after the weigh in. Keeping fish alive through the weigh in is so important that a half pound penalty is given for any dead fish that is brought to the scales.

Going through the team names is often just as interesting as the fishing itself. Team names such as Mac Attack, The Eye Doctors, Fish Knot Sea. Walleye Reapers, Team Fish Trap and Stress Relief just to name a few.

All New York state regulations and laws are in effect during the event.

“We look at ourselves as conservationists and stewards of the resources we pursue. Whether it’s deer hunting, pond fishing or tournament fishing, every time we step outdoors, we do our best to promote and protect the resources we chase” Jim Steel said.

With forty-nine teams taking part in this year’s event, all but two weighed in fish.

Winning team of Walleye Reapers with Tyler Hale took first place honors with a six fish limit weighing in at 34.79 and a check for $6,000. Erie Obsessions with John Lignos took second place with 34.54 with a monster 7.68 fish. Third place went to Randy Jaroszewski Ice Breaker team with 34.19 pounds. Big fish on Saturday was taken to the scales by Eye-Con Justin Wekenmann with a scale tipping 7.84 walleye.

“We are excited that the 2022 IOWC was a huge success, and everybody had a great time,” Jim Steel said. “To be able to showcase the great walleye fishing opportunities we have right in Dunkirk, N.Y., is always fun. As the 2022 tournament is over, we are already starting to plan the 2023 event.”