Anglers Pack Island Lake for Minnesota Bass Nation Tournament of Champions

About 160 anglers compete in 36 statewide clubs.

DULUTH, Minn.- Anglers ended their tour of Island Lake as the Minnesota Bass Nation Tournament of Champions comes to a close.

It’s the last day of the tournament where about 160 anglers competed to qualify for the Bass Master World Championships.

“This is the biggest Bass Tournament in Minnesota,” said President of Minnesota Bass Nation, Peter Perovich.

Island Lake was filled with Anglers working the water to catch that perfect bass.

“You’re trying to formulate your plan and what you’re gonna do and there’s a lot that goes into it with time of day, weather, water conditions, etc,” Perovich said.

Even though it’s hard work, the 2-day tournament is a chance to fish with old friends.

“The camaraderie is just so much fun,” said Perovich.

“Just getting caught up with anglers you haven’t seen in while and it’s just, it’s 2nd to none the way that this is done.”

After a day moving around the water casting lines, anglers flock to local restaurants to relax.

“Just being half a block from the lake right there it’s really bringing in a lot of business,” said Alexander Freeman, Manager of the Boondocks Liquor Store.

“That’s our #1 clientele right now is people on the lake and in the cabins around here.”

Freeman said at Boondocks Bar and Grill and Liquor store they do what they can to reel anglers in.

“We’re definitely trying to tailor to that crowd and get a fishing environment, atmosphere in here.”

At the end of the day, instead of the competition, it’s the experience and the people that lure these anglers back.

“We have anglers that have been doing this for 25 years,” Perovich said. Y’know, when they, a lot of anglers aren’t really concerned about making it to the end, the Bass Master Classic.”

“They just like being here, like fishing with everybody else.”