Finally Friday

Friday before the long 4th weekend. I am cutting out of work around lunch to go check out the MN Bass Federation Nation Jr. TOC down on Lake Washington. Should be a good time, weigh-in is at 2pm - Westwood Marine & Grill.

Saturday morning I am going to practice on Lake Marion for the upcoming Pan-O-Prog tournament. Then Sunday - Monday I will be up at Whitefish Chain practicing for the Weekend Series event in two weeks. Then Sunday will be an early morning visit to Marion and then BBQ & Fireworks. Have a fun & safe weekend!

Also check out my new Bass Fishing Forum.

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Cool MSNBC Piece on FLW Tour

Check out this nice article on the growth of tournament fishing and sponsorship, it also has a streaming video from "On the Money"

They are America's most prized game fish. And today, catching the big one could
mean big money for members of the nation's fastest-growing tournament circuit.
Forget what you know about fishing: It's a whole new world out there.
"Today the FLW Outdoors is the world's largest tournament organization," according to Charley Evans, president and CEO of FLW Outdoors. "With 249 events covering 13 different tournament circuits covering five different species of fish, some
9,000 tournament entries and handing out almost $40 million in prize money."
FULL ARTICLE

Maybe Fox News will do a piece on ESPN/BASS :)
HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

MN's Top Youth Bass Anglers to Take Stage

BASS Federation Nation - MinnesotaMinnesota’s Bass Federation Nation Youth Tournament of Champions Set For June 30th

(Jun. 22, 2006 - Minneapolis, MN)... Minnesota’s best junior bass anglers are set to compete on Lake Washington near Mankato, MN, the site of the Minnesota Bass Federation Nation’s Youth Tournament of Champions.

The Minnesota’s Bass Federation Nation Youth Tournament of Champions (TOC) is an event where competitors qualify from youth clubs all over the state to vie for top honors and a birth to the B.A.S.S. Junior World Championships (JWC). On June 30th, 2006, two young anglers will punch their ticket to the Junior World Championships to be held in February on Lake Logan Martin in Alabama. Along with the earning a berth in the JWC, each winner receives plaques and product packages from every sponsor.

The tournament headquarters and weigh-in site will be Westwood Marina and Grill on the shores of Lake Washington. Weigh-in and awards ceremony will begin at 2:00pm. This is the 5th year that Minnesota will crown Junior State champions. Forest Lake was the site of Minnesota?s inaugural youthchampionship in 2002. This is the second time it will be held on Lake Washington.

The 53 contenders in this event are split into two age groups, 11-14 and 15-18. They fish two anglers in a boat captained by an adult federation member. The contestants qualified from their respective junior clubs. Minnesota has seven Junior Bassmasters clubs ranging from as far south as Fairmont and as far north as Bemidji.

Several state champions from previous years are trying to repeat and make a return visit to the Bassmasters Junior World Championship (JWC). Last year’s State Champion, Don Brennhofer, in the 15-18 age group, is from nearby Belle Plaine, MN. He is anxious to return to the JWC. This is no easy task, as several other strong youth anglers have the same goal. Dave Saterbak, Maple Grove, who represented Minnesota at the JWC in 2005 in the 11-14 age group, is now moving to the 15-18 group and has his mind set on winning again.

"The great thing about the Minnesota Junior State Championship is that none of the kids walk away empty handed. Our junior sponsors have really stepped up big for the kids," said Youth Director Todd Saterbak. "We really appreciate the support we get from Berkley, MG Lures, All-Terrain Tackle and Mojo Rods." If you are interested in seeing Minnesota’s best young anglers, Lake Washington is the place to be Friday, June 30th.

More info @ www.MNBF.org

So if you are in the area, go check out the weigh-in!

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Quick Walleye Report

Don't tell Jim Bratten over at Sportsman's Blog that I am walleye fishing....
Things are going well, we got our limit out on Lake of the Woods today. We launched out of city ramp in Warroad, MN. We went north up to Elm Creek area and found the fish in 4-5' water around scattered weeds. We drifted spinners with chubs & crawlers. My wife caught some nice walleyes and we had a good time. We ate most if the fish today, we will go back out tomorrow to get some for the freezer.

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Bassless Weekend?

Wife and I are going up to Warroad, MN to visit some family and to catch some walleyes on famed Lake of the Woods, this will be my one walleye outing of the year. Should be relaxing and good eating as we will probably be frying them up the first night.

Too bad Jim Moynagh could not quite pull the FLW AOY out his hat at Champlain, congrats to Anhtony Gagliardi.

Sam Lashlee is continuing to dominate at Kentucky Lake.

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Looking back and forwards...

The past weekend was the best of times and the worst of times as far as the club goes. A great day and a win on Crystal Lake and a disappointing two fish performance on Lake Marion. Now it's time to look forward to the Pan-O-Prog tournament on Marion and put my club performance behind me. I also need to keep an eye on the Weekend Series up on Whitefish, I need to get some solid practice in up there.

Congrats to Morizo Shimizu on his great comeback at the Bluegrass Brawl! Also, the FLW makes its final stop of the year on Lake Champlain and MN's own Jim Moynagh is right in the thick of the FLW AOY race and he has done well on Champlain before.

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Friday Notes

Club Tournaments 3 & 4 this weekend, looking to move into 1st and build a lead, because I will probably not have time to prefish the last 4 club tournaments. Might sneak out to Marion for a few hours this evening for a little last minute prefishing. I need to protect a top seed for the Gopher Bassmasters Match Tournament.

The Kentucky Lake Blue Grass Brawl is in full swing and my fantasy team is looking strong after day 1 and KVD appears to be back.

TBF MN Jr. TOC is today at Prior Lake - 2pm weigh-in at Captain Jacks if you want to check it out.

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Swamp Donkey

Has anyone tried the Reaction Innovations Swamp Donkeys ?


It looks like a great bait! I just have not been able to set down my Bronzeye Frog...

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Bronzeye Frog & Weekend in Review

Overall it was a good weekend on the Lakeville area lakes. I was on some quality fish and got some good fish on my new Natural Red Bronzeye Frog. It is definitely my new frog of choice, it casts well, walks great and the hook ups are better than average. I caught 4 or 5 fish on Crystal with one about 4.5lbs out from under a dock (Rojas style). On Marion, I only caught one, but it was over 4lbs as well. I paired my frog with a new 7'10" telescoping Trophy rod from Fleet Farm and 50# Power Pro Braided Line. It was a deadly combination. I think the frog will make a nice backup pattern or kicker fish plan for this weekends tourneys!

Tight Lines,
HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Weekend Fishing Plans

I plan to prefish on Crystal Lake tomorrow morning, graduation parties in the afternoon evening. Sunday I will hit Lake Marion. These two lakes are the destination of my two club tournaments next weekend. After catching most of my fish deep on the Alexandria Chain last weekend, I am going to focus on deep fish for these tournaments as well.

On another note, I stopped by the Sportsman's Warehouse in Coon Rapids off Hwy 10. They has a bunch of Lucky Craft Sammys marked down to $9.99, that is about $4-5 cheaper than everyone else. Also they had a wide array of SPRO Dean Rojas Series Bronzeye Frogs & Reaction Innovations Swamp Donkeys for $5.99, most places are selling them for $7-8. I bought a couple of all 3 and plan to give them a whirl this weekend, its about time for Frogs & Topwaters to really get cranking!

P.S. did you see the Lobina Lures SlideJack on BassCenter last weekend? Its like a wacky rigged swimbait.

Tight Lines,
HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Weekend in Review - June 4th

Friday and Saturday were mediocre days of practice on the Alexandria Chain and Sunday was a slightly better than average finish. A little dissapointing of what I expect from myself. I feel I should have made better decisions, I fished too much on yesterdays memories, rather then the moment. It is already the second time I have done that.... First time was Deer Lake. I really believe if I just would have started on my weedline or abdandoned the reeds a little quicker, it could have easily been a Top 5 finish rather then a Top 10.

Well enough about me and congrats to Mike McClelland and his domination performance on Grand Lake of the Cherokees.

Sam Lashlee takes the FLW Series at Old Hickory.

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog

Headed for Le Homme Deu

One last Blog before my tournament this weekend up on the Alexandria Chain. I am amped to fish this one. Leaving tonight and plan to get two full days of practice. It was kind of nice only working 3 days this week. Sounds like a post spawn bite and I love to Junk Fish, so it should be a good tournament. Got some new stuff today and ready to give it a whirl. Check the Bassin' Blog early next week for the reports. Well I am on the way out the door....

HellaBass
www.richlindgren.com
Bassin' Blog