"The Funnest Bass Tourney in the Northwest"

Boats waiting to take off in the morning. Courtesy of the ABC.

The Atikokan Bass Classic is held on August 12-13, 2011. Last year's $10,000 first place winners of this fishing tournament were Darwin King and Guy Legarrie. The pair were eighth place after day one and then catapulted into first place with a huge catch of 20.04 pounds on Saturday. Who will come home with the big prize this year?  Payout is 96% of Team Entry with the first place finish netting approximately $10,000. Besides the top 10 teams, prizes will also go to the best Parent & Child, Grandparent & Child, All Women, Male/Female Teams and for the biggest fish. There are four flights each day. The tournament fishing hours on Friday and Saturday are:

• First flight: 7:00am to 3:00pm
• Second flight: 7:15am to 3:15pm
• Third flight: 7:30am to 3:30pm
• Fourth flight 7:45am to 3:45pm

Access into Marmion Lake is at the Anderson Dam Landing. Anglers must fish the Upper and Lower Marmion Reservoirs in accordance with the Official Tournament Map. Entry fee is $500 per team, maximum two (2) people per boat. Competitors are provided a free steak supper the Friday night of the tourney. The Atikokan Legion Branch #145 and Legion Ladies Auxiliary are catering the meal.

Nice bass caught in the Atikokan Bass Classic - Courtesy of ABC.

Besides the fishing tournament, Atikokan goes all out and has a Bass Classic Family Fishing Festival. Some events started on August 6th but there is still a lot going on. Tuesday night there is a camp-out at the Atikokan Public Library from 6:30-8:00pm (registration required, ages 10-12), the Atikokan Bass Classic Dart Tournament at the Legion and a Poker Bike Ride at the Charleson Recreation Area. On Wednesday there is a Pow-wow under the Big Tent, Couples Golf, Game Night at the Atikokan Public Library from 6:30-8:00pm for ages 12 & up and fireworks at dusk at the White Street Ball Park.

Atikokan Bass Classic Boat Parade. - Courtesy of ABC.

Thursday is jammed packed with activities: A Farmer's Market at the Atikokan Foodland Parking lot from 10am-5pm, Artisan Tent at the greenspace beside CIBC, Funtastic Castle Kid's Event, Outdoor Games at the Library, Beer Gardens, the Parade of Boats on Main Street at 6pm and the ANFC Fish Fry under the Big Tent and more. The actual Fishing Tournament is on the Friday and Saturday (August 12-13). Friday also has a Bake-off, Beer Gardens, Movie Day at the Library and Country Singer Chris Janson in the evening. Day 1 weigh-in is at 3pm under the Big Tent. The festival ends Saturday with a day of fishing, Jumper Fun at the corner of Main & White Streets, Beer Gardens and a Street Dance featuring Night Train. Day 2 weigh-in for the Atikokan Bass Classic is at 3pm. For a complete schedule of events and more information on each event visit the Atikokan Bass Classic website.

With so much going on, there's surely something that will peek your interest. For more information on Atikokan or places to stay, visit the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation, the Town of Atikokan, the Atikokan Chamber of Commerce or www.ontariotowns.net/Atikokan

Stay tuned for the 2011 Atikokan Bass Classic Results!


UPDATE: Results of the 2011 Atikokan Bass Classic

Kevin Rissanen of Atikokan and Cory Nephin of Geraldton blew the competition away with a total of 42.62 lbs. Second place went to to Kim and Aaron Wiens of Atikokan with 36.54 lbs.  It was a fairly close race from second place all the way to sixth place. The big fish on day one went to Doug and Greg Sampson with a 5.75 pounder. Day two had a heavier big fish with Ed Gouliquer and Jim Bauler bringing in a nice 6.19 lb bass. The big fish on day one helped Doug and Greg Sampson to catch the biggest bag the first day. Their total was 22.09 lbs which would be the biggest bag of the fishing tournament. The biggest catch of day two went to winners Kevin Rissanen and Cory Nephin with a total of 21.21 lbs. Consistency was key for Rissanen and Nephin as the first day they also had a good day of bass fishing bringing in a total of 21.41 lbs. 

The top 10 anglers at the 2011 Atikokan Bass Classic:

1. Kevin Rissanen, Cory Nephin - 42.62 lbs
2. Aaron and Kim Wiens - 36.54 lbs
3. Joe and Rick Machura - 36.34 lbs
4. Doug and Greg Sampson - 36.2 lbs
5. Leroy and Mike Wilson - 36.08 lbs
6. Shane Manford, Cuffy Kehl - 36.01 lbs
7. Glenn Leroux, Trevor Zimak - 35.64 lbs
8. Dave Williams, Scott Manford - 34.99 lbs
9. Pete Politis, Shawn Anderson - 34.69 lbs
10. Kevin and Curtis Ritchie - 34.06 lbs

2011 Category Prizes:

1. Best Parent & Child under 16 - Jody and Jeremy Shypit
2. Best Grandparent & Grandchild under 16 - Austin and Larry Loew
3. Best All Women Team - Debbie Coulson and Cathy Dayman
4. Best Male/Female Team - Rene and Deb Cadence
5. Hidden Weight Day One - Dave Galusha and Vic Alberts
6. Hidden Weight Day Two - Jody and Jeremy Shypit
7. Young Angler Award - Jeremy Shypit

 For more results visit the Atikokan Bass Classic website.

Bennett and Libitka Win the 2011 KBI

The KBI, which is now actually the Shaw Kenora Bass International, so the SKBI wrapped up with an exciting finish. The two leaders after day two were only 0.01 lbs apart. They were the last two in the parade of boats and the anticipation of who would win was high. Both teams seemed happy with their catch and both said they caught some largemouths. Dave Bennett and Mike Libitka were first to weigh in. They had a total of 17.91 lbs. Jeff Gustafson (Gussy) and Chris Savage were next, would they have enough? The bass were weighed and the crowd watched on. It was not, however, enough to topple Bennett and Libitka from top place which earned them over $22,600.

Anglers on Lake of the Woods Waiting to Get Weighed-In

Day one started out to be a beautiful day. However as the morning progressed ominous clouds began to appear over Lake of the Woods. The rain came and pounded the lake for a few hours. Not to have their spirits dampened by the storm, the anglers pushed on. The afternoon in Kenora cleared up and it turned quite hot. I thought maybe the weather might have really made the fish hard to find but as the anglers started to weigh in I saw they made out just fine. Many familiar names were found in the top 10 on day one. Alex Keszler and Wayne Wagner were first after the first day of bass fishing on Lake of the Woods. Gustafson and Savage who have won top place in the KBI twice before were in fourth place. Brian McNanney and Matt Rydberg of Sioux Narrows who won the KBI in 2009 were in second place with 18.76 lbs. A total of 1551.43 lbs of smallmouth and largemouth bass were caught on the first day the Shaw Kenora Bass International. The biggest bass of the day a 5.05 pounder was caught by Behn Carlson and Jon Pearson both of Kenora. Alex Keszler (Winnipeg, MB) and Wayne Wagner (St. Andrews, MB) had the biggest catch of the day with 18.79 lbs.

As it does in most fishing tournaments, the leader list changed after day one. Gustafson and Savage had a second solid day with 16.42 lbs, enough for them to take the lead. They took the lead by only 0.01lbs though! What a close tournament so far. Friday was a hot day in Sunset Country and the total amount of fish caught was slightly down with only 631 compared to 657 the day before. The biggest bass of the tournament was caught on day two though. Joe Pritchett of Kenora and Hiram Archibald of Sioux Narrows landed a 6.02 lb largemouth bass to have the honour of biggest fish for day two and the biggest fish to come out of the tournament. The catch also pushed them into having the biggest catch of day two - 18.33 lbs.

Catch of the day!

Day three of the Kenora Bass International started out cooler than the other days and was cloudy and probably very comfortable on the water. There was chatter about town today. Who was going to win today? I know there were many friends and family hoping for their favourite to win. The crowd was larger today down at the Harbourfront and the tent was jam packed as the anglers were having their bass weighed. Jess Swenson and Mike Reid had a great day with a catch of 18.68 lbs and a three day total of 47.83 lbs. They were in the hot seat, the ones to beat, as the boats paraded into the tent. Boat after boat weighed in and they were still at the top. It all came to an end though as the last two boats pulled through the tent. The Bennett and Libitka team took the top seat after weighing in at 17.91 for day three. Gustafson and Savage came up short with a total of 17.76 lbs. The lost by 14/100 of a pound. That must sting, but not as much as in 2009 when they lost to McNanney & Rydberg by only 0.02 lbs. They are all good sports though and seem to wish the best for each other. Bennett and Libitka's three day bass total was 50.67 lbs. Bennett and Libitka had the biggest bass of the day, a largemouth weighing in at 5.44 lbs. Jay Samsal of Kenora and Troy Norman of Fort Frances had the biggest catch of the day (and of the tournament) with 18.92 lbs.

There's a friendly competition between Team Canada and Team USA each year. This year, Team Canada took top honours with 210.41 lbs. The Team USA had 206.86 lbs. Better luck next year guys.

All Bass Are Carefully Released Back into Lake of the Woods

During each day of the tournament 83 children participated in the KBI Kids Fishing Tournament. Day one's fishing was cut short by the storm, but the following two days had great weather. There were lots of prizes for everyone. It really is a great time for the children - the future of SBKI was right there on the docks on Lake of the Woods. I am sorry I don't know the name yet of the boy who won, but he has taken top honours 3 times at the Kids KBI. Look out Gussy!

One last thing to note is a big THANK YOU to all the volunteers. It is a huge effort to put a tournament on of this size. Great job Directors and volunteers. The Top 10 Boat Parade was televised live today on Shaw.  You can see it again on Shaw Sunday evening in case you missed it.

Visit the KBI website for a complete listing of the overall standings and tournament results. If you are interested in other fishing tournaments in Sunset Country, visit our fishing tournaments in Northwest Ontario page.

How to Win $20,000 Fishing

Anglers waiting to weigh in at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship

The Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship is set to take place July 17-23, 2011 on Rainy Lake. If there's a full roster, the top prize is $20,000. Not bad for a couple of days fishing. The total prize package with a full roster is $102,000. There are prizes for daily top top catch, biggest daily fish, and more. There is even a top 2011 Rookie Team prize. The best rookie will have entry into the 2012 tournament.

But besides the payout there is lot's of reasons why to experience a fishing tournament. The Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship goes all out and has a major celebration. The event starts with the Safeway Kid Pro fishing July 17th from 7am-3pm. On July 19th, there is a Much Music Video Dance Party. The Boston Pizza Parade of Boats begins at 3:00 and then at 7pm the Quest for the Best begins. July 21-23 the fishing starts with the Flight #1 departing from the Government Dock at Pithers' Point Park. Thursday the anglers return at 3:30pm. There's a Chicken 'n Ribs dinner from 4:30-7:30pm. Friday the dinner is Floppin' Fresh Fish Dinner and then Kartune Kriminals and Bed of Roses (Canada's #1 Bon Jovi Tribute Band) hit the stage. Saturday the excitement grows as people wonder who will come in with the biggest catch, who will win? The Top Ten Boat Parade begins at 5:00 and the Angler Awards presentation begins at 7:00. There is a Kiwanis Streak Fry  and in the evening Borderland's favourite local band, Thinking of Pinky takes the stand. For more information visit the FFCBC website or visit their Facebook page.

The 5th Annual Friends and Family Bronze Back Classic is held from July 23-24,  2011 on Lake of the Woods. The entry fee is $400.00 and there is a 100% pay out on entries. The focus of the Bronze Back Classic is to get families, friends, local anglers, long time summer residents, and especially youth involved in this boating event.

Angler showing his bass to the crowd at KBI

August begins with another big bass tournament. The Kenora Bass International  (KBI) is held on Lake of the Woods in Kenora, Ontario from August 4-6th. If there are 150 entries, the top place receives $25,000. There are many other ways to win as well. There are 10 big catch prizes, biggest smallmouth, biggest largemouth, prizes for the top 30 placing in the KBI, adult/youth team, man/woman team and more. See the pay out schedule for complete prize estimates. Every year a battle wages between Canada and the U.S. along the shores of Lake of the Woods. 5 teams representing Canada and 5 teams representing the USA compete against each other for the honour and glory of being crowned the winner and for the Frank Townsend Can-Am Challenge trophy.

Anglers will fish Thursday to Saturday. Delicious dinners and beer gardens welcome anglers and the public in the evenings. Saturday is the big finale with the top 10 boats parading through the tent to an exciting finish. There also is a KBI Kids Tournament that is open to kids ages 4-13. The children will be fishing off the Kenora Harbourfront docks. There will be a prize presentation at the end of each flight, loot bag and t-shirt for every child who participates. A trophy and a special prize will be awarded to the male and female anglers with the biggest bass on each day! There is also free kids entertainment including Minnow Races from 11:30am - 2:30pm. For more information on the Kenora Bass International visit the KBI website. With Shaw as a major sponsor, the tournament can now be viewed on TV. Current standings can also be found on the KBI website once the tournament starts.

Next in the line-up of Sunset Country Tournaments is the Atikokan Bass Classic August 12-13. It is touted as the "Funnest Bass Tournament in the Northwest". Payout is 96% of Team Entry with the first place finish netting approximately $10,000. Besides the top 10 teams, prizes will also go to the best Parent & Child, Grandparent & Child, All Women, Male/Female Teams and for the biggest fish.  Access into Marmion Lake is at  the Anderson Dam Landing.  Competitors are provided a free steak supper the Friday night of the tourney.

Fishermen bringing in their bass to get weighed

The Morson Bass International is held on Lake of the Woods in Morson from August 27-28.  This Catch and Release Bass Tournament  starts at the Government Dock in Morson.  View a video of the Morson Bass International. Like many of the other fishing tournaments in Sunset Country, the MBI has a kids fishing tournament,  yummy dinners and entertainment. You can download an Entry Form or get more information on the Morson Bass International website.

September begins with the Red Lake Fall Classic Catch & Release Walleye Tournament on the Red Lake Chain of Lakes on September 2-4.  Based on 140 team entries, the top prize is $11,000.  Second prize is $5,000 & 2 Humminbird Trolling Locators and third is $3,000 & 2 MinnKota Trolling Motors. See the Red Lake Falls Classic Prize structure for more prizes. Both days the 3 flights leave between 7 and 7:30am. Saturday there is a free supper for tournament participants where they can see the posting of first day standings.  Sunday around 6pm you can visit the Red Lake Legion to see the prize and trophy awards. Saturday afternoon also has a Junior  Championship at the Government Docks. Prizes for all children.

Perch Lake Bass Challenge  is held on the Seine River Chain of Lakes September 4th. Meet at Homer's Cabins on Perch Lake 20 minutes west of Atikokan. Top prize is $1000 & possession of tournament trophy for 3 months. Top 5 win cash prizes. There are also prizes for the biggest fish, Top Lund team, top young angler and top couple. Rules & Boat Checks at 8am, fishing between 9am to 3:30pm. The 2011 PLBC is now full. To get your name on the waiting list, email info@perchlakebass.com

Bassin' for Bucks is a fishing tournament on Lake of the Woods from Sioux Narrows September 9-11. The Sioux Narrows Bassin’ for Bucks tournament format is a two person team, fishing for 3 days, daily and total combined weight, live release tournament. Besides prizes for the top 6 each day, the grand aggregate weight prizes are as follows: 1st place is $6000, 2nd is $5000 and 3rd is $4000. There are also prizes for Tournament Big Fish, Big Smallmouth each day and Big Largemouth each day. Prize structure based on 120 entries. The flights leave between 7:30 & 8 each morning. Must fish these areas: Red Cliff Bay, Yellow Girl Bay, Whitefish Bay, Lobstick Bay, Regina Bay, Cross, Knickerbocker and Blueberry Inlets, and anywhere else accessible by boat that is within the boundaries. Out of bounds is all waters West and North of the longitudinal line #25’ that runs from the Northwestern tip of the Eastern Peninsula, South to the West side of Ferrier Island to the Aulneau Peninsula.

One of the Top 10 anglers parading through the tent

Crow Lake Classic Bass Tournament is held on Crow Lake September 16-17. Held at Hansons Hideaway Lodge on Crow Lake (Kakagi lake). $350 entry fee per team. Download registration form at the Crow Lake Classic website. Based on 50 entries, the top prize is $4,000. The top ten get cash prizes ranging from $4,000 to $350. New in 2011 are first, second and third top daily bag prizes. There is also a team draw for 2 Shimano Rod & Reel Combos, a Secret Number Placement and Closet Team to 10lb Daily bag prizes. The top 2 placing Princecraft boats powered by Mercury motors win 24 volt trolling motors.

During the fall the Ontario walleye tournaments start up again. The Rainy River Walleye Tournament in Rainy River is held September 22-24. The overall prize purse will be $43,450 with the champion earning $15,000. There are prizes for the top 15, 4 hidden weight prizes, a parade prize, River Champ, Day 1 & 2 Big Fish and the Lionel Roberts Memorial Award Largest Basket of Tournament $1,000 prize. Thursday has a parade of boats at 4pm, Fisherman's Dinner (contestants only) and then beer gardens open to the public. Friday, anglers leave between 8:45am & 9:15am. Saturday anglers leave between 7:45 & 8:15am. 3:15 the anglers weigh in and then the Awards Presentation and the Rainy River Junior Curlers Draw follows. There is a  Weekend of fun and excitement for the whole family under the Big Tent on the shores of Beautiful Rainy River! Visit the Rainy River Walleye Tournament website for more information.

The Last Chance Bass is held on Shoal Lake September 24-25. Contact Randy Paishk 807-733-3940 or or Vern Fair  807-733-3191 for more information.

The Whitefish Bay Fall Bass Classic is held in Nestor Falls on Dogpaw, Caviar and Flint Lakes. The tournament runs October 1-. For more information call 807-226-5411.

The third annual Lake of the Woods Walleye Challenge will be held on Lake of the Woods in Morson October 7-8. It is a 2 day fishing tournament. $300 per team. Cash and merchandise prizes to anglers and spectators. Last year 21 teams participated for $6,500 in cash and prizes with 100% of entry fees going back to the top placing entries and prizes for hidden weight, top finishing husband/wife team and top finishing parent/child team.  Spectators and anglers are invited for a dinner at the Morson Hall. For more information call 807-488-5905.

So, while it may sound easy to win 10 or 20 thousand dollars, it is far from it. Sure, there's a lot of luck in fishing, but there is a lot of preparation. Many anglers spend time and money pre-fishing a lake before a tournament. All in all though, a fishing tournament can be quite fun to participate in. Some anglers do the circuit and fish tournaments all summer long, some just do one in their community. The fishing tournaments I have listed here are coming up in the rest of 2011. For a complete list of fishing tournaments in Northwest Ontario, visit our fishing page on Sunset Country's website. Maybe next year I'll be reading about you winning the jackpot.