Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

Bassinator’s Alumni are Corey Vance and Eric Sanft who on the Collegiate Team….  StarTribune.com - A different school of fish With no fish locator and a broken trolling motor, University Bass Fishing Club president Jeff Batts, his brother Alex Batts and I cruised across Bald Eagle Lake last Sunday... More

Bassinators Keenan Reed and Jack Boyle finish in
Top 5 at TOC

Minnesota BASS Federation Crowns Two New Junior State Champions Lindgren and Reed Dominate at the 2008 Junior Tournament of Champions

June 27, 2008
Serpent Lake, Crosby, MN.

Lucas Lindgren of Gopher Jr. Bassmasters and Keenan Reed of the Bassinators dominated this year’s class at the Minnesota Junior Tournament of Champions. Lindgren brought in a mixed limit of smallmouth and largemouth weighing 11.81 lbs to win the overall “Top Hook Award” along with the senior division.

Keenan Reed worked a jig and a 4” black worm all day to win the junior division with a very convincing 10.19 lbs. Reed also showed he could keep up with the older class with a very impressive fifth place in the overall completion.

Big Fish awards went to Lucas Lindgren of Gopher Jr. Bassmasters with a 4.18 lbs smallmouth in the senior division and Matt Cook of the Bassin Boys with a 3.51 lbs largemouth in the junior division.

The team completion, always provides fireworks and gives the winning club bragging right until the next years Jr. TOC and this year was no exception in a very close competition, the “Bassin Boys” with Dave Saterbak, Ben Winge, Brent Relopez, and Austin Anderly finished first with 34.83lbs, “Granite City”, with Jordan Keller, Neil Moliter, Mark Shirley, and Aaron Teal, finished second with 30.78lbs, The “Red Lake BassBusters” took third place with April Kingbird, Shaylynn Johnson, Joey McNeal, and Joseph Fairbanks weighing in with 29.13 lbs

“We had a great tournament,” said the State Youth director Paul Perovich “I could not be more proud of all of our competitors and boat captains this year. Things were moving along as smooth as we could ask for, then at 1:30, the skies opened and it rained 3.5” in 40 minutes. I have seen rain like that in Panama, but never, in Minnesota. The kids hung in there and the boat captains did what they do the best, hold everything together and make the right decisions for the kids.

“ This year we had the largest junior tournament yet with 54 competitors. With these kinds of numbers, boat captains were at a premium and we all need to thank Todd Saterbak, Mark Gomez, and Jeff Gilmer who worked many extra hours getting the captains we needed. KFAN radio also pitched in and ran two segments on Billy Hildebrand’s show asking for people to help out as boat captains. We also had unbelievable support from sponsors from around the state. I would like to personally thank Gopher Tackle, Northland Tackle, Berkley, MG Lures, Sportsmen’s Warehouse of St. Cloud, Gander Mountain of St. Cloud, Reed’s, Joe’s Sporting Goods in St. Paul, Hardware Hank of Big Lake , and a special thanks to Cabela’s for all of the donations to this year’s Junior TOC.

“The 2008 tournament was a great success for all involved. Commented the State Tournament director Peter Perovich. “We knew Serpent would provide some great tournament fishing. With bags averaging 3.62 fish and the fish averaged just short of 2 lbs.”. “With the weather moving the fish deeper overnight and the kids still finding them in numbers and size, should reaffirm to everyone what kind of talent we have coming up through the junior ranks and how effective and important the junior program is to the future of the Minnesota Federation. They all did a great job and I am very pleased and very proud of all of our juniors that fished this year.”

The next challenge for the Minnesota juniors will be the Northern Divisional in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on the 16th of August. Lucas Lindgren will not compete due to a previous commitment, so Dave Saterbak of the Bassin Boys, a former two time Junior State Champion and who has been the senior division runner-up the last two years will replace Lindgren and join Keenan Reed as Minnesota’s Junior Champions to represent Minnesota along with the rest of the State team. The next stop if our junior’s win at the Northern Divisional is Junction City, Kansas, and Milford Lake, the first week in November for the 2008 Junior World Championships

15-18 group 11-14 group

1. Lucas Lindgren 11.81 lbs Keenan Reed 10.19 lbs
2. David Saterbak 11.58 lbs Brent Relopez 8.99 lbs
3. Rick Brennhofer 10.88 lbs Jack Boyle 8.67 lbs
4. Eric Fabano 10.74 lbs Joey McNeil 8.56 lbs
5. Tyler Gromberg 10.00 lbs Neil Molitor 8.38 lbs

Bassinators is a youth fishing club based in Minnesota. We focus on
teaching young anglers fishing techniques, knot tying, and conservation
including fishing etiquette. Bassinators typically holds one tournament
a month, with adults operating the boat, and one to three youth anglers
fishing. These tournaments are typically bass tournaments, with a live
weigh in at the conclusion of the daily tournament. The tournaments are
open to all Anglers up to age 18. All anglers are members of the BASS
Youth Federation through Bassinators, and receive a BASS Youth magazine and other assorted fishing gifts. After each tournament prizes are
awarded to all anglers.

Each year there is a Youth State Tournament of Champions, and the
winners of each age group go on to fish in the Youth BassMaster Classic
with the BASS Classic Pro's, held in conjunction with the BassMaster
Classic the following year. The age groups for the State Tournament of
Champions are 11 to 14, and 15 to 18. The cost for membership and
tournament entries is $10.00 annually. We are always looking for new
youth members. If you are interested in joining Bassinators and becoming
a better angler, please contact Jeff Gilmer at JeffGilmer@Earthlink.net,
or 612 - 978 - 4493.

Bassinators Highlighted on BassFederation.com

Spring clean up April 20, 2008 on the shores of Coon Lake, Anoka county MN In an annual event, the Bassinators filled a pickup truck full of junk from Coon Lake Regional Park and Public access a local Minnesota County Park. Coon Lake is the largest lake in Anoka County. Bassinators is a youth fishing club located in the Twin Cities Metro area in Minnesota. More ...


2009 Schedule

Pre-Season Conservation Efforts: We would like to have everyone attend one of these if possible

4/5/09 Coon Lake clean up – Coon Lake Regional Park, North of Twin Cities

4/11/09 Miss River sign postings – We will be replacing the Public Access signs from Elk River to Monticello


Events:

5/9/09 Bass Lake, Hudson Wisconsin

6/11/09 Coon Lake, MN TBF Championship

6/26/09 Waconia, MN BASS Championship

7/19/09 Clearwater Lake, Annandale, MN

8/16/09 Lake Minnetonka, MN, Maxwell Bay Access


Adult – Youth Team Event:

09/29/09 Adult/Youth Tourney – MN Lake TBD