There is a 2021 and 2022 Grand Champions

 I didn't put up rules or post anything here, but I kept track of entries in 2021 and 2022.

The 2021 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Champion Is Michael "Darth Wader" Thompson.

The 2022 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Champion is Alan Steinbauer, the first-ever 3-Time Grand Champion.

There is a video of Mike's catch and a picture of Al's. If I get around to it. I will get that stuff posted eventually and get this blog updated with the times. It seems that my blogroll gadgets are obsolete.

The Grand Championship Is On Again for 2021

22" Oliver Knudson Lower Long Lake May 16, 2021

 

Sorry About Not Keeping UP, There will be a Grand Championship This Year

I've had some things health-wise nagging at me for most of the spring that has really sapped my energy.  I go fishing, but then just have to crash.  Seeing as how I didn't get the Grand Championship stuff done before ice off.  It went to the back burner.  It will be the same rules as last year.   Hopefully, I'll get it updated here at the blog in the next week.

Alan Steinbauer is the 2018 Grand Champion

Alan Steinbauer 2005 & 2018 Club Grand Champion

The Minnesota Bowfin Club now has it's 5th two-time Grand Champion.  Alan won this year's championship with a 26" fish caught on a Berkley Big Tex Pit Boss out of Shields Lake in Rice County on June 26th.  He joins me Dave Maas, Chuck Steinbauer, Dennis Lothspeich, and Chuck Fields as two-time champions.

Jim Svenningsen 24" wacky rigged worm (PB 7J)

2nd Place this year went to Jim Svenningsen with that 24-inch fish.

Stacey Svenningsen 23.25" spinnerbait (yellow)

3rd Place went to Jim's wife Stacey with a 23-inch fin.

2018 Grand Championship Ends June 30th

Sure I didn't get around to specifying rules for this year.  But here they are now on the last day.  Same rules as last year.  Contest ends June 30th.  Need to inform me of your catch by July 3rd.

email: basspundit@hotmail.com

Thank You
MBC President

2018 Grand Championship Rules Coming Soon, Hopefully

Congratulations Tyler Mohr 2017 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Champion!!!

27.5" Jerkbait

This big barker allowed Tyler Mohr to win the 2017 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Championship.  I believe it was caught in a backwater somewhere on the Mississippi River.

23.5" Swim Jig

2nd Place went to Chuck Fields for a 23 incher caught out of Gull Lake.

21.5" Mad Maxx Frog

3rd Place went to Dave Maas  with a 21.5" fish caught out of the Platte River on a frog.

21" Spinnerbait

Honorable Mention goes to Jim Svenningson for this fish caught in Long Lake in Isanti County on a yellow spinnerbait.

Grand Championship Reporting Deadline Changed Until July 7th

I dropped the ball on informing that the deadline for reporting catches was coming up today, so I am extending the deadline for reporting your fish caught before July 1st, until July 7th.  The fish must still be caught prior to July 1st. 

Thanks
The Prez

2017 Grand Championship Rules

Note Rule Change: This year the Grand Championship tournament end date is June 30th and you must report your catch no later than July 1st.

MBC GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT RULES:

ELIGIBILITY- Anyone catching a Bowfin in the State of Minnesota including Border Waters.

SPECIES - Only Bowfin (Dogfish) caught in Minnesota waters are used for determining the season's Grand Champion.

TOURNAMENT HOURS/SEASON - All hours from ice-out through June 30th are open for competition.

TOURNAMENT WATERS- All MN bodies of water with a population of bowfin are eligible from their individual date of ice out.

LIVE RELEASE - All fish must be returned to the water alive and unharmed after measuring.

FISHING METHOD - Only artificial lures may be used to take fish.

OTHER SPECIES - Any other fish caught, which is not in season, must be returned to the water immediately. It is expected that MBC members and tournament participants will within reason try to minimize the odds of catching fish that are not yet in their open season.

MEASURING FISH - Fish must be measured with the mouth (closed) to the tip of the tail.

REGISTRATION - Send your name, the length of the fish, the date caught, and the lure used to basspastor@hotmail.com
Optional: Include body of water caught from.

Registration must be in before midnight on July 1st unless the deadline is extended.

GRAND CHAMPION - The longest fish reported before July 1st determines the overall Grand Champion.

LEADING FISH- In an effort to encourage reporting of bowfin catches the length of the leading fish will NOT be communicated until the tournament is over.

Past MBC Grand Champions with winning fish length since Club founding in 1999:

1999 Ken Fields 25"
2000 Chuck Fields 23.75"
2001 Guy Henkensiefken 23"
2002 Dean Sauer & Tom Swanson (tie) 26.5"
2003 Dan Quinn 31"
2004 Dave Maas 30"
2005 Alan Steinbauer 28.5"
2006 Dave Maas 30"
2007 Chuck Steinbauer 26.5"
2008 Dennis Lothspeich 26"
2009 Scot Zeidler 26.5"
2010 Chuck Fields 28"
2011 Dennis Lothspeich 27.75"
2012 Nick Jacob 25"
2013 Adam Henkensiefken 24.5"
2014 Joe Torbert 30"
2015 Chuck Steinbauer 26"
2016 Barry Mowers 26"

Big Bowfin Barry Wins His 1st MBC Grand Championship Title

Barry Mowers caught his 26" bowfin on Leech Lake on Memorial Day on a brown River2Sea Yabbie to win this years title.

The only other person to register a doggy this year was Chuck Steinbauer with a 24.5".  I think he told me he got it on Platte Lake.

Next year the tournament is going to run from ice out through the full month of June.

MBC Grand Championship Tournament Rules

ELIGIBILITY- Anyone catching a Bowfin in the State of Minnesota including Border Waters.

SPECIES - Only Bowfin (Dogfish) caught in Minnesota waters are used for determining the season's Grand Champion.

TOURNAMENT HOURS/SEASON - All hours from ice-out through June 15 each year are open for competition.

TOURNAMENT WATERS- All MN bodies of water with a population of bowfin are eligible from their individual date of ice out.

LIVE RELEASE - All fish must be returned to the water alive and unharmed after measuring.

FISHING METHOD - Only artificial lures may be used to take fish.

OTHER SPECIES - Any other fish caught, which is not in season, must be returned to the water immediately. It is expected that MBC members and tournament participants will within reason try to minimize the odds of catching fish that are not yet in their open season.

MEASURING FISH - Fish must be measured with the mouth (closed) to the tip of the tail.

REGISTRATION - Send your name, the length of the fish, the date caught, and the lure used to basspastor@hotmail.com
Optional: Include body of water caught from.

Registration must be in before midnight on June 15th of each year.

GRAND CHAMPION - The longest fish reported before June 16th determines the overall Grand Champion.

LEADING FISH- In an effort to encourage reporting of bowfin catches the length of the leading fish will NOT be communicated until the tournament is over.

Past MBC Grand Champions with winning fish length since Club founding in 1999:

1999 Ken Fields 25"
2000 Chuck Fields 23.75"
2001 Guy Henkensiefken 23"
2002 Dean Sauer & Tom Swanson (tie) 26.5"
2003 Dan Quinn 31"
2004 Dave Maas 30"
2005 Alan Steinbauer 28.5"
2006 Dave Maas 30"
2007 Chuck Steinbauer 26.5"
2008 Dennis Lothspeich 26"
2009 Scot Zeidler 26.5"
2010 Chuck Fields 28"
2011 Dennis Lothspeich 27.75"
2012 Nick Jacob 25"
2013 Adam Henkensiefken 24.5"
2014 Joe Torbert 30"
2015 Chuck Steinbauer 26"

2015 Grand Champion is Chuck Steinbauer

Congratulations Chuck Steinbauer 
2015 Grand Champion!

Chuck with a 27 incher from 2011

Chuck Steinbauer caught a 26 inch fish on Bay Lake on a bladed jig while pre-fishing for the Bass Snatcher tournament on Bay Lake in late May.  That fish was good enough to take the Grand Championship this year and that makes Chuck our fourth two time Grand Champion. Chuck previously won the Grand Championship in 2007.

For the second year in a row two time Grand Champion Chuck Fields came in 2nd place.  This year it was with a 24 1/2" fish from the Whitefish Chain caught on a tube on June 1st.

And for the second year in a row two time Grand Champion Dave Maas came in 3rd Place.  His fish was a  23 incher caught from Bulldog Lake on a Lunkerhunt Lunker Frog in the"Croaker" color.

2015 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Championship Registration Deadline Extended

Get your catches in to me by email at basspastor@hotmail.com , or by leaving a message or comment at the Minnesota Bowfin Club Facebook Page by midnight June 17th and they will count for this years contest.  Fish must be caught by June 15th at the latest.

Remember the Bowfin must be caught in MN on an artificial lure and be released alive.

Please let me know the fishes length, what lure it was caught on, and if you want to share the lake it came from that would be appreciated too.  If you have a picture of the fish please send that as well.

Thanks
Dave Maas
Minnesota Bowfin Club President

Dave Maas 1st Two Fins of the Year

I think it's a fin.

Yep, it's a bowfin!

About 27" Caught on a Custom Jigs and Spins Glow Demon with a stickleback minnow at about 2:30AM on April 29th at Sullivan Lake 

On the next night I had to two dogfish on, but due to the difficultly of landing them on rip rap I only got 1 of the two in.  I actually had my claw grippers on the first fish a couple of times, but as soon as I touched him, it went berserk.  I ended up breaking that fish off.  It was slightly bigger than the one I did catch on the 30th.

Dogfish Selfie

23" on a Glow Demon and crappie minnow

Stripped the glow right off of the Glow Demon

Seeing as how they were caught with live bait, these bowfin aren't eligible for this years Grand Championship.

The warm weather is definitely getting the bow wow's active.  This first weekend in May just may be your best shot at getting a Grand Championship winning fish.

Please remember to release your bowfin alive so someone else can enjoy the fight.

Joe Torbert is the 2014 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Champion

Joe Torbert caught a 30" bowfin on June 14th, while fishing a tournament on Fishtrap Lake. Unfortunately he didn't get a picture of the fish.  It totally destroyed the Rapala DT3 he caught it on.

Congratulations to Joe on being the 2014 Club Grand Champion!!!

2nd Place went to 2 Time Grand Champion Chuck Fields with a 23" Fin caught on a swim jig on Gull Lake on May 27th.

3rd Place went to Club President and 2 Time Grand Champion yours truly Dave Maas with a 22" doggy caught in Platte Lake June 5th on a River 2 Sea Yabbie.

Time To Be Thinkin' 'Fins

Photo from Chad Christianson

I saw my first Bowfin caught this past Friday.  It may have hit me about 15 minutes earlier. The Grand Championship for 2014 is on!   

Please Note- Starting this year Bowfin caught at anytime day or night are eligible to be entered.

Adam Henkensiefken Is The 2013 Minnesota Bowfin Club Grand Champion

We now have our first father son tandem of MBC Grand Champion's.  Adam joins his dad Guy, who was our Champion in back in 2001.  Adam caught his 24.5 inch Bowfin on Mission Lake with a pumpkin seed craw tube.

2nd Place went to 2004 & 2006 Grand Champion Dave Maas for the bigger of his two 23" fish, both of those came from Platte Lake.

3rd Place went to 2000 & 2010 Grand Champion Chuck Fields for a 21.5" fin caught out of the Whitefish Chain.

The Derby Wraps Tommorrow

So get any entries you have in ASAP.  We don't want my 23 incher to win do we.

Nick Jacob Is The 2012 Grand Champion!!!

25"

Surprisingly with the early spring this was the only fish entered this year.  Nick's fish was caught in late March on a Beetle Spin.  Congratulations Nick!!!

Reporting Deadline Extended

Attention- Bowfin catches must be reported by 11:59PM June 17th to be eligible for this years Grand Championship.  That is this Sunday.

Thank You