Northstar Classic..one teams story.

October 12, 2003

After fishing in 3 tournaments I still dont know that I love fishing competitively. My main objective it to learn so I come away from a contest thinking about what else I could or should be doing, and what I was doing right.It was the first Wigwam "Northstar Classic" Friday and Saturday for me (the fifth overall). Tom Briggs, Kevin Olmstead and crew do a good job of putting on the show. Al Paranteau from Canada does a cool "one man show" with the weigh ins. I have watched, from my boat, the contest fishing going on for the last 4 years and this year decided to enter. After a last minute partner switch co worker Shannon Martin and I were ready to roll Friday morning. I pre fished alone on Thursay due to Shannons work schedule.The plan was simple. We would use the tried and true, sure fire success formula of LOCATE BAITFISH IN THE LAKE, ANCHOR AND JIG EM UP. It worked great, we had one of those hundred fish days on Friday. Nice fat 13 inch Saugers and 14 inch Walleyes. On a normal trip we would have been done by 1pm on the way home telling each other how great we were and saying it was too bad we didnt get a hog to ice the cake.We not only did we not get a "hog" we didnt get a fish to meet the 15 inch minimum of the contest. Day one.......Zilch.Its kind of funny, we didnt want to disturb the tight lipped leaders, we really wanted to talk to other anglers getting zeros. They are ready to talk and open to discussion (misery loves company).Not much sleep Friday night, Saturdays plan was the same as Fridays, I believe in the lake and the technique we just needed a tad bit bigger fish to bite.Back out to the lake and anchored in the year in and year out hotspot. It was windy and getting windier. In just a few minutes we had a 15 1/4 inch fish we could WEIGH!!! and then.........and then.........and then we began to move. The 4 foot rollers were more than the anchor could take, but the anchor has held in much bigger seas than these mid sized rollers. Inspection of the anchor (sea spike) showed the main arm bent very severly from Fridays wrestling match getting it out of the clay bottom of the lake. Here we were, on some better fish (????) unable to stay there. We fussed for an hour hoping it would hold, I even asked God for some help. The steel of the sea spike was more than we could deal with the boat so we decided we needed to go in, get the anchor pounded back into shape and return to our hotspot.In the Lighthouse Gap the waves were non existent, while still getting windier all the time we figured the damaged anchor would hold here. We set up and caught our second "keeper" Walleye right away and began to move again. Another 45 minutes of failed attempts and it was in to the Wigwam to fix this anchor or buy one at any price.We got the anchor pounded back into near normal shape thanks to a 16 pound maul that God provided for us near the docks. By the time we got back to the Lighthouse Gap there were some real 6 to 8 foot waves crushing in on the sand bar. The decision was made to sit tight in the Gap, we had two keepers already it was 1 pm and surely a couple of fish would stray thru in the next 3 hours. By the way, the repaired anchor worked fine.It was raining, hard, most of the day and the Gap gave us 2 Sturgeon and a decent sized Pout the rest of the afternoon. Result of day two? 2 fish 2.87 pounds. 2.87 pounds of face saving Walleyes that kept us from the celler. 2.87 pounds that will make sure I check equipment each and every day. 2.87 pounds that assured me I could catch fish in the Northstar Classic. I need to catch more and bigger fish but, day to day you get the right bite and you dont get the right bites.I will want to do this again next year.I expected to do better, but I also expected to the unexpected. Better luck next time.Finally, what I like and dislike about contest fishing are the same thing. You put yourself out there, your ability, your knowledge for 2 days and someone takes a close look at how you have done. You get a new perspective on your (legendary) fishing skills. A reality check.How do I rate myself as an angler after fishing the Northstar Classic over the weekend?.......2.87 and I can live with that until next year when I get another chance.Have some fun, do some fall fishing.------------------ Curt Quesnell NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

October 12, 2003

Curt, I was at the dock at 11:30 on Saturday and chatted with you while you were fixing your anchor. I must concur that these tourneys can sure be a reality check. After having a fun and fairly decent season fishing the MTT circuit I figured why not fish the Classic....It was a tough two days for us too. Unfortunately we were one team of a few that blanked both days. After prefishing the river and not the lake, we blew the first day trying to figure out what to do after we realized that suddenly the fish in the river that were there both days prior to the start were no longer in the same spots. We gambled on cranks in the lake and came up empty on day one. Highlight of day one was a nice pike that didn't show its colors until it came within ten feet of the boat. Got the heart racing for sure...and then came the tell tail head shake and run of disappointment.. Day two...knowing we needed to go jig the lake, we set out with good intentions. We tryed the channel in the bay and my partner made it all of 15 minutes before chumming and feeding the gulls boatside. Having hit it way too hard the night before he was pretty much a loss for most of the day. We fished the gap and he didn't want anything to do with the big pond. That pretty much sealed the deal. Stuck in the river we were. Part of me wanted to force the issue of fishing the lake. After all, it was my boat. However friendships come first in my book, so although quite frustrated, we sat in the river all day and caught short fish. After all this I learned that taking this stuff too seriously can easily leave you with the taste of disappointment and can certainly humble you quickly. The comraderie is still good though, and seems to smooth out the rough edges if you know what I mean....My big highlight of the weekend unfortunately was dropping my trailer off the back of the ramp at the airport in town putting my boat in to prefish. After ruining the rim on one tire and almost tearing the axle off my trailer trying to get it out, I had to have it picked up by a flatbed and fixed to the tune of about $300.00......ouch! Talk about adding insult to injury. Neddless to say I felt like I should have just stayed home. Of course I'll be back next year.... Did you witness any of the folks that fell overboard out in the lake Saturday? I heard of four that took the plunge. Must have been quite a feat to get back in the boat, not to mention cold!

October 12, 2003

Thanks for the story.I didnt hear about the people in the drink. It was grim out in the lake on Saturday which is why we didnt go back out there.The entire event is supposed to be fun, even the bar the night before. I learned long ago the fishing with a hangover is a miserable day.Maybe we can get some other stories going here. I know more FMers were entered.------------------ Curt Quesnell NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

October 13, 2003

It was bit bouncy out there on Sat. to say the least. I would like to hear the stories of the ones who went overboard. The tourney was alot of fun and the people at the Wigwam did a great job in running the event. Congrats to those who brought in some nice weights on both days. You guys deserved to be at the top. Got to meet a few great people this weekend too. I still can't get the 6-8 pound sturgeon out of my head that I hooked into on Sat especially with the postion we were in. I would have bet anything it was a big walleye until it saw the boat. I thought maybe it was a $7000.00 fish until it just about jumped into the boat. You talk about a nerve wracking affair. Can't wait until next year.

October 14, 2003

Does anyone know if the results are posted anywhere? I would like to see what weights came in and who came in at the top.Thanks. VickieHey Eyewitness -- too bad about your trailer. It's no fun having that kind of trouble.

October 14, 2003

Hi Vicki, yea the trailer thing was not a pleasurable incident. I'm not sure if the results got posted anywhere on the web or not. Rob Apel and Jamie Rockstad took 4th, Dan Stier/Brian Ney and Sean Westman and partner battled it out for I believe 6th and 7th. It was a full house and I'll be back next year for sure. Just wish the weather would have cooperated as it would have been a major free for all for anyone fishing the lake. Too bad you didn't make it up for this one. Mike Holt fished with Todd Warmbold and Al and Bev also fished it. Say hi to Stan and drop me a line and let me know if and when you two will be up to the "Big Red" for some crappies and maybe I'll come out and join ya for a pop-fizz.

October 14, 2003

Vickie,There were 98 teams, so the first place check would have been real close to 7 grand.It was an adventure, thats for sure.------------------ Curt Quesnell NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

October 15, 2003

Curt,Thanks for the information. I don't know if you remember but I'm Larry Rohlf's cousin.Did a lot of teams attempt the lake? We fish the MTT Championship up there Sept 18-19 the wind was blowing, the waves were rolling and it was raining but nearly every team hit the lake. I've decided we're all crazy. It sounds like the wind was blowing again. You are right though, every time fishing LOTW is an adventure.Vickie

October 15, 2003

I see the top 20 teams are listed on another post here. So they had a full 100 teams - do you recall the payout? Eyewitness - We were pheasant hunting last weekend and tomorrow are heading out to go get a couple turkeys. We've switched to hunting mode now until safe ice. I'll let you know when we head up to Red. Vickie

October 15, 2003

Vickie,Nearly all the teams fished the lake. The river fish were moving from day to day and the numbers were not great to begin with.I figured a team or two might do well in the river. Most that prefished the river gladly fished the lake Friday and Saturday.In a couple of weeks, with a cool down in the weather, the river will be the place to fish. Right now, the lake and the gap are very important to sucess.Yes, I remember you I will say hi to larry for you.------------------ Curt Quesnell NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

October 15, 2003

Hey everyone!!!!!!What a great analogy! This being my first money tournament my partner and I were full of #$%^ and Vinegar! Friday......We tried EVERYTHING....but....The dreaded anchor! We trolled cranks on the lake and river....3 ways....Jigged on the river....We were even told by one of the teams that finished in the top 10..."Just anchor!" But...Us being the knowledgeable and skilled anglers we were...scoffed at this advice! Us! The masters at boat control! Anchor! Never! Well, Friday's weighin.........big goose egg! Sure! We caught fish! But, nothing to weigh! Saturday rolls around.....The crank bait bite is sure to turn on! Well pretty soon its noon and we are facing a nother goose egg, when finally in defeat we say.."Wanna anchor?" This is where the story is supposed to be awesome! Back to back pigs....Quick limit! But know...Although we did get 3 slots that weighed 8lbs something..something... So! At the weigh in! Head held high! I have resolved that the anchor is not just for when you beach the boat for cocktails!I want to thank everyone at the Wigwam! They were awesome! Big thanks goes out to the Olmsteads and everyone that put on this shindig! The people at met at this event were a blast...To say the least! I think my liver is finally starting to function again! See ya next year!Cory Frantzick ------------------ Visit us on the web at <A HREF="http://www.Athomeonthelake.com" TARGET=_blank>www.Athomeonthelake.com</A>

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Northstar Classic..one teams story.

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