Every August, Wigwam Resort fills up with something you don’t see anywhere else on Lake of the Woods or in North America: row after row of matching Warrior boats, rigged out and ready to fish, with anglers from every corner of the country standing around them swapping stories. That was the scene again this year as the 11th Annual Warrior Boats Shootout, held in memory of David A. Andersen, brought 184 boats to the lake on August 15th, 2026.
What started as a small get-together for Warrior boat owners has turned into one of the bigger events on the Lake of the Woods calendar, and this year’s turnout proves it isn’t slowing down.
A Team Effort From the Start
Kent Andersen, National Sales Manager for Warrior Boats, has watched this event grow from the ground up. “We started back in 2016 with around 36 boats,” Andersen said. “Lake of the Woods Tourism brought us in with open arms and they still do with 184 boats. We are looking at potentially 200 boats in 2027.”
That’s not a typo. In just over a decade, the Warrior Boats Shootout has gone from three dozen boats to well over five times that number, and Andersen doesn’t think it’s peaked yet.
More Than Just a Fishing Tournament
While the walleye tournament is the headline event, Andersen was quick to point out that it’s really just one piece of a much bigger week for Warrior owners and dealers.
“This event is special. The fishing tournament is only one piece of the week,” he said. “We bring dealers, have test rides in different models of Warrior boats and reveal changes and new products.ย This year, we actually introduced our new model, the FFS.ย The new 2027 Warrior v208 FFS (Forward-Facing Sonar) is purpose-built for live-scoping anglers, featuring a massive, redesigned bow layout with three pedestal seat bases, a flush-mounted recessed trolling motor foot pedal, and a dual-graph recessed “Beatdown” mount to keep large electronics out of your line of sight.
Warrior Boats is a small company compared to many in the industry, building boats in Melrose, MN. We ship boats all over the nation. This week, we had owners from all over the country, NY, Montana and many others in between.”
For a company built in central Minnesota, that kind of reach says a lot. Warrior owners didn’t just drive up from the Iron Range, the Twin Cities or dakotas for this one.ย They loaded up their boats and trailers and made the trip from New York and Montana, among plenty of other states in between, to participate in an event filled with pride, camaraderie, family, friends, a tournament and the opportunity to fish one of the best walleye lakes on the planet, Lake of the Woods.
Why They Keep Coming Back
Ask anyone who’s fished here once why they came back, and the answer is usually some version of the same thing: the fishing is as good as advertised, so many big fish and the lake itself really grows on you. Andersen sees it every year.
“People come to Lake of the Woods and absolutely love it. They love the area and naturally the great fishing. We actually had anglers from Lake Erie this year talk about how great of a fishery this is and so impressed with the overall size of the walleyes. Combined with the many great resorts and natural beauty, it is hard to beat.”ย
The Results
With 184 boats on the water fishing a 5-walleye limit, the competition at the top of the leaderboard was tight. Here’s how the top three teams stacked up:
| Place | Captain | Partner | Weight (5 Walleye) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Luke Spickler | Beau Schilling | 55.25 lbs |
| 2nd | Peyton Sumners | Jayden Wendel | 52.89 lbs |
| 3rd | Ross Grothe | Roger Grothe | 52.30 lbs |
Luke Spickler and Beau Schilling took top honors with a five-fish bag weighing an impressive 55.25 pounds, an average of better than 11 pounds per fish. Peyton Sumners and Jayden Wendel weren’t far behind at 52.89 pounds for second, and the father-son team of Ross and Roger Grothe rounded out the top three with 52.30 pounds. Just a pound and a half separated first from third place, which shows just how good the walleye fishing was out on Big Traverse and the connecting waters that week.
Behind the leaders, the field stayed just as competitive. Jack Slipy and Arie VanderBeek weighed in 50.38 pounds for fourth, with Mike Nelson and Jesse Longtin close behind at 48.93 pounds for fifth. All told, 115 teams weighed fish, a field that speaks to both the size of the event and the quality of fishing Lake of the Woods continues to produce year after year.
A Fitting Tribute
The tournament carries the name of David A. Andersen, and every boat on the water that day was there in part to honor his memory. It’s a reminder that behind the boats, the leaderboard, and the new model introductions, this event is still rooted in family, friendship, and a shared love for this lake.
Looking Ahead
With Andersen already talking about 200 boats in 2027, the Warrior Boats Shootout shows no signs of slowing down. Lake of the Woods has become a proving ground for Warrior owners from across the country, and if this year’s tournament was any indication, this special event that takes place in this one of a kind setting with world class walleye fishing will keep bringing them back.
For more information on the Warrior Boats Rally and future events, visit warriorboatsinc.com/owners/warrior-rally.
