By Steve Weisman
(photo submitted) This is the type of action that will happen at the Classic Bass Champions on Lake Okoboji next week.
There is no doubt that the Iowa Great Lakes has its share of bass tournaments, pretty much every weekend. Here is one with an interesting twist: Classic Bass Champions Tour presented by Skeeter Boats. Considered by many to be the top bass fishing tournament trail in the Midwest will be holding its first regular season event of the 2024 season on Lake Okoboji on Tuesday, June 11 with its takeoff and awards spot being the Emerson Bay Boat Ramp.
A full roster of 65 of the top anglers from Indiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin will be competing for a first place prize of $14,000, working to qualify for the 2024 Championship to be held later this fall, where a brand new Skeeter boat/Yamaha outboard will be given away.
Anglers from Iowa
In the mix for the Okoboji tournament will be these three Iowa anglers: Chad Garton from Des Moines; Tony Johnson from Mason City; Ryan Trousdale from Nora Springs.
Handling fish
The Champions Tour is a very unique style bass tournament with NO bass are EVER put in the boat’s livewell. With a minimum weight of two pounds, each bass over 2 pounds is weighed on the water, recorded in the Reel LiveWell app, and then released right back into lake. No fish bouncing around in a livewell and then taken to a scale for weigh-in. Everything is handled right there on the boat with a quick release.
Another unique twist to the Champions Tour is that anglers can weigh as many bass over two pounds as they can catch. Since it is a catch-and-release, it makes sense. Plus, there are no concerns over culling or upgrading issues.
Boat officials
Another interesting twist to this tournament is that each angler will have an official on board to witness everything. In this case, it is a high school boat official, who is an aspiring future professional bass angler. According to Glenn Walker, director of operations, “This opportunity provides an incredible learning opportunity for these young anglers to watch along as Champions Tour anglers break down and react quickly to ever changing fishing conditions.”
Tournament Day schedule
- Boat Check:5:45 a.m.
- Morning Meeting & Prayer: 6:30 a.m.
- National Anthem:6:40 a.m. – Angler’s in Boats
- Blast Off:6:45 a.m.
- Round One: 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Mid-Day Break:11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Round Two:11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Awards Ceremony:4:30 p.m.
Scott Bonnema, owner and founder, says this about coming to Okoboji, “We are looking forward to coming to Iowa with the Champions Tour, this is exciting as it is our first event outside of Minnesota. We are looking forward to showcasing the great fishery that Lake Okoboji has to offer.”
For more information on the Classic Bass Champions Tour, please visit our website,https://www.classicbass.com/ .
