10 years ago, I was a terrible fisherman but someone who loved it. Now, I've upgraded to somewhere in between below average to average, but someone who still loves it. I'm a gambler at heart, so I LOVE the chance that I could win and catch that fish of a lifetime - even if I go home skunked.
I've caught my fair share of "wall worthy fish", and still have a goal to get a mount (replica - for anyone wondering) of every game fish before I go to meet my maker. But, now that I have kids of my own - it's turned the tide a bit. I've had an unreal life up to this point and got to do so many cool things that I enjoy. I'm dang near at what many would consider the half way point of life.
Now it's time to help give a new group of kids something I didn't have the chance to experience. An avenue for a passion to grow. A light in a sometimes dark world. A couple hours of smiles and laughter and fun.
9 years ago we started Minnesota Made because we couldn't get into the UPL. We wanted to tournament fish and learn! When one door closes, build your own dang door could have been our motto. We legit started an ice fishing league within a month which consisted of about 8 teams. It was grassroots at it's finest. No fancy scales or sponsors or atv's rigged out for tournament fishing. Just a 10" jiffy and a portable fish house and a vexilar. Nine years seems to go by a lot faster now days then it did when we were kids.
Minnesota Made has turned into a 30 team pretty elite ice fishing circuit. We have some of the best anglers in the state. But at the end of the day, we have so many new friends and memories and experience - and that's what it's all about. We are extremely proud what we've built, but we can't take all the credit because we've had lots of help along the way. First and foremost, Matt Johnson with Clam Outdoors has been a friend, mentor, and champion of everything we've done. His support has meant to the world to us. The best way to explain how I view Matt Johnson is very similar to how I view my dad - when he puts his faith in you - you will do everything in your power not to let him down. And our MN Made family - from our buddies who volunteer their time to hang out with us and help out, to the fishermen and women who continue to show up when we need them most. Together, we are making a difference in the community and have created something much larger than just a fishing league.
Three years ago, we started hosting an event in partnership with Hometown Hero Outdoors. Something we still do and plan to continue to do. If you ask our members their favorite part of the year - the majority will say "Hometown Hero Day". It started out as a big ask - take off your entire Saturday of pre-fishing to give back to these military and law enforcement guys and gals. To show them our gratitude for their sacrifices and selflessness. We shower them with welcome gifts and prizes for where they finish and free raffle prizes like a turkey hunt and a bear hunt. Traeger cooks an unbelievable lunch. So many things that make the day special, but at the end of it - the number one thing that makes it special.....the people. We are so appreciative of what these people have sacrificed for us and they are appreciative of the effort we put in to give them a fun day out on the lake. The stories that we get to hear after would be must see "newsworthy" tv and leave the audience with goosebumps - I promise you! There's something about spending two days out on the lake working your butt off in -20 temps and waking up Monday morning sore, exhausted and still cold - but with a full heart and huge smile!
Did I mention we don't know when to quit?
Six months ago, we decided to start a nonprofit. I've started two companies from the ground up including MN Made - how hard could a nonprofit be?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Welcome to the grind of the century! Myself, Paul, and Tony have spent countless hours getting this thing built up. Dale, Dan, and Bubba have been there to lean on as well. From the initial research (thank God for google), the setup (thank God for lawyers), and then the actual build up of waivers, websites, trailers, forms, outlines, guidelines, sop's, insurance, background checks, and whatever else you could possibly think of. Long nights, zoom chats, group texts, board meetings, and little sleep. It was like having a newborn all over again! Oh wait - that's right, Tony did have a newborn - in fact between the two of us we have four kids under 4 years old and Paul has 3 girls at much more manageable ages.
Mount Everest was a beast, but we can see the top. We have had an awesome response to sponsorship requests - all this will be announced soon so I don't want to spoil the surprise. We've had a solid response for volunteers. Our website should be launching next week!!! Insurance and background checks are all set up. And the other 100 things have been checked off the ever changing and adding TO DO LIST.
The response has been overwhelming. In all honesty, (And I don't care what the other guys say - they'd be lying if they don't agree) - we are just a bunch of knuckleheads that want to do good things in the community and fishing happens to be a common love for all of us.
The thing that got me though, was 24 hours after our initial sign up post - we had the first event 75% full. To me....I'm glad I get to type this and not have to speak about it - I would have for sure choked up - that's what this is all about.
Don't get me wrong - we love the sponsors and volunteers, but that's just a means to an end - the real reason we are doing this is FOR THE KIDS!!! And that's who matters at the end of the day.
So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you to the parents that signed your kids up. Thank you to the kids who will show up and be a part of this journey. Thank you for showing a bunch of knuckleheads that their "good deed" didn't go unnoticed. Thank you for rewarding our hard work and passion.
This is a passion project. There's no way we would have made it this far without passion. And there's no way we could take this to where we are going to take it without passion.
"If you build it, they will come"
We have built it and you have came. Now the journey begins!!!!
"GET EM HOOKED"
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2021 was another incredible year for Minnesota Made Outdoors. Not only did we step outside our comfort zone a little bit and try and get better, but we learned a lot while doing so. That should make 2022 even better.
Let's start with our sponsors. What a difference having our awesome sponsors makes - not only for league but for some of the community things we are trying to do as well.
We have had incredible sponsors and built solid relationships with a lot of them.
Our tried and true or our core:
Clam, Thorne Bros., Kenders, Vexilar
They were our first four and we owe a lot to them. For them to put their brand behind our league has only accelerated our growth and made our league that much more enjoyable. We can't say Thank You enough!
Been there, done that:
Amped, Ice Well Live Well
The amped batteries have changed the game. Not only for our Vexilars but for our power boxes and a multitude of other applications. IceWell's have made cleaning fish in the winter so much better - I feel like their slogan should have been the same as Raising Cane's - Always Fresh, Never Frozen.
Freshman:
Della Bay Custom Rods, Razr Ice Augers, Kahtoola, P3 Plastics, IceHole Power
Amazing rods, awesome people. Not only did they sponsor the league - they joined it! If you haven't fished a Della Bay yet - you're missing out. Razr jumped on board and I keep seeing more orange popping up through the ice with a freshly drilled hole every time I look out there. Kahtoola's kept us off our butts and upright which is half the battle some days. P3 gave generously in their first year of partnering with us - even sending all the HHO participants home with a bag of plastics. IceHole Power - all I'm going to say is if you don't have a power box yet and you like being in the outdoors - it'll change every trip you take going forward in a positive way.
On Deck:
RLVNT
Super excited to try these on open water. Not only do they float, but they are light weigh, comfortable, and make colors pop! If you're an avid outdoors person - these should be on your list of things to get.
That's an impressive list of companies that we hand picked. If you want to base your purchases off something - take a look at that list and you should be covered with all your ice fishing needs. And I promise you, not only will you receive solid products at a reasonable price - but they will stand behind their products as well.
As far as the fishing went, well....somehow we broke an overall league weight record. Lots of complaints on the VOTED on lakes that were on this years schedule - so we endearingly named this year DinkFest 2021. Credit to our anglers on figuring out a way to make every lake look like a gem. I promise you, it's not as easy as they make it look.
We had 8 new teams that came into the league and fit right in. We talk a lot about having the "right" teams and not just filling our league. We are family first and competitors second. We believe in doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Somehow, we managed to add 16 more like minded people who were absolutely awesome to get to know.
The people in this league are absolutely incredible and I can't say it enough times. If we run into issues - there's a line waiting to help. If we try and do something cool where we need volunteers it's a quick "Let me know what ya need". People spending hours of their personal time to help make the league better. I could go on and on, but I'll just say - I'm happy we started this league because of the people and relationships I've gained through the years.
Buckle Up!
Because we are just getting started...
We started our YouTube channel with the purpose of not only airing our Live Weigh In's and putting out a new show called "The Weigh In" (which we hope to get WIFI for a truck and be able to make sure that live feed works each event next season), but also to come up with some cool NEW content ideas. More on this in a few weeks.
We purchased a go pro and even kind of know how to operate it now - HA!. "Go Pro take a Photo" ;). We purchased a Yolo Stick for some summer content.
We have some of the best laid back anglers around. Let's entertain some people!
So what do we have in store for the summer and next year. Off the top of my head:
* Cool New YouTube series with help from our loyal followers
* An awesome special announcement that will be a MN Made 1st and hopefully first of many. Kids - especially passionate fishing kids - stay tuned because we have something for you.
* Golf Tournament - this will be annual and will grow into an amazing time. I am way better at running a golf tournament than a fishing league. (The first year, proceeds will go to MN Made to purchase some things to help us grow and to be able to become bigger and better - after that, see the above * and formulate an educated guess of where all the proceeds will go!
* A destination lake on the 2022 schedule. Hint: "Be the Bite"
* A cleaner, cooler weigh in presentation
* Personal pieces, kind of a get to know ya type interview with some of the anglers in MN Made (Did you know we have 6 parent/kid teams in our league?)
If you would have told me 8 years ago that this little idea was going to turn into this - I would have laughed you out of the room. What a ride! Hang on because it's only going to get better. If we are putting in the work to do all of this - we plan on changing people's lives for the better while we're doing it.
So follow along, join up with us, and let's show everyone a little bit of that Minnesota Nice everyone always talks about.
See ya on the open water!
~Kook~
]]>“Why do you think the same five guys make it to the final table of the World Series of Poker EVERY YEAR? What, are they the luckiest guys in Las Vegas? It’s a skill game Jo” -Rounders (1998).
For a while it’s been on my mind to write a short little opinion article [ok it’s excessively long] on competitive ice pan fishing and even just ice fishing/fishing in general. There are many misconceptions, many tips untold, and many things that us ice anglers learn from each other that I think the average ice head would appreciate learning or reading about. These are my opinions and observations, feel free to argue all you want, but you know where I stand. I am by no means the expert but am only sharing what I have learned, and watched others learn from the school of hard knocks. I am not sure this info is going to blow anyone’s mind, but if someone told me these things in 2013…it would have blown my mind. These misconceptions are in order from least important to know, to most important. You know….to keep your attention to read this whole dissertation…hopefully
If find yourself with only 3 mins to read this while taking a quick bathroom break or locking yourself in your closet away from your screaming kids; here is the TLDR:
10) It’s not ALL luck
9) Daytime panfish are NOT that easy to stay on and catch
8) You don’t have to find a secret honey hole spot
7) Stop fishing ONLY basins
6) Surf the world wide web DUDES
5) Get a fishing mentor/fish head friend
4) Electronics help you
3) Stop fishing ONLY crappie minnows under bobbers!
2a) You don’t need the most expensive equipment to compete with the best or be your best!
2b) Prep your gear, plan your work and work your plan
1) HAVE FUN, FISH CONFIDENT, RESPECT DAT RESOURCE BOYYY!
However, if you are still hungry for a more in-depth explanation, read on my friend!
Top 10* ice angling misconceptions:
10: It’s (all) luck – Luck: What happens when skill and preparation meet opportunity. This is last on the list because I think it is becoming more common that people understand that too catch quality fish through the ice and even in open water, there is more going on than some guys with horseshoes in their bums, rabbit feet on their key chains, and a lucky jig from Grandpa Joe. The best ice anglers are putting in [a ton of] time on the ice, adjusting to what they learn or see from the fish behavior, and applying this day after day, hour after hour, and minute after minute as they fish. There is luck for sure, and you need to get your jig above the biggest, hungriest fish in the lake and they need to bite. That doesn’t always happen even for the best ice heads out there. But the anglers who do it best, give themselves the most chances, to be in the most spots, with the most big fish, and they do this more than the other anglers…easy for me to say ha. The age old saying rings true here. “The harder I work…the luckier I get!”
9: Anyone can catch panfish..pshhh – That is true, and even you Mr./Mrs. Reader probably caught 10” bluegills and 15” crappies off the dock at the cabin all day with your snoopy rod as a baby. I know, I know, I have heard it all. The fact is this, putting together a bucket of quality crappies and gills on a twin cities metro lake in the middle of the day is not always that easy. There is usually a 1hr early morning bite window where you MUST make hay, sometimes you can add and upgrade fish the rest of the day sometimes you can’t. Then you weigh in at 2pm with no chance to catch the hot sundown bite. Sure, this isn’t walleye fishing or something that’s MORE challenging, but it isn’t shooting a fish in a barrel either. I too used to be a firm believer that catching panfish was a piece of cake. SO much so that I joined the UPL in 2013 with high hopes to show everyone I could catch the biggest of the little fish. I had tons of fun but competing went terrible. My eyes were opened to a world of ice pan fishing like I didn’t know existed. I think I only caught a couple panfish in each tournament and placed horribly. Wow, I did not have the knowledge and skill I needed to compete like I thought. Ok, well its time to do something different, I guess. Thus began my obsession with learning more about the panfish that dwelled in the cold frozen waters!
8: “If someone just told me, or if I found a secret spot, I could catch those big panfish too!” I hear this quite often as well. I am even guilty of it myself when I scourer backgrounds of photos/videos to find out spots or when I want to know where a buddy had recently been successful. But the more I ice fish, and the more I am around great ice angling minds, this fact rings true: there is no “magic” spot. This point goes hand in hand with the common temptation of “fishing memories.” I have seen this time and time again when fishing a lake in our MN Made tournaments that we have fished 1,2 or even 3 times before. You think you are going to go back to your money #1 spot/area from the years before events and repeat your success. Sometimes, you can, but that is usually the exception. Or, and this may be even worse. You rule out areas of the lake that didn’t produce in previous years. Even on your local lakes you know well, try to take info you have learned from the past as a SINGLE data point in finding fish that day. More important data points are…for example, the time of year, the cloud or snow cover, the pressure, the moon phase, the amount of angling pressure, what depth/structure you mark/see fish relating too that day, the forage, the lake bottom type, the condition of the vegetation… and realize that these data points can and will change day to day and even hour to hour. No one knows exactly what cause fish to do what, but the best anglers think about all these things and make tweaks to spots, presentations, and strategies with all these data points in mind.
7: Plop down in the deepest part of the lake…. that’s how you catch crappies! There are fish in the basin and deep parts of the lake, there always is. These parts of the lake hold enough oxygen to push the bait, and in turn, push the fish to these areas. There are a few reasons the deepest part of the lake shouldn’t be the first place you check or go and fish. One, it usually gets the most pressure from anglers. Two, it usually doesn’t hold the biggest fish. It will hold many more of those smaller schooling fish. Three, any fish caught over 25ish feet below the ice will experience barotrauma and will likely not live once released back. Once again, there are exceptions to these rules. If you insist on fishing basins, fish for the fish at the top of schools or even try jigging 5’ above the tops of the schools. This is where your bigger fish roam. HOWEVER, 80% of lakes/rivers I know, I am fishing panfish in less than 12FOW. Deep water holds oxygen yes. But, so does green weeds and moving water. Also, even in winter, the water under the ice in shallow depths can be a few degrees warmer (on sunny, warmish days) then the deep water and this will attract bait/forage/fish. Also, in the fish world, you know how you get big? You hide, and don’t get ate, or caught by fisherman DUH. You know where you do that? Weeds and Trees! So, you want to catch bigger panfish…look shallow and don’t be afraid to fish from the bottom of the ice, down to the bottom of the lake.
6: Everything on the internet about fishing is a lie and all pictures of big fish are photoshopped!!! So, in this place called “the internet” you can learn about anything. Do you need to change your brakes on your car, don’t want to pay $750, but don’t know a nut from a bolt….YouTube here you come!!!! You’re a mechanic now* The same goes for learning about ice fishing. Find articles on topics that interest you, watch videos about tips and techniques that you are not yet confident in, look up lake data info on year classes of fish in your lake, look at lake maps and satellite images of weeds and structure in your lake. There is so much info that is available if you want to do the digging to find and learn it. Yes, unfortunately some info is garbage, and you will have to deal with your fair share of keyboard warriors and internet tough guys/trolls. But, if you look around enough, there is lots of great advice, you just have to decide for yourself if it useful for your application of fishing or not. Another great overlooked resource are older fishing books. Just because these books don’t include the latest fad lure, or hot rod electronics, doesn’t mean that they don’t hold some hidden gems of info that will help you out on the ice/water.
5: “All fisherman lie and keep their good info secret” Maybe Grandpa Joe didn’t tell anyone s*** about fishing, but this isn’t your grandpa’s era of fishing. Many sportsman’s and anglers love to help people learn and be successful. I have seen people in our ice league give rods, tackle, line, augers, and many other things to other anglers to help learn and succeed. I have seen ice anglers take less experienced anglers out with them and show them how they break down lakes and catch fish. There are so many people that would love to help teach you about fishing as long as you are authentic in your wanting to learn. Another great way is to hire a guide and tell them to teach you how they find fish, not just take you to the hot spot. Also, ask someone you know you mentor or teach you to become a better angler. I don’t know many anglers out there that would tell you to go pound sand if you asked that.
4: “Grandpa Joe used to catch piles of fish on the ice with just a jiggle stick, 1/4oz jig and a crawler” I don’t know why Grandpa Joe keeps making an appearance in this article, and if your Grandpa is named Joe, please don’t take offense. I couldn’t agree more that all grandpas are great, and I am sure your Grandpa Joe is no exception. Unless it’s Grandpa Joe from Charlie and the Chocolate factory. HE WAS THE WORST! A Lazy POS that made no attempt to support the family, leeched off them, and pretended to be crippled until he got a chance to do something fun, and boom Ohhhhh I can magically walk!!!! But I digress, and I am sure your Grandpa Joe is nothing like him. If you don’t yet own any of these electronics, please start down the path to acquire, learn and use “the trinity of electronics” to help you find and pattern more fish. BEEEBOOOPBAAAHHHBEEEEP!!!!
Buy them in this order. 1) Traditional Flasher/Fishfinder/Vexilar (used base model $100, new top end model $800) Going from no flasher to having a flasher is like the fishing version of going from riding a donkey to work, to being able to drive a car there. You can also use a converted graph style fish finder for ice fishing too. I prefer a flasher for many reasons, but it can make more financial sense to use your graph from your boat. 2) Underwater camera (used base model $100, new top end $600) – While a flasher will show you that something is down there, a camera will show you what kind of fish it is, what size it is, and will also show you fish in weeds. 3) Garmin Livescope or Panoptics (or any live forward viewing technology) (used $1200, new $3500) This technology is not needed to get you 90% of the way there as an angler. But it is amazing for finding any sort of suspended structure or fish. This technology will also not turn an unexperienced, poor angler into a great one… but it won’t hurt lol. It is also awesome to sit and watch and understand how the fish are moving, reacting to your jigging/baits and relating to certain break lines or weed patches. This article is not to teach you about these technologies but just to make you aware of them and their order of importance vs. financial commitment.
3: “If it don’t bite on a crappie minnow, it won’t eat” Not sure anyone says this, but when I gaze deep in their eyes I can feel there soul speaking this to me 😊 If you are a minnow and bobber ONLY person, it’s time you explore the world of jigging and using other types of live and plastic baits. You may be surprised how large of panfish will eat the tiniest jig with just one tiny eurolarva or plastic on it. Also, if you don’t know what a euro larva/spike/maggot is….figure it out….it’s important. While you are at it, watch Dave Genz’s video on how to properly hook them on your jig too. Along with this, is the importance of learning what your jigging cadence (how you wiggle your rod) looks like on different baits under the water. Take a bucket and fill it with water and jig your different favorite baits in different ways. Knowing the connection between what your jigging motion is and what it does to the look of your bait is SOOOOO important.
2a: You need the most expensive, best equipment, and hottest new bait/item to be successful. I could write forever on this topic, I could piss off some sponsors, I could make some industry enemies. I won’t (OBV), but you Mr./Mrs. angler need to know this. YOU DON’T NEED THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND NEWEST STUFF to be a great angler. I am competitive, and also able to hang with the best ice anglers in the state ANDDDD….I fish a $15 noodle rod…on all 6 of my tourney rigged rods. I drive my FIL’s 2003 4-wheeler from a farm with a homemade bucket and auger rack system. My Vexilar is not even the top model (FLX-20) because in my opinion it’s the best one. I do have too many jigs, but I fish the same exact one, same color (diff sizes) 90% of the time! From all this I have learned, the following list are the most important items you need:
1) First and foremost, you need protection from the elements, whether this is a $100 ice house or an expensive ice suit/ice house. Buy what you can afford and what most matches the style of fishing you enjoy. It's as simple as that. If you aren’t comfortable, many things that happen ice fishing will not be enjoyable. Make sure your boots are warm (max gram insulation and waterproof)
2) You need an auger to drill holes. Once again, buy when fits your style and price range. Hand augers that have sharp blades still cut fast, and if you own a high torque drill, adapt that sucker to your drill. Do what works for your budget and style. Also, the smaller auger you go with, the more holes you can drill. I drill a 3” auger for camera work, a 5” auger for fishing crappies and gills, and a 6” auger for livescope/Panoptics and lakes with larger panfish. I used to be firm on the stance that I have a drill at least a 7” hole all the time (you know I don’t want to get a 16” crappie stuck in the hole), and yes, I still have a 7” strikemaster metal lazer bit. BUT, you just don’t need an auger that big, and all it takes is more time and effort to drill bigger. Small is the new BIG 😊 Whatever you end up on, keep your blades sharp and keep the cover on them when not in use. This is for both safety and this is also the number 1 way to keep your blade remaining sharp.
3) Electronics: see section above.
4) This may come as a surprise. It is your fishing line….yes the 4th most important piece of equipment is your fishing line. Something that can cost a few dollars, that’s the 4th most important?!?! Heck yes. This is your number 1 connection to that fish after it bites. The best, Stren Gold Mono in 2 or 3 pound test. Good luck finding it. Another great option is suffix orange ice mono in 2lb (for gills) and 3lb for crappies. I prefer a colored line so I can see bites and also see where my line gets caught on the edge of holes or tangled when it's windy. I have not found that the colored line has any effect on fish biting. Also, the lighter the line you can get away with, the better action you are able to portray on your jig and the better you can see and feel bites. Simply changing your line from heavier test to lighter test is the number 1 thing you can do to make yourself a better ice pan fisherman right this second.
5) Rods and reels that don’t freeze up, are light weight, and you are comfortable using. Find what you like, get super comfortable using it, and you will do great with it. Don’t look at price tags when rod shopping. Just use them, feel them, bend them and then pick one, and master it. PS pro tip ha; Clam’s Ice spooler Elite is THE best under $40 spooler reel on the market.
6) The rest of the stuff: You can walk, bike, sled, wheeler, car, truck or any other way you want to get on the ice. That doesn’t matter. Just get out there. You don’t need to buy a sno-bear to be a great fisherman ha. You DON’T need 300 jigs. This is a do as I say, not as I do thing 😊 Buy 10…find the one you are most confident in and then buy some more sizes and colors of that and you will out fish almost anyone with confidence in whatever lure/jig you end up with.
2b: PREPARATION: I could also write about this forever as well. But know this, a prepared and organized fisherman will be much more efficient and successful on the water than one who isn’t. Do all the background research you can or have time to do, on a body of water before you head out. Rig your rods, bait, jigs, augers, and vehicles approximately. Also, KEEP IT SIMPLE. This is one of the biggest things I have learned in the last few years. Keep everything as simple as possible. Simplify your tackle/bait so you can keep it in your pocket. Have hook removal devices on your person. Have a few rods mounted on your flasher. Do anything you can to be the most prepared, with the least number of things that would slow you down and cause confusion. If its not easy or quick to do, then you won’t do it while on the water. Plan your work, work your plan!
1: Tournament ice anglers think they’re the best and love bragging about their fish on social media! To be honest I am not sure if anyone says that or even thinks that, but I needed a knock-out attention getting line for the last point. The point I want to drive home here is what I think is the NUMBER 1 thing to being a “successful” ice angler. Ok, its three things, stop breaking my balls. HAVE FUN, FISH CONFIDENT, and RESPECT THE RESOURCE. At the end of the day, whether you are wailing on giant fish with your “dude bros” or drilling 1000 holes and catching nothing. If you don’t enjoy it, get a different hobby. Also, to be successful, you need to trust yourself, trust the info you have learned, trust and be confident in your equipment, and in your skills. Confidence in what you're doing out on the ice is what will take you from a good fisherperson and a great one. Be confident you will find them and be able to catch them. Cockiness however, not nothing like confidence. Confidence comes from learning, doing, trying, failing, repeating, learning, typing these long articles and losing your mind, learning, failing, doing, and then succeeding. I won’t preach on this long, but as far as keeping fish populations strong and healthy just know this. The number of anglers will continue to increase, the technology to find and catch fish will continue to improve, and the number of lakes/rivers will stay the same. I KNOW, Ice tournaments spotlight lakes which can bring more pressure, and they also account for 100s of nice fish being removed from said lake. But most the anglers I know do their best to limit what they have to keep and just keep their tournament fish. You can do the same, keep some to eat and don’t just pack the freezer on every hot bite. I now see the GIANT smile on my boys when they catch fish and I know we all want the next generation enjoying those moments too.
I hope there was something that someone could learn from this rambling
~Evan Pheneger
My first impressions of the league was that it was very organized and professional. I was a little intimidated to say the least. I did feel a little out of place during the Zoom/Facebook live meeting, mainly because I didn't know anyone other than my partner Brian Novak. However, I do have to say that my apprehension about fitting in was over quickly.
Pre-fishing - all I can say is WOW, I had never seen anything like these guys pre-fishing before. They are running around with 3 inch augers punching holes as fast as they can, dropping a camera and moving on. Hole after hole after hole. Pre-fishing was the biggest eye opener for me. Most of these guys had the fish wired in way before the shotgun start. Speaking of the start. Until you are actually in one nothing compares to it - that arm coming down and everyone taking off to try and get to that spot first.
The choice of lakes for events must be very difficult for two reasons #1 There are just so many anglers and #2 These guys are just so good. The choice of lakes for this year I thought was perfect. They were big enough and diverse enough to be challenging.
As the season progressed I really had to come to terms with the fact that I had a long way to go to be competitive with these guys. I felt like we were one step away on each lake. We just seemed to be missing that last piece of the puzzle each time. I learned so much about fish behavior, not only because of our pre-fishing, but also just listening to the other guys talking at the weigh in. I already have used things that I learned when I have fished other lakes.
It may sound funny, but I am already looking forward and planning for next year. Speaking for myself, I left a lot on the table this year. I know we could have done so much better with just a few changes. Again, I cannot wait until next year.
In closing, I want to relate something that happened to me that really brought home the fact that these are a special bunch of guys and gals. Pre-fishing Maple Lake solo, I found myself stranded on the middle bay with a broken down wheeler. I called Brian, my partner, who lives an hour away. He told me to hang on. A couple minutes later he calls me back and told me another member is on the lake and will help me. About 10 minutes later here comes Gary Sandberg blazing down the lake in his side by side. He pulls me to the landing. At the landing, Shawn and Hunter Lankki, jump in without being asked, and help push my dead machine onto the trailer.
You guys and this league are the real deal and I feel very fortunate being involved and included.
Thanks Again!
Kyle McCollor
]]>Maple Lake: While pre-fishing, we explored other parts of the lake, but kept coming back to the North end for quantity of fish and structure which held them fairly tight. We pinned out several areas on the North end knowing that's where most teams were headed and didn't want to be boxed out. We managed to get to our first spot without anyone around to get a few nice crappies with room to move around. Then we headed over to what we through was going to be a team favorite, but not many teams went there. While catching crappies and gills, we stumbled across an area where we caught nice pumpkinseeds. Never caught any of those pre-fishing! These seeds were key in us placing 1st. Almost the entire day used the pinhead with euros for both species.
Waconia: We really struggled to find crappie spots. They were held tight within the weeds and not roaming at all. Very easy to not see them on camera. Almost like they were leaning up against a week on purpose trying to hide. The main option we had was a spot that most teams already knew about, but we were 4th heat! Nick pinned an area he through held better quality crappies. Turns out we were one the last teams to roll up on this community spot and no one was in the area we wanted to go! After getting our crappies, we headed to our next spot where we spent most of the day drilling it out to upgrade. When sorting fish, found out my battery for the scale was dead. So had to weigh them the old fashioned way - in my hands. Our biggest crappie felt so close to our largest gill, so we decided to weigh a goofy bag of 7 crappies and 8 gills, for fun. This was enough for a 2nd place finish. The Vexilar FLX-30BB was really nice on this lake since we could lower the power and tighten the cone anfle to better fish in the weed pockets.
West Rush: In pre-fishing, couldn't find an crappies in the shallows, so we focused on the basins. Found one basin where the quality seemed to be a bit better, but would be a challenge to locate them without Livescope. On event day, with the deep freeze - the ATV wouldn't start even with attempts from a jump pack. The call was made we could drive, so I was able to use my truck. It was nice driving to spots, but not nearly as efficient as having all the gear on the ATV. After takeoff, we rolled up to our first basin spot. Drilled a few holes and struggled to find the school, but eventually moved enough to get on them. Once we had enough crappies to feel comfortable, we headed off to our gill spot. Upon arrival, found no one had been there! Plucked our gills then headed back to our first spot in hopes of upgrading some crappies. This secured a 2nd place finish. These conditions were brutal and really took a toll on equipment. Nick's ATV mounting rack snapped so we had to band-aid that with straps. Nick and I both wore the Clam Ascent Float suits which kept us plenty warm.
Cross Lake: Pre-fishing showed crappies were in tight schools and roaming fast. Gills seemed to be roaming in similar spots, but near the bottom. There were very skittish too, which made us concerned about pinning them down on event day with limited drill batteries. On event day, we mainly fished two spots. Drilled only a few holes in each spot first in hopes they didn't get spooked. But given how fast they roamed we eventually drilled it out anyway. The bite was tough, unless you landed on an aggressive school of crappies. They screamed up (or down!) to bait and just inhaled it. That was fun. After the skies cleared and snow stopped the bite got better. Nicked dropped in on three holes where most of our weighable fish came from. If that didn't happen, I bet we would have finished around 8th. But, we finished 2nd and sealed the deal for Team of the Year.
Thanks to my partner, Nick. I don't know anyone else who works this hard to accomplish something. You relentless drive and knowledge have been very valuable and addicting.
Thanks to league sponsors, especially Clam, Kenders, Thorne Bros. and Amped. We used the Ascent suits, pinhead minnows, drop jigs, rods, reels, bait, and batteries from them.
Special thanks to Jake and Paul for running such a great league. I'm amazed how much it's grown and matured over the years. It's evident the members of this league are really one large team who fishes, learns, and has some laughs together. A league that provides a bit of therapy for each other.
]]>All I can say is WOW!! If someone had said that my name would be used in the same sentence as Sportsman Of The Year four years ago when I started tournament fishing I would've told them they were crazy. I'm as competitive as the next guy, but if I'm not having fun then what's the point. I'm just a guy that loves to fish and have fun doing it, the great people in the league make that easy. I am very honored to have received this award from my fellow competitors that are all deserving of it as well.
Jake Kuchenmeister:
What a weekend. It was filled with everything and was as close to perfect as you could get to a final send off. There was a large group that rented cabins Friday and Saturday night. By the sounds of it - Friday night was Back to College night.
The big cabin had a game room complete with billiards, fooseball, buck hunter, slot machines, and a ton of other arcades. There was a ton of fun had and memories made.
Saturday was the big pre-fish day. But at 2pm, everyone set their rods down and came over for a big BBQ on the ice. We laughed a lot, got to know people better and continued to build on the strong roots this league has set down.
Sunday between 0730-1400, well for sure between 0730-1200, it's game time and there's not much time for conversations - so these types of moments are much needed for a group that works so hard finding fish and catching fish.
After lunch, a huge group went out and laid the hammer down on some smallmouth bass. Missed hook sets followed by laughs and a few jabs, nice brownies brought topside, and more "friend" time. A few took Jonny's sled out for a rip and got to enjoy some snowmobiling as well.
Almost forgot to mention, the weather was incredible. Hats and gloves were traded for sunglasses and suntan lotion.
Fast forward to Sunday, waking up on the lake and looking out to golf ball size snowflakes quickly put a damper on the day. Outside of the fact we had Adam Bartusek there to take pictures and it would create a bit of an issue - what would this snow storm do to the bite.
On a lake where the fish move fast and seem to spook even in deep water when holes are drilled - the front that pushed in had some of the fish in wait and see mode. The general consensus the next morning was - we are sore. Very sore.
Driving down the 6 mile long lake on a snowmobile, you couldn't help but notice how many holes had been drilled through this body of water. It's long and skinny so it's very apparent - save for a few spots on the lake - the rest of the lake looked like a summer time mole farm.
Around noon on tourney day, the snow was done and the sun was coming out and it would have felt like a Spring day if the wind would have died down a little bit. All four tournament weigh-ins this year - we had the sun shining down on us (one of them was still extremely cold though).
Shortly before that, we made our rounds to check in. And there was basically two answers.
1. "We got our bag but need some upgrades -we have a couple little ones that we don't want to weigh.
2. "We have our crappies - gills are super tough"
And then there was two teams, fishing fairly close to each other, with enough crappies but one gill short. The race was on!
There wasn't any donkeys caught, but there was plenty of nice, solid fish brought to the scale. A solid number of .75-.80 crappie and gills between .50-.60.
MN Made rookies, but a team not new to tournament fishing, Wyatt Williams and Bobby Beattie started off us early with a 8.79 lbs bag that would end up putting them in 4th place overall. It would take 12 teams weighing in before that weight was beat.
Their counterparts, or as Jonny likes to call them, the "Pannies" - Jim Roberge and Travis Jacob - came in with 8.43 lbs to take 5th place. That all but sealed the deal on Team of the Year as they were the closest to Leif/Nick, but still 7 points back.
Paul Ghizoni and Evan Pheneger came in with some healthy fish and probably a lot of dead drill batteries with a weight of 8.84 lbs.
The top 5 teams were all within .25 of the leaders. And sitting only .10 away from another MN Made plaque was our 2020 Team of the Year - Leif Nereson and Nick Mueller. The came in with a 2nd place finish with a weight of 8.94. That would secure them Team of the Year (more on that at a later date).
Dan Rollings and Ed Wilkens found the best average on a semi-tough lake and came out with their first win as partners. Heck of a way to close out their first season together!!!
They were the only team to break the 9 pound mark and came in with a weight of 9.04. Not only did they walk away with a nice check and the coveted plaque, but their win jumped them up into the Top 5 for Team of the Year which is a huge feat in a league this deep.
Congrats guys on an awesome win and an awesome season!
Plenty more to come including Sportsman of the Year, Team of the Year, some Rookie Reflections, and a 2021 Lookback.
15 Full Bags
0.93 Big Crappie - Bob and Dave Vincent
0.64 Big Gill - Chris Ball and Tim Kehren
Top 5:
1.) Dan Rollings & Ed Wilkens - 9.04
2.) Leif Nereson & Nick Mueller - 8.94
3.) Paul Ghizoni & Evan Pheneger - 8.84
4.) Wyatt Williams & Bobby Beattie - 8.79
5.) Jim Roberge & Travis Jacob - 8.43
]]>
Let's start with an understatement.....It was Cold!
When we say ice fishing has come a long way, we normally talk about the electronics and tactics, but often times what gets left out is the clothing that's been created to keep you as comfortable as possible in extreme conditions. It was put to the test today.
We had some teams decide that for their safety, they were going to sit this one out. Everyone respects those decisions as I'm sure it crossed the minds of many other anglers. We had some teams shack up the majority of the day to stay safe and comfortable.
Then there were the die hards who decided they needed mobility over comfort - they dressed properly and executed their plan. I seen the champs racing across the lake from South to North, holding a Razr Auger that looked more like an ice torch. Then, 20 minutes later, after that decision didn't pay off - come racing back South.
We didn't get out to check on teams progress as much as normal due to the conditions. Our volunteer team was setting up the weigh in and close to our phones to help with any mechanical issues that might arise during the day. It didn't happen - we got zero calls asking for help. In our minds, that was crazy - how could everything go right on such a cold day?
It didn't. Instead of our teams calling us for help - they reached out to other teams near by and those teams were willing to stop what they were doing and take care of their friends and competition. This is why we all love the league and the people we have in it. Add that to the fact the majority of people sacrificed their Saturday of pre-fishing to help out 50 Hometown Hero participants in our "Home of the Brave" Event the day prior - we can confidently say we have the RIGHT people in our league.
We had 23 of the 30 teams brave the elements on Sunday. 17 of those 23 came in with their full bag.
Jack Thomes and Jeremy Schwanz came in with big crappie at 0.81 lbs.
Paul Ghizoni and Evan Pheneger came in with big gill at 0.48 lbs.
The West Rush Lake Champs have been putting in the work and working their way up. Last year, they finished 13th, 11th, 17th, 5th. They took all they learned and put together a 10th and 4th place finish this year. They were less than a 1/2 pound away from winning Waconia.
Sunday was their day and it was a long time coming. They've put in the work and absolutely grinded. They've taken what they've learned and put it into their plans. They executed their plan better than the rest on this freezing cold day.
Now, they stand at the top and have the coveted plaques. They join the ranks of Minnesota Made Tournament Winners.
Congratulations to Jacob Stolquist and Darrel Thole!!!!!
2021 West Rush Lake Results:
]]>
Going into our day of fishing we only had one real game plan, get our full bag of crappies early and spend as much time possible on our gills. It took a handful of holes in the morning to dial in the school, after about an hour I knew we had our limit. Left the crowd early to go and get our gills, luck would be on our side and we ended up upgrading the majority of our crappies while fishing for gills. Ended up having Joel and Dale join us while fishing for gills. I knew there were plenty to go around and both of us, ended up filling our bag of pumpkinseeds. Thanks Joel, for the mid day snack. Lots of fish were caught, too many “junk” holes drilled, and plenty of laughs were had. Looking forward to West Rush in a couple weeks.
-Timmy Kehren-
]]>There were stories of ATV's crapping out and not starting, augers not working properly, and I'm sure many more issues these anglers had to deal with.
The pre-fishing consensus was that there weren't large schools of fish to chase around, instead it was small schools of concentrated fish living in weed beds or "The Jungle" as it was being referred to by the anglers.
As the arm dropped, teams scattered South, West, and North. Within two minutes of teams taking off, the East side of the lake was quiet and picturesque. Not a single team stayed near the access.
Checking in throughout the day was the same story, team after team. This will be a theme throughout all four tournaments.
"Got our bag, but not happy with it"
As the sun popped out, the bite got tougher and chances of upgrading were getting smaller as time was running out. More grids to punch and more searching continued up until it was time to be in for weigh in.
We had 23 full bags and a couple new teams put their first full bag together in their young MN Made careers. Sam Guidarelli and Nate Parenteau from Della Bay Custom Rods put together a full bag for an 11th place finish at 6.37 lbs. Kristina Ringold and Ashlee - our first all female team - put together their first full bag for a 19th place finish with 5.60 lbs bag.
Neil Horan and Chris Schroeder put a full bag together, which included the big gill of the tournament. That pumpkinseed came in at 0.56 lbs.
Paul Ghizoni and Evan Pheneger were tucked back in a little weedy area and were fairly happy with their bag half way through as Evan iced another seed. At the end of the day it was good enough for 5th place at 7.22 lbs.
Jacob Stolquist and Darrel Thole had a quick visit with the Clam Hot Seat and were able to walk away with their heads held high, finishing in 4th place with a 7.52 lbs limit.
Jim Roberge and Travis Jacob used a little local knowledge to put another great showing together. They put together an impressive bag that included big crappie for the day at 0.99 lbs. They also finished 3rd with a limit of fish that weighed 7.53 lbs.
Leif Nereson and Nick Mueller were not all that confident heading into the day but time after time they seem to find a solution to any problem. They were knocked out of the winners circle for the first time in quite awhile, but still were right there in 2nd place with a 7.56 lbs bag.
Chris Ball and Tim Kehren were all smiles during the morning. Having their bag and a decent one at that early had their spirits lifted, but it didn't stop them from putting in the work the rest of the day to upgrade some fish they may have needed to for the "W"! This is their first MN Made Plaque and the smiles on their faces were pretty special to see.
The winning bag came in at 8 lbs even. Heck of a bag for DINKFEST 2021.
Next Up: Hometown Hero Event - Feb 6th - West Rush
Next Up: Event #3 on West Rush Lake - February 7th
]]>
Enjoy!
Leif Nereson
Dan Rollings
We also put a lot of hours into our new broadcast for the live weigh in. A huge thanks to Tony Dahlberg for his efforts and technological knowledge in being able to pull this off. As always, you're able to view on Facebook Live and follow along through the weigh-in. But, new for this year, you're also able to tune into our YouTube channel and watch, which means, if you have a smart TV you can watch it on the big screen. We have a live ticker across the bottom updating the current leaders and quick pop ups of names/weights for teams. It's only going to get better as we learn from our mistakes and correct issues.
We've had some unusually nice weather this winter which has made the lake tougher to travel on. Slush, snow drifts, and safety concerns slowed down travel a little bit, but the weather was as good as you can ask for. We had overcast skies and mid 20's until an hour before weigh in when the sun popped out and seemed to add 30 degrees on our bodies.
Walking around in the morning it seemed like the fish were snapping and everyone was sorting through fish to find the right ones. As the morning went along, so did the hot bite. A little slower, but these anglers don't let that bother them - they continued to grind and chase schools. More holes being drilled again and a lot more moving towards the mid-morning.
The main answer when asked "How's it going?" was "Got our bag, but desperately need to upgrade a lot of fish". Maple Lake is well known by tournament anglers to have lots of potato chip gills to sort through, but also has some rewarding fish if you can target them and trick them into biting.
We had multiple crappies caught over 14" during pre-fishing and the buzz about the hybrid gills was circulating fast.
Al Escobedo and Mario Perzichilli were tucked away from the crowds as much as you can on tournament day and it paid off for Mario when he hauled in the big crappie of the day at 1.30 lbs. I believe it was shortly after I jabbed him about not catching any fish. Their 8.10 lbs bag was good enough for 5th place.
One of our father/son duo's - Bob Vincent and Dave Vincent put together a nice day and were able to squeak past them at 8.12 lbs for 4th place. Always awesome to see Bob out there working his tail off at 70 years old.
Dan Rollings picked up a new partner in Ed Wilkens and they picked up where they left off after their Frankie's finish. Dan predicted a top 5 finish with a little over an hour left in the day and he was accurate. They came in 3rd place with a limit that weighed 8.38 lbs.
A new team to MN Made, but not the ice fishing tournament scene, was Jim Roberge and Travis Jacob. They put the hammer down and made a splash in their first event with us. Not only were they .01 away from big crappie with a pig that weighed 1.29 lbs, but they took 2nd at 9.10 lbs. Welcome to the league guys - you will fit right in!
Last but not least, the men, the myths, the legends - the team the whole tournament community is talking about - Nick Mueller and Leif Nereson. They won 3 out of the 4 tournaments in 2020 and had a huge target on their backs. Nick was asking for his zip ties before I had the 2nd foot out of my truck after pulling in. That's a good example of how dialed and prepared this team is.
They got their limit early and then moved on to upgrading. The day could have turned out differently if they would have made the call to move. They actually did make the call to move and shortly after, Leif stuck an "upgrader" crappie. They stayed. Some other teams moved in to fish near them. They contemplated moving again. Shortly after, Leif stuck two nice "upgrader" hybrids, which also took big gill at 0.62 lbs.
Their preparation, effort, and timing stood out once again as they were the first team to weigh and sat comfortably in the Clam Hot Seat for the next 45 minutes. Their 9.14 lbs bag held up to some stiff competition and they once again, went home with the hardware.
Their wives are looking for contractors to build additions on to their house for more wall space to hang their plaques.
Next Up: January 24th on Lake Waconia
Dinkfest 2021 Continues....
]]>
We have a meeting set up to dial in how our weigh in will look visually when you watch us this season and also something exciting we are working on and building from the ground up for the ice fishing community but especially those that follow the tournament circuits.
We won't move forward without looking back. 2020 was a crazy year in a lot of aspects, but we will leave the "real world" crazy talk to others. In our little bubble, Nick and Leif absolutely dominated our season and took home Team of the Year with a 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 1st place finish. They now have a target on their backs and other teams are planning to step up their game to take them down.
I would probably start by cutting the line on their rods to slow em' down or popping their atv tire. Those two guys can fish! When you combine the knowledge and skills they have with pure determination - it's a great recipe for success.
So here it is, I've put together some betting odds for the upcoming year. Be sure to call your bookie and get your bets in!
+600 Nick Mueller and Leif Nereson
+700 Dale Luginbill and Joel Kottke
+800 Dan Rollings and Ed Wilkens
+1200 Jack Thomes and Jeremy Schwanz
+1200 Wyatt Williams and Bobby Beattie
+1500 Mark Bussen and Tim Prunick
+1500 Kyle Rick and Tony Dahlberg
+1800 Chris Ball and Tim Kehren
+1900 Al Escobedo and Mario Perzichilli
+2000 Jacob Stolquist and Darrel Thole
+2000 Paul Ghizoni and Evan Pheneger
+2000 Shawn Lankki and Hunter Lankki
+2400 Gary Sandberg and Travis Adams
+2500 Josh Zangl and Scott Davis
+2500 Kevin Wildung and Jeremy West
We hope you plan on tuning in to all of the events this year and look forward to an entertaining, competitive and fun season on the ice.
#watchthishookset #getthenet #theweighin
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Website: www.kendersoutdoors.com
Products Sold: Tungsten Jigs, K-Rips, T-Rips, Plastics, Apparel
Testimonials:
To me Kenders is really where tungsten jigs were born. If you look at today's industry, many companies offer great quality jigs that will #katch fish. My experience with Kenders and what I know about their company speaks towards a quality, innovative product that stands atop great and personalized service. Personally I've never had a Kenders jig fail me, and that's really what I'm looking for - quality at a great price. Oh - and the Kenders "Hole Hopping" Hoodie - if you don't have one you'd better get into one because they are essential for the outdoor elements and ice fishing. Phenomenal product, and once again - nobody else has it! *Paul Ghizoni*
Kenders products are a staple in my tackle box and closet. I’ve been a huge supporter since they started putting out some of the first tungsten jigs on the market 5 years ago. Kanoe jigs with live bait or plastics flat out catch fish and I always have one tied up. The K-rip and T-rip vibrating baits are an unbeatable 1-2 punch for crappies year round. A must have for early and late ice weather is the hole hopper hoody. They are water proof, and block the wind. *Tony Dahlberg*
Feature Product: T-RIP
https://www.kendersoutdoors.com/collections/t-rip
Last year, we got to use the K-Rip, which was awesome and still has it's place on certain bites. But we sat there waiting for it to drop on a suspended school of crappies...waiting...waiting. Wait no more. With a 97% solid tungsten core, a sound chamber that creates a little rattle, and great paint designs - you can pinwheel that school of crappies while your friends watch in amazement.
Message from MN Made:
Kenders is another one of our long time sponsors, but even more than that, a good friend. It seems like anytime we ever need anything Kenders is first line to offer up whatever that might be. It's also very fitting they are the sponsor for our Sportsman Of The Year. Like all the qualities the recipient of that award possesses, Kenders quality and customer service is exemplary as well.
Thanks for everything you've done for us at MN Made and also being a great friend.
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Website: www.vexilar.com
Products Sold: Ice Fishing Sonar, Underwater Cameras, Cases, Apparel
Testimonials:
I'm excited for when my kids are ready to come fishing with me. Outside of playing with some minnows in the minnow bucket - I'm imagining they will have the same fascination of chasing red lines as I do. The Zoom features, and ease of use is what makes me love Vexilar over the competition. It's an investment to be a better angler, but the nice thing is - these hold value better than a boat does. *Jake Kuchenmeister*
Been running vexilar for the last 15 years or so! Started with a fl-8 that my 10 year old son still uses every winter. I have 2 fl-8’s, a fl-20 and I solely run a 28 now! If I never did tournament fishing I would personally probably just run an 8. Best bang for your buck for any depth finder. I’ll probably buy the new 30 next year. *Chris Ball*
Vexilar has always been a leader in fish finding technology and this year I’ve finally decided to see what the hype is about. I purchased the FLX 30 BB as my first unit and can’t wait to learn the ins and outs of the unit and unlock the full potential it offers. *Tony Dahlberg*
When I first started venturing out on the ice with some real intent to catch fish I knew that I needed a flasher to be successful, and to make it really fun! A friend of mine was looking to update his sonar and sold me a Vexilar FL-8 for $100.00 and a case of beer. I was hooked from there. I remember taking that FL-8 into vexilar to get it cleaned, and after doing so the colors on the screen looked much brighter. It was like having a brand new flasher! It seems every time I am looking to "up my game," a trip to Vexilar webpage or their offices in Bloomington is never too far away. I love teaching my kids to read a vexilar because it makes fishing fun and keeps them in the hunt! It's a simple and effective tool to catch more fish, and a tool that really can be used year round in some instances. I never leave home without my flasher! *Paul Ghizoni*
Featured Product:
FLX-30 Ultra Pack Lithium w/ BB Transducer
Broad band flasher sonar with unmatched interference rejection and signal clarity. 140 combinations are available to kill interference. 19 degree beam down to an 8 degree beam. You're able to get target ID down to 1/4". Night mode, three power levels, THREE zoom zones, 5 color choices. Comes in the Ultra Pack and also comes with a lithium battery which will make hole hopping a whole lot easier.
Message from MN Made:
Another long time sponsor. To be able to partner with the best ice fishing electronic company and have them right in our backyard is a huge win for us at Minnesota Made. They have been there for us since day one and many of our anglers just stop right in to their facility in Bloomington to pick up their orders. Not only do they sponsor MN Made, but they also are there for us when we put on a special event that gives back to the community or an organization.
Thanks for all you do. We appreciate it a ton!
Website: www.thornebros.com
Products Sold: Everything!!! Rods/Reels, Tackle, Outerwear, Electronics, Bait, Etc
Testimonials:
Thorne bros has been my main bait and tackle stop, almost exclusively, for several years. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable, and will make sure you are taken care of if you need help. I’ve visited the shop on many occasions just looking for advice or tips and have always received valuable information and leave with what I need to catch my target species. My recent intro to musky fishing started at Thorne, and I will continue to buy all things musky from their shop. *Tony Dahlberg*
I spend to much time in Thorne Bros if you ask my better half! I buy most of my reels and tackle from them! I can spend hours just looking at all the Muskie stuff. The custom tungsten fly’s are deadly for giant crappies. I run multiple ice rods and right now they are building another for me! Best bait shop in the cities in my opinion! *Chris Ball*
Thorne has a nice selection of ice fishing tackle. *Nick Mueller*
What a treat it is to have your local rod, bait and tackle shop a true mecca of fishing greatness! We are so spoiled to have Thorne in our neck of the woods. Now, I love my Fleet Farm, but if I'm truly looking to spend 2 hours just focussing on fishing - I need to get my fix at Thorne. Their custom rods are truly top of the line, and the men and women they have in that store have more knowledge than any other "fishing" store you can find anywhere - and I mean ANYWHERE. *Paul Ghizoni*
16 years ago a couple buddies forced me into buying a custom open water rod from Thorne. I barely had enough money for a case of beer, so pulling the trigger on it was 100% peer pressure. I still have that rod today and it's the first one and only one I want to use when targeting panfish. So much so, that I just dropped it off up there to have an identical one made so if I break off I don't have to use one of my back up rods. I love stopping in bait shops all over Minnesota - but I feel like I'm HOME when I stop into Thorne. *Jake Kuchenmeister*
Feature Products: So many to pick from, but we will go with what makes them unique.....
Custom Musky Rod
https://www.thornebros.com/collections/featured-products/products/thorne-bros-custom-musky-rod-1
Musky fishing is serious business. It's a huge money and time commitment, but the payoff is unbelievable. If you are thinking of getting into musky fishing - there isn't a better place you could stop to pick the brains of the fantastic staff they have at Thorne.
Flies
https://www.thornebros.com/collections/panfish-flies/products/booglebug-amnesia-bug-popper-10
I'm not going to be able to speak too much regarding this, so I will just say that Thorne has the largest selection of fly fishing tackle in the Midwest.
Message from MN Made:
Another long time sponsor. Thorne Bros is a perfect sponsor because not only do they have a selection of anything and everything we need - they also sell many of our other sponsors products. Gracious and Dependable anytime we need something. And the best staff you could ask for....honestly, if you have questions on products, presentation, lakes, etc - go there during the day and soak in all the knowledge from their staff.
We are lucky to have you as a sponsor and look forward to many years of partnership and friendship!
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Website: www.clamoutdoors.com
Products Sold: Ice Shelters, Ice Armor Outerwear, Tackle, Accessories, Rods/Reels, Apparel, Open Water Equipment
Testimonials:
Clam's spoons are my favorite lures to use, especially the pinhead minnows! Plastics are great - I prefer the maki’s. Been running the clam blazer stealth for the last couple years. Major reason I run the stealth is the weight and the ease of throwing everything in the tub and off I go! *Chris Ball*
I have owned the C-890 thermal hub shelter for around 3 years without issue. It sets up in seconds and packs up nearly as quickly, which makes it easy to stay mobile on long days of fishing. The large footprint and five sides allow enough space to comfortably fish 4 people with room to spare for gear. It’s easy to stay warm with the thermal canvas, even in sub zero temps. The thermal canvas also gives you the versatility to take on winter camping excursions and extend your time on the ice. *Tony Dahlberg*
Kenai Pro Thermal - 40th Anniversary Edition - 40 years ago Dave Genz created the first enclosed, portable fish house to stay warm while also being able to be mobile. This changed ice fishing forever and this year we celebrate that anniversary with this....
https://shop.clamoutdoors.com/kenai-pro-thermal-40th-anniversary-edition.html
Tikka Mino - Walleye guys....feast your eyes on this! The new Tika Mino is a vertical presentation minnow that will dart around to engage a reaction bite from those marble eyed beasts that lurk below.
https://shop.clamoutdoors.com/tikka-mino.html
Message from MN Made:
CLAM was one of our first sponsors. Invaluable partnership that has helped us grow and be able to give back. Not only the sponsorship for our league and our special events, but the mentorship in running a league and being a sounding board for us when we were a little lost. This league isn't where it is now without CLAM and especially Matt Johnson. We owe a lot to them and we are very thankful for your continued support.
]]>-Rookies, first tournament series for my partner and I to participate in.
-Women Angler, first female to join a league of 29 other teams of men.
-First couple to fish this league together.
Overcoming so many challenges and learning so much is an absolute humbling experience to say the least. I am extremely Thankful for everything we accomplished and overcame this season.
Coming into the meeting back in December 2019, I was beyond nervous but confident. The thought crossed my mind of what did I get myself into after watching previous years weigh ins and seeing all these faces in person some I’ve known for years, some just in passing, and some I’ve never met.
I have never fished a tournament series before. I have done a lot of the 1 day tournaments throughout Minnesota as well as the Women Angler of MN and Wisconsin Women fish tournaments. But here goes nothing.
My first and only goal I/we made was to weigh in fish. I didn’t care where we placed (hopefully not last) each tourney but I was determined to never have a 0 bag!
Well lucky for us we succeeded and weighed in fish each tourney.
Tourney 1 and 2 we didn’t get full bags but we weighed in fish.
Tourney 3 FULL BAG! Yep we finally managed to get a full bag!
Tourney 4 came around I made a new goal with Matt before the start of that day that we are going to place in the top 20!!
Well we placed in the top 15 taking 13th place this did not come easy as our morning started out rough with an accident and we didn’t catch our first fish until a little after 11 am.
We even had a short ride in the hot heat and biggest gill for a short time as well. I WILL TAKE IT. It’s those little victories that make this all worth it. The small accomplishments each tourney making small goals and reaching them!
From equipment failure and accidents to hitting all our goals it was a wonderful, humbling and jam packed learning season!
As a serious female angler there are many obstacles you face. The biggest one is being judged a little more than the average fishermale. It’s an intimidating situation weather your the male or the female coming in. So many things go through your head for every Member Meetings, pre-fishing days and tournament days. But let me tell you how AMAZING most the guys are and were in the MN MADE club! I am so completely Thankful to be welcomed into a club with open arms. It’s truly a big fishing family I can not say enough good things about the hard work and Dedication Jake, Paul and the few other guys under the radar put forth to make these tournaments run smooth as well as the support, encouragement, help and all around great
Group of guys to fish with!!!
Lastly I can not say Thank you enough to fishing partner for life Matt!! Your truly an amazing and supportive fiancé all around but especially in my fishing world! I’m glad we pushed each other to reach our goals and can’t wait to see how much we grow.
There is so many things I could go on and on about but until next year....... 🎣🎣🎣
#MNMADE
#Fishingfamily
#WomenAnglers
#perfectchoicecustomrods
#Kendersoutdoors
#Icewelllivewell
#SKSGUIDES
#Sarajooutdoors
#clamoutdoors
#womenanglersofMn
First, can we talk about the league?
We added 5 teams this year to bring it up to 30. Our initial idea was to bump it to 27-28 teams this year and then up to 30 next year but the response we had to one of our posts made the decision for us. Thirty it is. And we will stay at 30 for the foreseeable future.
Our teams are all over the map across this great state and Wisconsin. They consist of lifelong friends, new friends, co-workers, father/son's, mother/son's, fiances - the dynamic of teams across the league is pretty cool. What a cool deal that you get to fish and compete against your friends with someone you truly respect right by your side.
We also added four sponsors this year. Our hope is we did our part and made it worth their investment in us. We certainly don't partner with just anyone - we seek out products that we believe are great products and great companies and we couldn't be happier with the new additions. To add to our amazing relationships with Clam, Kenders, Thorne Bros. and Vexilar - we added IceWell LiveWell, Ace Custom Rods, Amped Outdoors, and All Surface Custom Rods.
The growth of some teams in the league is really fun to watch.
Tony Dahlberg and Kyle Rick finished in 9th place in a 14 team league in 2016, 9th place in a 20 team league in 2017, then 12th in 25 team league in 2018 and 13th in a 25 team league in 2019. Four years in - something clicked. They had put in the time, asked the right questions, and figured out pieces to the puzzle. They sat in 4th place with one event to go and struggled to find their gills in that last event to drop them down to 7th place in the overall standings for 2020. 7th out of 30 though. Consistently in the middle of the pack the previous year - they were easily in the top third this season and I'd expect them to make another jump next season.
Al Escobedo and Mario Perzichilli, also known as "The Sexiest Team Alive". They finished 2017 in 14th, 2018 in 13th, 2019 in 10th. Another middle of the pack type team which is not bad - just not what they were shooting for. 2020 was a different year. It took 3 years to put it all together but they came in with a 6th place finish this season.
Bubba Bussen and Tim Prunick joined us in 2018 and came out swinging with a 6th place finish. In 2019, they got their first plaque with a 1st place finish on Tonka with a couple giant kicker crappies, but couldn't put a consistent season together and ended up in 19th place overall. 2020 they enjoyed their most consistent, most successful season ever by putting together three top 7 finishes and a 15th place finish. They ended the season in 5th place.
We have our teams who everyone expects to be near the top each event as well.
Jack Thomes and Jeremy Schwanz - our 2018 AND 2019 Team of the Year put together another solid season finishing with a 3rd place overall finish.
Dan Rollings and Scott Boersma have a hell of a Minnesota Made resume. 2017 was a 4th place finish, 2018 was a 3rd place finish, and 2019 was another 3rd place finish. 2020 they put together a season good enough for a 4th place finish. Four years, and never outside the top 5. That's when you know you are good!
Dale Luginbill and Joel Kottke joined the league last season with hopeful but tempered expectations. They ended up cracking the top 10 with an 8th place finish in 2019. In 2020, they didn't finish outside the top 6 in any of the four events and also were able to put their first plaque on the wall. They came into the last event needing some help that was not given to them and ended 2020 with a heck of season and 2nd place overall finish. These guys can fish!
Chris Ball & Timmy Kehren, an uncle / nephew team joined Minnesota Made for the 2020 season and showed they had what it takes to be a competing team each week. Usually, there's a learning curve in tournament fishing to be successful, but they already had what it takes when they came in. They finished in 8th place overall with a 5th, 8th, 4th, and a let's not talk about it finish on Clearwater, which is a tough as nails tournament lake. Next year, I'd expect them to be in the running for Team of the Year just like Dale and Joel were.
Last but certainly not least, Leif Nereson and Nick Mueller. We may have witnessed the most dominate tournament season ever by a team in a circuit style league. 1st - 2nd - 1st - 1st. Are you kidding me? Sure, if they were fishing against average or ordinary anglers, but we have some special talent they had to face every week.
Chisago - they won by 0.27 / Clearwater - they missed 1st by 0.64
Green - they won by 0.59 / Mazaska - they won by 0.20
The margins are slim - every fish and every upgrade counts. They find a way to make it happen each and every week. They both did write-ups on their season so if you haven't read those - be sure to check those out as well.
To give you an idea how dominate this was. Here's some numbers....
Biggest Weights for previous seasons:
2016 - 19.96 (Nereson and Mueller)
2017 - 25.30 (Buth and Gisborne) Leif and Nick had 24.76
2018 - 33.92 (Thomes and Schwanz) L&N had 27.28
2019 - 30.47 (Ghizoni and Pheneger) L&N had 28.92
2020 - 38.37 (Nereson and Mueller)
Most percentage of possible points:
2016 - 87.5% (Pheneger and Ngyuen)
2017 - 91.25% (Nereson and Mueller)
2018 - 90.00% (Thomes and Schwanz)
2019 - 90.00% (Thomes and Schwanz)
2020 - 99.17% (Nereson and Mueller)
Over 99% of the possible points you could earn. Now that is a year to remember.
Overall, it was a great year where one team absolutely dominated the field, some teams made huge strides to the top of the leaderboard, some teams picked up a couple things here and there to be better for next season, and some teams just got their feet wet and learned what tourney fishing is all about.
All teams had a great time, learned a ton, were treated to amazing sponsorship discounts, gained exposure to the fishing world, and will be welcomed back with open arms for the 2021 Minnesota Made Season.
Furthermore, outside of the league, Minnesota Made grew it's social media following by almost double. We also were more active on Instagram and are starting to grow that platform as well. Next season, all of our videos will be uploaded to our newly formed YouTube page. We are growing, we are getting better, and hopefully that helps us shine a light on not only our brand, and our sponsors, but most importantly - our league members. Some of the best anglers in the country.
We are working on putting together a little something for the summer as well. It's a huge project and we will start planning shortly for it and will make an announcement when we have the planning stages completed.
Lastly, we were able to put a plan in place after talking about it for many years. We wanted to figure out a way to give back. We partnered with Hometown Hero Outdoors this year and will continue this tradition into next year. We were able to provide a day for 50 active military, military vets, and law enforcement to fish in a tournament style setting. Our members volunteered to drill holes, transport HHO members, fish with HHO members, and help with anything and everything that was needed to make this day a huge success. We were able to coordinate sponsorships from so many amazing companies that stepped up to bring this day from "this will be cool" to "this is fricken amazing"! A huge thank you to those sponsors and our Minnesota Made members who made this day fricken amazing!!!!
We are looking at doing more. We may put on a golf tournament either this summer or next summer and donate all the proceeds to another worthy cause. If we can get everything done and get the right sponsors on board - this will be a golf tournament an outdoors person will not want to miss. Our plan is to make this the premier golf tournament with sponsorship from all the top fishing and hunting companies around. Let's just say, the prizes and raffles will be worth your time and donations to a great cause or organization.
In the future, we would like to branch off and start a Minnesota Made Non Profit division that would benefit military, law enforcement, and also get kids out fishing and provide scholarships for young anglers.
For now, we will partner will amazing organizations and provide them with experiences or monetary donations.
That's a wrap on our 2020 Minnesota Made Tournament Season. Stay tuned for more growth and more awesomeness.
Thank you to all the people who follow us and continue to be a part of what Minnesota Made Outdoors is trying to accomplish.
Thank you to our sponsors. Without you, this league is only half as good as it is.
Thank you to our members. You are the best people we could ask for. Fishing aside, y'all do so much for our communities, lakes, and our league.
Thank you to our volunteers. Jeremy, Jon, Brian - your help is appreciated more than you know and you add so much to the whole MN Made experience.
Thank you everyone! This has been an awesome journey and we can't wait to see what the future holds.
Take care and Tight lines!
~Minnesota Made~
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Timmy and I did not have high expectations for our first year heading into the season. Timmy (who happens to be my nephew if you didn’t know) and I both have a great passion for fishing along with my family. We just wanted to have fun, learn new lakes - that's something we both enjoy doing especially living in the land of 10,000! So taking a top 5 and biggest fish on our first tournament gave us great confidence. Then the beast of Clearwater showed up and let’s just say our confidence was in the toilet after that. Green was fun, caught a ton of crappies and a top 10 finish. Our confidence going up again just in time for the Panfish Championship and we came in with a 12th place finish. Masaska is great, but a challenging lake. We were the most relaxed we have ever been going into a competition knowing the bite was going to be tough. We had confidence in what we were using and stuck to our plan and came in 4th!
It was great season, met a great group of people and we can’t wait for next year to start! First though, Timmy and I will be busy chasing that open water bite, learning new lakes, and hopefully knocking that 50 inch Muskie off our bucket list!
Thanks for what you guys do!
Chris Ball
]]>Sometimes luck is on your side and we had it this year. On Chisago the gills weren't were I practiced them. Just happened to move down the shore in desperation before leaving and out of 1 hole caught a limit of giant sunfish and hybrids. That's luck! Doesn't usually work that way. Could have easily left without finding them. Swear, a single 1 foot circle of fish literally. On Clearwater I was lucky to have Shawn who stuck our last crappie and filled our bag at the end when they were on complete lock jaw. On Green, I made the wrong call to fish crappies in the morning, wasted time. Got to our gill spot in just the nick of time. Within 20 minutes they shut down. Thankfully we had our 7. 20 minutes later and we would have finished in bottom of the standings. Finally, on Mazaska. After a tired day of scouting, I finally found the 10" gills people had been talking about. It was damn near dark. Almost ran out of time. I knew most would crappie fish in the morning, but didn't know if the gills would bite mid-day so we gambled and went there first. Didn't bite like the night before, but we got them. But by the time we got to the crappies the window had shut. Only caught 1 crappie in all the spots found during practice. Again luck strikes as we are drilling our brains out in areas we never practiced in hopes to find anything and happen to come across the best move of the day.
We sweat like everyone else. There is no secret. I don't care what anyone says, you have to get lucky to win in this league. There are too may equally skilled anglers to get it done without it. Sometimes luck is on your side and nothing can stop it. Other times you're left hoping for more.
I am so thankful for MN Made, words cannot express. These times and friendships will never be forgotten. I love you guys!
Nick Mueller
What the hell just happened? That’s what I’ve been asking myself the past few days. It is such an honor to named 2020 Team of Year among so many great anglers. Was it Preparation, Execution, luck, teamwork, faith? After reflecting, all were a vital part of this season success.
Preparation, practice, pre-fish, warm-up.. What ever you call it, it’s essential and comforting on game day. I find that 1 day on lake is a minimum, 2 ideal, and 3 you’re so damn sick of fishing it. Nick and I drop several pins before even stepping foot on a lake. Exchange notes and cross off the many pins that didn’t work out. This year I picked up my own ATV, which allowed us to separate more often to try out these pins. Then would reconvene to talk about what we learned and apply that to similar structure. It’s really hard not to fish during this phase. Mostly camera-ing, but still need to fish some to see what works. And this can be different on every lake - Jig size, color, presentation, plastics, meat, plastics + meat, line color/weight dependencies, aggressive jigging vs. dead stick. The list goes on. After the days on the ice, preparation doesn’t end there. Before each event I like to retie all my jigs and get them set based on findings from the lake, delete bogus pins, get a smoothie and cooler full of snacks ready the night before. Also, key to have backup snacks if you partner is sluggish.
Execution, game day, the MAIN event.. Still get butterflies when I pull into the landing. Nick and I meet to discuss if any plan of attack has changed. Seems like its always a game day decision on what spot to go to first. Nick typically gets out more to prefish than me, so I usually go along with what he recommends 😊. After takeoff, it’s all business at first until we get a few in the bag to feel comfortable. We try to avoid the crowds and keep noise at a minimum drilling only a few holes at first. We move often, even if only 5 feet and try not to linger in one spot for too long only catching dinks. When the chosen pins are not working out, you are forced to think outside the box. Can’t keep fishing same structure on different parts of the lake. Was it time of day, sun, clouds, temp, noise? This is where frustration really sets in. Need to have the faith and expectancy that quantity and quality fish will come your way. This gives you the drive to keep pushing yourself.
Mazaska.. What a drive, but wow was it fun catching those tanks! Nick found a gem of a bluegill spot holding several 10” gills the afternoon before, but would they bite in the morning? So, at takeoff we rolled the dice on gills, when everyone else was heading north for crappies. After about ~1.5 hours I think, we had 7 gills - couple 10’s and others at least 8.5”. The tiny Kenders 3mm jig + waxie seemed to do the trick for me but took forever to get to the bottom. After the 7th gill, we decided to move to get our crappies before the window closed. Shortly after we arrived at our crappie spot, Nick hammered a 13.25” crappie! After that we would catch the occasional dink. After moving around the area, we managed to cull another gill and catch some decent crappies, but no giants. Getting concerned about our crappies, we joined the group in the community spot to hopefully fill a bag. Got some more gills and a couple more crappies. Once we couldn’t get them to go anymore and was only dinks, we left that area to think outside the box. We went back to our first crappie spot, but a now a little deeper. Bam! Couple more 12” crappies and 9” gill. Nick had the revelation; we seem to be catching them near the snowbanks. Then said, “They like those snowbanks. Drill holes in those snowbanks” 😊 So not sure if coincidence or pure brilliance, but we always seemed to find the school under the snowbank and would be able to cull a few as the day went on. At weigh-in, crappies were 13.25”, 12.75”, rest ~12”. Bluegills were 3 true 10” gills, many 9.75”, and smallest 9”. This managed to break the league record at 12.6 lbs.! Just insane!
Many thanks go out to my partner, Nick. You are the most determined and committed angler I know. I’ll loosen you up one of these years. Paul and Jake, thank you so much for putting together such a fun league with a great group of men and now women. The sticks in this group are amazingly good. And the community you have started and giving back through the Hometown hero’s event will have a huge impact on people’s lives going forward. You should feel so proud and honored. And finally, thanks to the league sponsors, specifically Clam, Kenders, Thorne Bros, and Amped batteries. Looking forward to next season and getting to know more people in this amazing league.
Leif Nereson
]]>You could tell this was the last event.
On Saturday, the last pre-fishing day, some teams were still trying to lock in there Sunday go-to spots. Some teams were still in search of the gills. Some teams were just out fishing for fun and keeping an eye on other teams to make sure they didn't find the spots they had found earlier in the week.
Then, around 2pm, the majority of the teams congregated in the same area and soaked in the friendships and playful banter amongst the group. Beers were shared, beef sticks were ate, snowballs were thrown. You could tell two things by just observing this large group. One, the nerves were there to finish strong on a tough, but very rewarding lake. Two, they were going to miss this.
It didn't end there, as we had a solid amount of people staying at the same hotel. Teams that weren't staying at our hotel even came over to be a part of the last night before it was all over. We ordered pizza, watched the Girls State Hockey Tourney, and played cards in the breakfast area of the hotel. The laughs and smiles lasted until the late hours of the night and then one by one everyone headed back to their rooms to get some sleep before the big day.
Sunday was a bright and beautiful day similar to Saturday. Many anglers were sporting their fresh new sunburns from the previous day. The sun was out again and not a single cloud covered the sky. The temp would creep in on 40 degrees and there was a decent wind to go along with it. Bluebird skies on a lake that seemed to react pretty negatively to the pressure was not going to make this easy.
The majority of the teams headed for a community spot as that seemed to be where the majority of the crappies congregated. One team headed for a shallower spot away from everyone else to chase their gills first. The crappies were on the move and enticing a bite was like solving a rubik's cube. I'm not sure what was tougher or more frustrating - staying on top of them or getting them to bite. One was physical and one was mental. The gills were a change of pace as you could sit and wait for them, but getting them to come up off the bottom and take a nibble was the tricky part. And I say nibble because you had to intently watch your spring bobber to detect the smallest little bite.
As I made my rounds to check on teams between 11am-12pm I could see the frustration and fatigue in the majority of the teams faces. There were 6 inch holes all over the ice. It wasn't for lack of trying if teams didn't have their fish. Around the 11:30 mark - I don't believe one team had their full bag which is pretty rare for our league. There were some teams that were close, but not quite there.
As the last couple hours moved along, you could see teams making desperation moves trying to finish strong. Knowing the bite was tough - one fish or a couple fish late in the day could make all the difference. You have to give it to these anglers - they fished their butts off at this event.
Five teams came in with a full bag. 25 teams were left wanting more.
As the weigh-in started and the fish hit the scales - you could tell there were going to be some big weights. One crappie at 1.21 lbs then 2 crappies at 1.98 lbs. Tough day for those teams, but you could tell whoever did get their fish were going to have some MONSTER bags.
20 teams had weighed. The largest bag at that point was from Jacob Stolquist and Darrel Thole at 10.93 lbs. The top 10 teams in the Team of the Year Standings were yet to weigh. They would not disappoint. That 10.93 lbs bag, which is a heck of a bag, would only be good enough for 5th place.
Newcomers, Chris Ball and Timmy Kehren, came in with 11.33 - good enough for 4th place. Bubba and Tim had an oooh-ahhh moment at the scale with their 14" white crappie that weighed 1.44 lbs and looked more like a white bass than a crappie - they put a weight of 9.58 lbs together and were two fish short of a full bag. Dan and Scott were one fish short and came in with 10.16. "The Boys" - Jack and Jeremy, fishing on their home turf, put a full bag together at 11.51 lbs.
We were down to two teams. Leif and Nick sat at 89 points for the season while Dale and Joel sat at 82 points. Shawn Lankki was subbing for Dale while he was guiding geese for FullScale Outdoors down South.
Joel and Shawn came in with a full limit. 8 crappies / 7 gills. Their biggest crappie was 1.30 lbs and their biggest gill was .81 lbs. They did their job. They were sitting in the CLAM Hot Seat and currently in first place. Now they needed help. They needed Leif and Nick to finish outside the 7 to have a chance at Team of the Year.
Remember that one team that went off by themselves to start with gills? That was Leif and Nick. 20 minutes prior to take off - Nick was still wrestling with his game plan and second guessing himself if that decision would be the right one.
It was! They came in with a full limit that weighed 12.60 lbs. Securing another first place finish and Team of the Year with an outstanding bag of fish. Not only did they take first and T.O.Y. but they broke the all time record for biggest bag in Minnesota Made history.
Leif and NIck finished the year with a 1st place, 2nd place, 1st place and biggest fish, and a 1st place finish. To put that into words - I can't. I won't even try. It's not possible. What they did is unheard of in tournament fishing when you have a league filled with great anglers.
Congrats guys! You two deserve it and we are so happy that you've been a part of Minnesota Made for so long. Cheers to many more years of hook sets!
After the weigh-in, one of our former members, Brian Haak and his son Christian cooked up an awesome meal for everyone. Smoked Mac n Cheese, BBQ Ribs, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Jalapeno Pheasant Poppers, Chili, Cookies, and Beverages. This isn't the first time Brian has done this for our guys. Once a member - always a member. Thanks again Brian - I can speak for every person there - It was delicious, it was over the top, and you are very much appreciated.
That's it. It's over. Another season in the books. I'll have another write-up recapping the season, so for now I'll just say - This was the best season ever. Until next year ;)
Congrats to our Tourney #4 Champions
- Leif Nereson and Nick Mueller -
1st - Leif Nereson and Nick Mueller @ 12.60 lbs - (New MN Made Record)
2nd - Joel Kottke and Dale Luginbill @ 12.40 lbs
3rd - Jack Thomes and Jeremy Schwanz @ 11.51 lbs
4th - Chris Ball and Tim Kehren @ 11.33 lbs
5th - Jacob Stolquist and Darrel Thole @ 10.93 lbs
6th - Dan Rollings and Scott Boersma @ 10.16 lbs
7th - Bubba Bussen and Tim Prunick @ 9.58 lbs
8th - Dylan Erickson and Justin Lang @ 9.31 lbs
9th - Paul Ghizoni and Evan Pheneger @ 9.27 lbs
10th - Gary Sandberg and Travis Adams @ 8.28 lbs
Big Crappie - Bubba Bussen and Tim Prunick @ 1.44 lbs
Big Gill - Bob and Dave Vincent @ 0.94 lbs (New MN Made Record)
Next Up: Planning for next season and Fishing Opener
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My mind was full of ideas and plans but a lot of that was focused on the MN Made Outdoors x Hometown Hero Outdoors Veterans and Law Enforcement panfish tournament being hosted on what would normally be pre-fishing day. I had plans to check spots early before the event started Saturday but as you can imagine that didn’t happen. I truly didn’t care, I was so excited to get these guys and gals out on the ice for an epic day. And epic it’s was! All of the teams were working the spot and staying mobile as a tournament angler does because the key to the crappies, was locating the school and dropping your jig right in front of them before they moved on. You could practically see the schools on top of the ice by how the teams chased them down every time a panoptix update was shouted out. It would have been cool to see a time lapse from a drone of this scene.
The event was sponsored by so many amazing companies I don’t want to list them all here. Head over the the MN Made Facebook page for all of the awesome sponsor highlights. The event finished out and teams started closing in around the weigh in tent to see how they stacked up. Traeger had setup the ultimate spread with about 5 grills cooking up and unreal lunch on the ice for everyone. This event to me showed that even though we are competing against each other all season long, when it all comes down to it, everyone is out there for the love of this sport and wants to share it with anyone that’s interested! Thanks to everyone involved with setting up this amazing event and I can’t wait to see what next year is all about.
On to tournament day...we arrived bright eyed and bushy tailed with high hopes of filling a decent bag. Kyle and I decided on a plan that would involve grinding it out for 7 sunfish first thing in the morning then moving out a few hundred yards to chase down some slabs. Grind it out we did, Kyle struggled all morning to ice a bucket sunny and I wasn’t doing much better. 11am rolled around and I had kept 6 decent sunnies and I was frustrated, until Kyle finally landed that 7th gill. No time was wasted because we really didn’t have much.
Kyle pinned our Crappie spot and we soon found out it’s good that he did. The school was moving, but in a very small area on the spot. You could call it the spot on the spot I guess (shout out IDO). As predicted early in the day, Kyle was the crappie king and was loading up our bucket with 10” crappies. I contributed a couple smaller bucket fish that were eventually upgraded by one of Kyle’s tanks. Sitting on top of a school of crappies is hands down my favorite thing to do and when they are biting hard, as most of these were, it makes having fun really easy. 1pm came and we had caught enough good fish to feel pretty comfortable with our crappies. We attempted to revisited the gills and upgrade some smaller fish. Two upgrades later, time was expiring and my locator had died.
Weigh-in was, as it usually is full, of himming and hawing about how the big bites were tough to come by and the mediocrity of the bag we were about to weigh. Anglers in this league tend to under estimate the quality of their fish, and that’s because the quality of the teams we are competing against. All said and done we finished in 12th with 6.21# which was much better than we expected. Nick and Leif weighed the only bag over 7 coming in at 7.54# and all but locked up the Team of the Year title for 2020. Some new faces graced the top of the list with the Olstad brothers in second and Squeaks and Dylan in third.
We are in 4th overall coming into the final event which is going to be a fun one on Mazaska. Our only hope for TOTY is the three teams ahead of us all coming down with a flu that keeps them off the ice for the day...Nick would still find a way to win I’m sure. As always tune in for the live weigh in at 2pm on Feb 23rd and watch this season come to an end with what could potentially be an all time record bag from more than one team.
Prediction is....13.26# wins the final event!!
Tony “ReelToneD” Dahlberg 😂
“Home” as described by google - “The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household”.
Green Lake, where MN Made Outdoors Event #3 was held is considered my “home” lake. While I don’t live on the lake per say, I do live just down the road and frequent this lake often in the summer and fall time for the schools of roaming crappies. It’s a fun place to bring my dad or my friends to for a couple hours.
Regardless, we started that Sunday morning off in 24 FOW targeting our crappies. We filled our 8 crappies and moved a small distance to our bluegill spot which was rather shallow in 4 to 6 FOW. We had pre-fished this spot for a little bit a couple days before the event so we knew that would be the spot we would fill our bluegills and some pesky bass. In 2.5 hours of being there we filled our bag with 7 decent bluegills and took off across the lake to an old crappie hole Dylan and I have fished before. We drilled a dozen holes and caught a few small ones. Nothing that had us feeling good, so we took off back across the lake to our starting spot. This is where we really started to fill the bag with better crappies. We upgraded 4 or 5 of our crappies from small 8 inchers to nice plump little slabs that were close to 10 inches. As we got closer to 2pm we kept pushing looking for 2 more nice ones. About 5 minutes before we needed to leave I popped a nice 10 incher and we packed up and headed to weigh-in.
Our names were announced and we weighed in our bag at 6.93lbs, good enough for the lead and a spot on the “hot seats” which are reserved for the current leaders of the event. We’ve never sat in those chairs in the 3 years we’ve been doing this, but what a cool feeling to finally be there! Four teams later the Olstad’s knocked us off the hot seat by .02 lbs. I stood next to Chad and Austin for the rest of the weigh-in bugging the heck out of them. It was a neat and different feeling being right there at the top - as team after team was weighing in their fish. I’m bugging the Olstads constantly still and I’m freaking out in my head thinking we might land in the top 5 or 10. Teams continue to weigh-in and I continue to stand there. Last team weighs in and of course they drop a massive 7.55lb bag which is no surprise because Nick and Leif are absolute assassins on the ice.
I look over at Dylan who looks like he’s seen a ghost. We took 3rd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I walk away from the crowd and start freaking out in my head because we’ve never done this good and we’ve struggled pretty bad this year but we kept our heads up and made it a day. For the first time in either of our lives we are cashing a check! I couldn’t have been more proud of Dylan and myself for what we accomplished. Some will say “but you didn’t win, you took 3rd “ and you’re absolutely correct, but what needs to be pointed out is how good the guys in this league are. There are insanely good anglers and I aspire to be just as good as them someday, but for now we are going to enjoy this huge victory in our heads and continue to keep getting better and better as anglers. “Home” will always have a special place in my heart for as long as I live and I’ll always remember that weekend.
Congrats to Nick and Leif on taking first and to the Olstads who took 2nd and had a heckuva day too! See you all at Mazaska!
$queak$
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