tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29295257146917419912012-02-08T11:43:13.691-06:00Bass Fishing in Minnesota...Tournaments, Lakes, and Lures.Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.comBlogger931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-68171150327783591562012-01-25T22:21:00.000-06:002012-01-25T22:21:21.337-06:00

With borrowed waders snugly clamped to my legs, I trudged along into a strong head wind along the shores of the Mighty Mississippi. Early January in Minnesota is a great time to fish for smallmouth...right? Right. Rocks. I slipped on rocks. I lost a newly purchased finesse jig on a rock. And I caught a few fearsome smallmouth bass off of these rocks. I love rocks. I was very fortunate this

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-24782820403825603702012-01-10T22:20:00.000-06:002012-01-10T22:22:10.732-06:00

Walleye was on the menu last weekend after our first successful day on Lake of the Woods in northern Minnesota. My fishing trip was based out of Sportsman's Lodge, an overall great experience anchored by 3 great friends, a lot of laughs and competitive Risk games. Our experienced guide set us up in a large, well-heated fish house in approximately 24 feet of water. Armed with the provided

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-84124160355141519932011-12-19T17:00:00.000-06:002011-12-19T17:49:33.356-06:00

Alabama rig. What is it? Is it legal? Should I buy one at $30 each? The Alabama Rig is the newest sensation to hit the water after Paul Elias destroyed a field of Bassmaster pros on Lake Guntersville. As seen in the picture above, the rig imitates schooling baitfish and it seemed to be a deadly tool when targeting suspending fall bass. This technique has been mostly utilized by Striped Bass

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-52505058555489673082011-12-08T21:53:00.001-06:002011-12-08T22:09:18.851-06:00

Tonka Tackle has one of the best and most affordable craw tubes on the market today. The Halo Craw Tube was my go-to bait at the Minnesota BASS State Federation tournament in early September. The tournament was held on the Whitefish Chain of lakes and the waters offered us anglers opportunities to catch both large and smallmouth bass. This durable bait created quite the commotion, and my fellow

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-84111837196838333732011-07-27T15:52:00.001-05:002011-07-27T15:56:02.591-05:00

As tournament anglers, we strive to keep our fish alive and healthy using various techniques throughout a hot summer day. Most bass fishermen are catch-and-release advocates and we are proud to return the big bruisers back into the lake to catch another day. Our tournaments are structured so that a dead fish results in a penalty, which can hurt your total weight and/or disqualify your biggest

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-44086806268693459322011-06-30T15:24:00.001-05:002011-07-01T14:18:44.823-05:00

After participating in a few tournaments on Waconia over the past few years, I was hoping for a great day on the water as we pulled into the launch. Boats were already in the water and trailers filled about ten spots at 5 am. Seeing that another group was also having a tournament somewhat dampened my spirits, but the only gameplan I had was my starting spot, then anything would go. Little did I

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-48877478794917695082011-06-14T20:41:00.000-05:002011-06-14T20:41:53.087-05:00

My most recent tournament took place at Clearwater Lake with the Fisher's of Men circuit. It was a full field and I was excited to kick off the season with this group and a new partner, Tom Harkman. To read about our tournament, visit Tom's website FiveBass.com. It was a challenging day for us, and we caught fish on deep weedlines, shallow milfoil, and docks. We were a two big bites away from

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-57383917962372692522011-05-31T17:20:00.000-05:002011-05-31T17:20:34.705-05:00

My BASS fishing club held our second event of the 2011 season at Beaver Dam Lake in Wisconsin. I was excited to fish this event, as it was here that I fished and won my first event ever with Lakes Area Bassmasters. I knew that I wanted to target smallies, so I hoped to find a few productive spots in the main lake on Friday night before the tournament commenced on Saturday. On Friday, my dad and

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-87322767464427424252011-05-18T17:30:00.000-05:002011-05-18T17:30:55.614-05:00

Bass fishing tournaments have begun for us Minnesotans who are willing to cross the border into Packer territory. Armed with my rods, boat, and an arsenal of tackle, the day finally came to start competing again. My B.A.S.S. club, Lakes Area Bassmasters, completed our first tournament of the season on Trade Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. My dad and I were excited to be fishing together again

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-73582030272284426742011-04-19T22:35:00.000-05:002011-04-19T22:35:05.989-05:00

I remember my dad's first high-tech Humminbird fish finder. The settings were few and small red blocks would slowly crawl across the screen to signify that a potential fish swam beneath the boat. If turned on, an annoying beep would sound to alert us that a fish was close while alerting the rest of the lake of our presence. In 20 years, the sonar technology has improved exponentially, and now we

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-4464218996065863092011-04-13T20:14:00.000-05:002011-04-13T20:14:41.127-05:00

Bass fishermen everywhere have heard of the term "jig 'n pig". The term "pig" refers to a once commonly used pork rind that was attached to the hook as a trailer. While some people still use these baits, many anglers have switch to jigs with craw trailers. In this article, I want to highlight one of my favorite Outkast Tackle jigs and the trailer I love to use to haul big bass into the boat. The

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-40537194556186075362011-02-06T21:07:00.000-06:002011-02-06T21:07:42.765-06:00

What could be better than catching smallmouth bass on Super Bowl Sunday? Absolutely nothing... Carl Spande and Dan Norling catching smallmouth bass in Minnesota in February using small tube jigs. Heaven my friends...

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-35168328876304142712011-01-16T17:45:00.000-06:002011-01-16T17:45:41.813-06:00

Fantasy fishing will be upon us in less than a month. For those die hard bass anglers, fantasy fishing is a great way to track the pros during their season, plus possibly winning some great prizes. This season, Tonka Tackle owner Tom Harkman and I, will be hosting fantasy fishing leagues for both the FLW and Bassmaster circuits. Teambassackwards.com will be working with Tom's website,

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-45400697097706499842011-01-11T21:10:00.000-06:002011-01-11T21:10:45.042-06:00

Fishapalooza. If this word doesn't get you excited and raise the corners of your mouth, I am sorry...but please read on because you must. Fishapalooza offers ice fishermen and women a fantastic experience that must be lived if not only once. If it offers only one thing, it is the companionship that is shared between people crazy enough to stand on a sheet of ice that has 20,000 holes drilled

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-45486436935524647142010-11-10T13:48:00.000-06:002010-11-10T13:48:50.199-06:00

Frozen ground, frosted windows, and snow flurries signify the return of Old Man Winter and my most dreaded chore of the year… winterizing the boat. The work involved doesn’t bother me one bit. It’s the thought that my open water fishing for the year has ended, and I will have to endure months of anticipation towards making my first cast next spring. While I love ice fishing for crappies and

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-19193042393162573142010-10-06T10:31:00.000-05:002010-10-06T10:31:13.735-05:00

Pre-Tournament Thoughts: The 34th Annual Viking Invitational Bass Tournament occurred this past Sunday on Lake Minnetonka. This was my second year at this tournament, fishing both years with my great fishing companion, my Dad. My pre-tournament thoughts were that the fish would be scattered and in a transition mode, as I believe that they haven't full committed to the fall shallow fishing

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-89366830935424750072010-09-28T11:29:00.001-05:002010-10-11T19:08:17.855-05:00

I am excited to announce that I am now a part of the Tonka Tackle Prostaff. Currently, Tonka Tackle offers a unique finesse worm that the owner Tom Harkman designed specifically to attract anglers who are seeking an alternative to the everyday worm. This 5 1/2 inch worm features a unique spade tail design that provides tantalizing action during decent. Rig this worm on a shakey head or on a jig

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-64202360895412618272010-09-23T21:02:00.000-05:002010-09-23T21:02:47.215-05:00

The MN BASS Federation held their yearly Tournament of Champions on Lake Minnetonka September 9th and 10th. Each angler had to qualify through their respective club for a chance to place in the top 12 for an opportunity to fish the regional tournament next year in Michigan. 165 anglers competed for these coveted twelve spots, and the recent cold front that preceded the tournament was sure to

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-49178717705723009422010-08-30T22:04:00.000-05:002010-08-30T22:04:37.392-05:00

Lakes Area Bassmasters kicked off our 2010-2011 season with a trip to Clearwater Lake near Annandale, MN. With reports of big fish and a healthy fishery, I think we all were excited to get out of the city and start the season out right. Since this was my first experience on this lake, I was looking forward to fishing a new body of water and figuring out these fish. The lake map looked

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-14757400094716976452010-08-02T21:45:00.000-05:002010-08-02T21:45:19.349-05:00

It has been a few weeks since my last report so I will try to catch everyone up on the "Life and Times of Team Bassackwards". First, the picture above is my new personal best bass that I recently caught on a West Metro lake. I caught this 4 pound, 12 ounce beast under a dock skipping a pumpkin 4 inch senko in about a foot of water. It was a great fight, and I was glad that I caught this beast

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-68924613557816343432010-07-08T22:21:00.003-05:002010-07-08T22:58:31.568-05:00

Lake Minnetonka. This lake can be associated with many things...great fishing, fun recreation, and the ability to kick my butt. My tournament on this lake with my club, Lakes Area Bassmasters, was a day fill with heavy wind, few bites, and ending in disappointment.Dad and I had prefished Lake Minnetonka on a weekend morning for a few hours and had relative success. Most of the spots we tried we

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-31636534461896020022010-07-06T21:13:00.002-05:002010-07-06T21:49:03.117-05:00

Our third event in the Full Throttle circuit was on the infamous Green Lake in Chisago City, Minnesota. Dave and I were excited to be out on the water again together and we felt added pressure to finish well and continue earning points. We are in the top 10 in points and our goal is to finish in the top 5 or higher by the year's end.The pre-tournament meeting was held at Frankie's Marina in

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-50437333595812052052010-06-27T13:54:00.002-05:002010-06-27T14:10:17.815-05:00

Having fished Forest Lake a few times for tournaments, I was hoping to get on some fish early and have a good finish. The points are critical this year because the top six get to spend two days on Lake Minnetonka fishing in the Minnesota Bassmasters State Tournament. Currently, I am in a good position to go, so I need to fish hard and continue to finish in the top half of the group.The day start

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-85521098467437876412010-06-09T13:47:00.002-05:002010-06-09T13:57:21.339-05:00

Visit Star Tribune's Club Outdoors online section to read how I caught this beast of a fish!Star Tribune's Club OutdoorsSoon to come...My Forest Lake Tournament recap for Lakes Area Bassmasters. Thanks for reading!Carl

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-91245645539567511802010-06-01T21:36:00.002-05:002010-06-01T22:03:41.159-05:00

Ahhh, Balsam Lake. That pretty much sums up my overall experience on this body of water. Over the past couple of years, I have been able to fish this lake a handful of times including a few tournaments. I have had limited success catching quality fish, while my number of small fish have surpassed the hundreds. If there is a secret to this lake, someone please tell me!I was able to prefish this

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-16581596706746587012010-05-26T09:15:00.007-05:002010-05-26T09:41:27.364-05:00

A few weeks ago, Lakes Area Bassmasters headed out to Wapogasset in Polk County, Wisconsin. The weather was great and I was looking forward to fishing a lake instead of a river system. The launch was nice so I didn't mind putting the five dollars in the pay box for the day. My plan for the day was to start by heading to the northern part of the lake and work my way down the west side. After

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-23687416405511458592010-05-12T18:42:00.008-05:002010-05-12T20:46:53.810-05:00

My Bassmaster Club, Lakes Area, fished our first event of the season on the Apple River Flowage in Polk County, Wisconsin on May 1st. We knew that it was going to be an interesting event, as this stretch of the river is known for trophy pike and musky, and can be difficult to fish during the summer months due to overgrown vegetation. My dad and I were excited to be out in the new boat and we

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-60949343626010574532010-04-26T17:58:00.010-05:002010-04-29T18:39:43.762-05:00

Finally. Five and a half months of pure agony, desperate longing, and painful wanting was put at ease on April 17th. I was fighting fatigue from my battle with bass fishing sobriety when I found myself alongside Dave "Buzz" Nelson, standing upon a slick piece of fiberglass and carpeting. "God, I've never held a lighter rod." I stated as I started violently shaking my new Skeet Reese rod."That's

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-88169982010556259492010-04-06T19:09:00.002-05:002010-04-06T19:30:24.763-05:00

Finally! The ice is gone and so is my winter blues! Buzz and I had to get out on the Stratos on April 3rd and try our hand at some crappies on Bald Eagle. We grabbed a handful of crappie minnows and preceded to try to locate a few willing fish to bite. Thankfully, we found some fish in 7-8 feet of water where we graphed vegetation. There wasn't much size, but it sure was fun to see our bobber

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-32751500210283956472010-02-16T00:24:00.007-06:002010-03-11T14:31:45.812-06:00

I have been fortunate this winter to have gone ice fishing more than my fair share. My friends and I have toured many lakes this winter in search of a few great bites. Early this season, we fished a small lake where we had a nice walk to our spot, as motor vehicles were not allowed. There were a few great fish caught on tip-ups, mostly bass and northern pike that fell for our sucker-on-a-hook

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-34523652471897271552010-01-07T17:25:00.003-06:002010-01-07T17:39:24.400-06:00

With 15 inches of ice separating the elusive bass and myself, I must resort to drilling holes, placing tip-ups, and jigging micro jigs on 2 lb test line. Don't get me wrong, I still love to ice fish, but I still long for the tournament season and the pre-tournament jitters. So far I have been out on the hard water twice this year. The first outing consisted of tip ups and zero fish. We forgot

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-7252890857935420292009-12-13T19:42:00.006-06:002009-12-13T19:49:40.258-06:00

Here are a few fish that Team BassAckwards' member Dave "Buzz" Nelson caught on a local lake. The bass were caught on 11/28 and 11/30, and I believe they were caught on either a spinnerbait or crankbait. The first fish is 3.6 lbs and the second is 4.53lbs. The pike is 7.67 lbs. All fish weighed on a digital hand scale. This local lake has no public access and he was fishing out of a canoe. Frozen

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-91190939890073746462009-11-01T10:22:00.001-06:002009-11-01T10:24:11.462-06:00

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-42043965818978093152009-10-20T21:20:00.010-05:002009-10-20T21:34:16.111-05:00

Here are a few photos from my last outing. Buzz and I headed to a metro lake here in the Twin Cities hoping to catch a few big ones. We caught three bass total for the day, with this 4.51 pounder as our first catch of the day. I caught this fish burning a black Booyah spinnerbait with one large Colorado blade. This baby thumps through the water and when this bass hit, it about took the rod out of

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-35876354406881184342009-10-14T20:04:00.003-05:002009-10-14T20:08:02.317-05:00

Here is Jeff's 11.15 pound muskie from the Viking Invitational Bass Tournament that I wrote about in the post below.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-75922995324942531052009-10-06T13:05:00.006-05:002009-10-06T13:42:51.751-05:00

On Sunday, October 4th, Team BassAckwards fished Lake Minnetonka in the Viking Invitational Bass Tournament. Tim and Carl fished as a team, and Buzz fished with an up-and-coming bass angler named Jeff. Both teams fished well and we have the photos to prove it.Tim and I had prefished a few spots last Wednesday and we put together a gameplan. Basically, it was to drop shot a stretch of water and

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-44785343715915252292009-09-25T21:24:00.002-05:002009-09-25T21:35:45.486-05:00

I admit. It's been awhile. I've been busy. Fishing. The past few weeks have been great and I feel the fall will be great this year. I'm heading to a lake on Sunday known for nice fish, so I'm hoping to land a season's best. Also, on Oct. 4th, I will be fishing the Viking Invitational tournament held on Lake Minnetonka. I believe it is a charity event and the weigh-in will be at Meynards on the

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-81111534903837888722009-08-17T16:07:00.003-05:002009-08-17T16:16:43.595-05:00

I headed out to the infamous Lake Minnetonka over the weekend with my dad to prefish for our upcoming club tournament this weekend. We started the day fishing lily pads with frogs and flipping creature baits. I had a few nice blow ups but didn't hook into anything. We then headed to a steeper breakline with tall vegetation and we were flipping jigs. Nothing to show there either. We decided that

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-14161235058222986822009-07-29T10:05:00.003-05:002009-07-29T10:07:51.259-05:00

Sorry that it has been a while since my last post. I have been busy trying to move from my current residence. I will be posting an update on my last tournament with Full Throttle Outdoors as soon as they post the results.On a non-fishing related topic, my wife and I found out at our ultrasound that we will be having a baby Boy!! We are super excited and I really wanted a son as my first kid. Only

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-34914553997685835172009-07-08T11:21:00.005-05:002009-07-08T11:29:58.238-05:00

I headed out to the lake to work some pads for a few hours. Caught 2 really nice fish on the Spro Bronzeye Frog. One for 17.25 inches and the largest at 18 inches. Great fights and exciting fishing. Here are a few photos and a short video.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-20895302619181916262009-07-01T19:12:00.006-05:002009-07-01T19:17:26.130-05:00

Buzz and I were able to do a little fun fishing last Sunday morning. We caught some bass, fought the wind, and Buzz hooked into a nice Tiger Muskie. Here are a few photos from the day. I'll update this post with how we caught them later this week. Check back soon.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-51757986360747447042009-06-29T19:44:00.003-05:002009-06-29T20:19:28.013-05:00

May 16th, Balsam Lake, WisconsinBalsam Lake proved to be a tough lake for Team BassAckwards. Cool temperatures and windy conditions left the team of Skip and Buzz with frozen hands and cold fishing. We showed up to the landing bundled up and ready for a cool morning. Water temperatures were in the low 50s and we were hoping to catch some nice fish using fast moving baits, anticipating to catch

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-44463580042349554362009-06-24T08:02:00.002-05:002009-06-24T09:15:34.247-05:00

On the second day of competition on the Mississippi River I was paired with Matt Reed. Matt was a great guy and we got to spend a lot of time talking as we traveled through two lock and dams to get to his first spot. Matt's spot gave him over 9 pounds the first day of competition and he left this area as soon as he had his limit, hoping to save fish for the next day. When we eventually arrived to

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-8617919171932409062009-06-16T10:56:00.003-05:002009-06-18T09:19:57.965-05:00

I was fortunate enough for my first day on the water with the Elite Series Pros to draw Guy Eaker. Guy has been fishing with BASS for over 30 years and he is a veteran on the circuit. He has been involved in developing many bass boats including Triton, and he has also worked with developing lures such as the Booyah spinnerbait. He is a very likeable person, and I feel fortunate to have shared his

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-70139588619987822372009-06-13T08:29:00.005-05:002009-06-13T08:35:30.270-05:00

Here are some photos from Day two. We are about to head home from the hotel now, but I wanted to at least update with some photos. We decided not to Marshal on Day 3 so I don't have any pairings to update. Check back later for more details on the things we learned.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-47495474304260268592009-06-11T20:05:00.009-05:002009-06-11T20:21:32.016-05:00

Today was an awesome day. It started bright and early, meeting our respective Pros around 5 a.m. There was a slight rain and most of the Elites were extremely pessimistic regarding today's fishing. Overall, it was a tough day for the field, with many not bringing a limit and even a handful not bringing any fish to the scales. The water looks like chocolate milk, if you can imagine, and most pros

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-15716603861617478712009-06-10T21:31:00.004-05:002009-06-10T21:50:20.119-05:00

Carl Spande-Guy EakerTim Spande-Shaw GrigsbyDan Norling- Paul EliasAs you can see, we have been extremely lucky with our random picks for our first day out. I have Guy who has over 30 years experience in Bassmaster. Tim has been lucky enough to have drawn Shaw Grigsby, who is a bass fishing legend, tv host, and one of the nicest guys on tour. Dan, a fellow member in our bass club, has drawn Paul

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-29684768861447241822009-06-10T13:44:00.003-05:002009-06-10T13:49:08.974-05:00

Dad and I arrived in Ft. Madison, Iowa and we are now awaiting our informational meeting. For those of you that don't know, we are going to be Marshals for this Elite Series event. This entails riding with a professional angler and making sure that the rules are followed. They opened this opportunity to fans because it allows us to be able to experience and learn from our fishing heroes. We are

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-22407086148790298302009-05-29T09:17:00.006-05:002009-05-29T10:26:38.578-05:00

Bass opener was a great success this year. Perfect weather, great fishing conditions, and great company. I decided to spend this long-awaited event at my cabin in Aitkin County. Fishing alongside me this weekend was my Dad, his wife, and my wife Sarah. We brought the pup up and he had a blast spending the whole weekend running around in the Great Outdoors. Below I will summarize what the lures

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-88189034897734920102009-05-04T20:00:00.002-05:002009-05-04T20:23:22.386-05:00

Lakes Area Bassmasters kicked off the season on Wisconsin's fishing opener at Long Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. All but 3 members were in attendance, so there were 8 anglers ready to start the season on a beautiful May 2nd morning. I was more than excited and ready to my hand at a brand new lake.7 a.m. was our takeoff time and my dad and I were all set with our 16 rods between us in our

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-20510129863292981992009-04-28T11:24:00.004-05:002009-04-28T11:29:14.350-05:00

Here is Fisher with his first bird!

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-83839154630348772122009-04-28T09:03:00.009-05:002009-04-28T09:59:04.831-05:00

Spring time fishing can be both exciting and frustrating here in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The key to spring fishing for me is based on the water's temperature. Due to the unpredictable nature of our spring season, the water may warm up sooner in some years, allowing bass to head close to the bank for spawning early. In other years, a late spring warm up could lead to bass spawning well into June,

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-49056247548609025322009-04-27T08:50:00.003-05:002009-04-27T09:18:09.477-05:00

Here is a quick video of our takeoff down in Wabasha. It's exciting now in the new boat how quickly we can fly across the water. Nothing beats going over 60 mph on the river. With a few minor adjustments, I know we can get the boat over 70 mph. Last year we were only going about 45 mph in the Crestliner, so this is a treat to be cruising this fast. Enjoy.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-41725072160812890582009-04-22T16:14:00.006-05:002009-04-22T18:05:40.912-05:00

Full Throttle Big Water Event, April 18th, 2009This past weekend kicked off Team BassAckwards 2009 tournament circuits. The first event was held on the Mississippi River Pools 4 and 5. If you recall my post from last year, our team didn't weigh a fish, as the conditions were close to dire, and it was our first time on the respective water. This year, however, we had high hopes being that I fished

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-63107966440207209992009-04-09T13:48:00.003-05:002009-04-09T14:09:26.211-05:00

I have had my hands full as of late with my wedding rapidly approaching. Here are some topics I will write about once I get some free time...Fantasy Fishing... I have been doing terrible lately. I am near the bottom in every group. I might not cover this too thoroughly, as I get depressed just thinking about it.North American Field Test Product Received.... I received the Castic Catch-22 Sunfish

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-69891204883837337562009-03-30T14:08:00.002-05:002009-03-30T14:21:41.815-05:00

A fellow bass fishing tournament competitor and MN bass blogger, Art Simms, started a towing company with his brother. I thought I would put up his company info with hopes that if you are local and are in need of a tow, please give Art the business and give them a call. Take a moment and throw their number in your cell phone in case you have a dreaded breakdown and need some assistance. Thanks.A

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-28027013554791198582009-03-23T16:27:00.004-05:002009-03-23T16:31:46.513-05:00

Here is a tip I offered on FishingMinnesota.com. I explain a bit about the "Walking the Dog" technique as it pertains to the topwater lures which are made specifically for this purpose. I decided to throw it here on the blog as well. Enjoy.Topwater baits offer some of the most exciting strikes known to bass fishing. I have found that when I introduce someone to bass fishing, I almost always have

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-23477267466405797782009-03-17T10:12:00.005-05:002009-03-17T13:23:01.881-05:00

Dave, aka Buzz, recently purchased this 2000 Stratos with a 200hp Evinrude beast of an engine. It is currently at the dealership being cleaned and detailed, and the anticipation of our first trial ride is almost unbearable. It's 19ft long and has a ton of storage and casting space. The back deck will feel like I'm fishing off of a floating dock, as before I was fishing off of an 18" platform in

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-6354058274554111412009-03-10T11:32:00.001-05:002009-03-10T11:52:38.123-05:00

I recently received an email that this blog has been featured in an online article for North American Fishing Club. This article is under Exclusive Articles in the Trophy Room, an area only for Lifetime members of NAFC. You can visit their site at www.fishingclub.com. If you aren't a Lifetime member, you won't be able to view the original article, so I posted it here. Side note: In the original

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-79962068446079313902009-03-02T09:19:00.003-06:002009-03-03T12:59:14.293-06:00

This past Saturday, Feb. 28th, the St. Paul Armory was host to a fishing tackle swap meet presented my the MN National Guard and the Minnesota Federation of Bass Anglers. There were many individuals and local tackle companies at booths to sell their used or non-current tackle at blowout prices. I picked up 6 Rapala lures for $20 bucks, which is a fantastic deal and they were new in the box. All

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-65220501859302282292009-02-26T10:36:00.003-06:002009-02-26T11:29:59.479-06:00

On Feb. 25th, a litter of German Shorthaired Pointers were born, and one of them will be my faithful hunting companion for years to come!! I am so excited and I just had to post a few photos. If you would like to see more photos and the parents of the pups, please visit http://www.lakeview-kennel.com/. The Dam is Greta and owned by my good friend's parents, Dr. Mark and Polly Norman. They bred

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-44661565139310233452009-02-20T14:54:00.003-06:002009-02-20T15:01:22.600-06:00

Day 1 is almost over and it is looking like a poor showing for KVD. I knew I should've kept him off my roster for this tournament. However, it's not over yet so I will keep my cool. Below are my fantasy picks for the Red River.1. Kevin VanDam2. Edwin Evers3. Kelly Jordan4. Scott Rook5. Matt HerrenSo far it looks like Evers, Jordan, and Rook are in the top 10 for Day 1. This is of course

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-79004790246103330412009-02-17T15:23:00.004-06:002009-02-17T15:43:02.961-06:00

Well, after the first FLW tournament, I am almost embarrassed to post my results. However, this is my first year entering the FLW fantasy fishing contest, so my knowledge of the anglers is quite low. I am hoping for better results for the next tournament, but as you will see, I really can only improve. Below are my anglers and results for each league.Placed picked and angler// Final Place //

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-10646119871189258652009-02-05T12:54:00.002-06:002009-02-05T12:58:06.000-06:00

I have start 2 Fantasy Fishing leagues. These are open to everyone so feel free to join. Below are the names and any extra info.FLW Outdoors: League ID: 15189 Password: fishingBASS Fantasy fishing: Once a profile is created, click join group. Use the search box and type in the group name. MN Team Bassackwards. Click "join" and you are in!Hope to see some peeps in the leagues!Skip

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-15001516249639890202009-02-03T15:40:00.010-06:002009-02-03T16:29:03.176-06:00

A great time was had by all at Arnesen's Rocky Point Lodge located on the infamous Lake of the Woods. Buzz, Doug(Buzz's Dad), Dirty(Dave), and myself (Skip) headed up early Friday with great anticipation to catch some walleye for the frying pan. The hot colors seemed to be orange, red/pink, and gold. We caught many fish, and I think we counted 56 total fish on Sunday, but only kept 14 walleye/

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-72224141989241528392009-01-29T16:17:00.003-06:002009-01-29T16:21:33.884-06:00

Buzz and I are heading up to Lake of the Woods this weekend for some Walleye action. It will be a bit out of our element...hard water, small jigs, livebait, and of course walleyes...but we are sure we will have a blast. Check back next week for some photos and possibly a video or two. We are staying and fishing out of Arneson's Rocky Point Resort and have heard nothing but good things. Buzz's dad

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-18672820928577518032009-01-21T09:15:00.002-06:002009-01-21T09:36:19.082-06:00

Here are the answers to the first week of BassAckwards Trivia.1. The native fish to California in this grouping is the Rainbow Trout.2. 5 States claim the largemouth bass as their state fish (freshwater). Alabama Georgia Mississippi Florida Tennessee3. The largemouth bass is a part of the Sunfish Family.4. Kevin VanDam had the lowest winning three day total in 2005 with

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-42312014928734752662009-01-15T08:52:00.001-06:002009-01-15T09:28:58.646-06:00

I've decided to try something a little fun and interactive. Welcome to the first installment of BassAckwards Trivia! I will be posting interesting trivia questions every week or few days for my followers to ponder and make some guesses. In this internet world, I'm sure you could find all the answers in a matter of minutes, but before you do, why not take a shot and make a fair guess? Hopefully,

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-48794296654355563222009-01-08T14:12:00.002-06:002009-01-08T15:19:57.190-06:00

The bass itch is upon me like swimming in a pond full of chiggers. I have updated a tentative 2009 tournament schedule with the dates and lakes of most of my tournaments for the season. You will notice that there are some conflicting dates, so the tournament I will fish will be a decision I will make closer to the date. I might try my hand as a co-angler for the Bassmaster Weekend Series all on

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-74009141511712303512008-12-10T15:58:00.003-06:002008-12-10T16:57:58.651-06:00

Starting in 2009, the Bassmasters Elite Series is introducing their Marshal program, replacing the co-anglers of past. The Marshal program has two main goals as I see it: 1. To give fans and supporters the opportunity to ride along with the very best in bass fishing. Bass enthusiasts will be able to learn from pros through observation and questions, as their respective pros fight to win the

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-3819687519396904042008-11-03T13:28:00.005-06:002008-11-03T14:09:21.060-06:00

Buzz and I decided to head out to the lake after work last week when the temperatures reached close to 65 degrees. We headed to a local East Metro lake with the hopes of catching a few more bass before the boat is winterized for the season. We started our search on a wind blown shoreline, casting into and through the remaining vegetation along the shore. We came across two remaining docks on

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-37344543882700892592008-10-28T12:58:00.004-05:002008-10-28T13:01:06.470-05:00

Buzz and I headed out to Demontreville last weekend to try to get some bassin' in before it gets too cold. Only 2 bass were caught in the 5 hrs we fished. Both were caught on an All Terrain Stickbait, watermelon/green/red flake. This is the bigger of the two, at 17.5 inches. Caught on my ultralight set up with 6 lb fluorocarbon line. Water temp was 51.8 degrees.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-21265577575048783802008-10-27T15:41:00.003-05:002008-10-27T16:16:53.934-05:00

With the season winding down, Team BassAckwards had one last opportunity to fish a fun, cheap tournament organized by Rocky Kaupp of Classic 7 Bassmasters. Twenty bucks was the entrance fee, $15 for the pot and $5 towards big bass. Nine teams showed at Big Marine for a final "Hurrah!", and we were excited to get in one last competitive tournament.We started the day fishing pads close to the

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-23591755328425012492008-10-07T13:04:00.007-05:002008-10-08T09:32:28.003-05:00

Team BassAckwards fished in our last tournament of the season last weekend on the popular Lake Waconia, located in the West Metro region. Buzz and I were filled with anticipation, as we had a fairly successful prefishing outing, targeting the reed beds and docks. I was hoping for a large field of boats to finish out the year, but unfortunately only 15 teams screamed across the water at blastoff.

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-13413289301612359022008-09-26T10:34:00.002-05:002008-09-26T11:06:11.219-05:00

The Lakes Area Bassmasters concluded their 2008 tournament schedule on the renown Lake Minnetonka. After a couple weeks to lick my wounds from the state tournament, I was excited and optimistic to finish the season strong and go out with a "bang". Our club launched out of Maxwell's Bay along with a few other clubs or tournament folks, as many bass boats filled the launch before 7am. Gumby and I

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-55410501168141813062008-09-16T11:14:00.005-05:002008-09-23T15:56:00.667-05:00

I was extremely excited to be a part of this year's MN Bassmasters State Tournament held in Wabasha, MN on the Mississippi River Pools 4 and 5. With approximately 150 anglers trying to fish their way to be in the top 12 and move on to next year's divisional tournament, I knew the competition would be fierce and the fishing tough. What I didn't account for was the unforeseeable cold front that

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-30718652893067094242008-09-03T07:22:00.002-05:002008-09-03T07:25:45.193-05:00

Hello Everyone! This Thursday and Friday, Sept. 4th and 5th, I will be competeing in the Minnesota Bassmasters State Tournament. This year's location will be Mississippi River Pools 4 & 5. We will be staying down in Wabasha, MN for this 2 day event. Please think Big Fish for me, as I need to place in the top 12 out of 200 in order to earn a spot at next year's divisional tournament.Thanks!Skip

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-42683969841434872892008-08-18T09:57:00.005-05:002008-08-20T08:37:21.234-05:00

After an unsuccessful and fishless first outing back in April on these waters, I was excited to get back down to the river and try my hand again at catching some decent Mississippi River bass. Since I virtually had no success back in April, with the water temps being in the low 40 degree range, I felt that this time around would be extremely different, hopefully more successful, with the

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-5415399250624706742008-08-12T07:25:00.005-05:002008-08-13T12:04:20.553-05:00

I'm a little behind with my postings and I apologize for not updating my results sooner. I'm sure many of Team BassAckwards' fans have been waiting with anticipation. My last Fisher's of Men tournament of the season ended on a really good note for Buzz and me. There was close to a 40 boat field at this event, with a promise of an exciting weigh in, as 3 teams were competing to place first in the

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-37430972343756902282008-07-30T15:56:00.007-05:002008-12-09T08:32:14.416-06:00

As you can see, our winning weight for 5 fish was a whopping 7.86lbs last Saturday on Prior Lake. Yes, that's right, we won 21st place. Although we didn't receive a trophy, plaque, or a check, we won a sliver of pride by beating 8 teams. And yes, I do seem a little too happy with our finish, must be this sweltering heat. We did, however, jump up in the point standings to the 14th spot, up 3

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-59508264304384626582008-07-22T10:13:00.009-05:002008-12-09T08:32:15.562-06:00

I was fortunate this past weekend to do some Dam fishing with my good friends at the Dam cabin. We took some Dam photos, cruised on the Dam lake, and caught some Dam fish. No, we weren't at the Hoover Dam with Chevy on a family vacation, however, we were at my family's lake cabin on Dam Lake in Aitkin County, thus all the Dam references. We arrived Saturday morning after fighting through traffic

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-19971273644313111652008-07-15T11:19:00.006-05:002008-12-09T08:32:15.694-06:00

I had mentioned that I wanted to highlight Carolina Rigging and I just so happened to find a great article on ESPN about Peter Thliveros and Carolina Rigging. He is renown for utilizing the Carolina Rig and credits the majority of his $2 mil. plus in winnings to this presentation. This has shed some light for me on this technique and I hope it will help you as well.Name: Peter ThliverosHometown:

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-52652618371833757862008-07-14T14:28:00.001-05:002008-07-14T15:10:38.991-05:00

After some fun recreational fishing over the 4th of July weedend, I was excited to get back into tournament mode and fish Green Lake again in Chisago. I was fishing with fearless Gumby, and after a few stormy nights and a cold front, we were expecting the conditions to be rough and the fishing tough.We started the day fishing docks and shallow water. Our main baits were wacky rigged senkos,

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-11983134927729198242008-07-09T14:50:00.006-05:002008-12-09T08:32:16.183-06:00

I was very fortunate this 4th of July to be invited back to a friend's cabin on Birch Island Lake near Siren, Wisconsin. With a much needed extended weekend, I was excited to be bringing my boat for countless hours of fishing, besides the occasional brewsky and beachside fireworks. I have fished the lake last year, with a nice 19 incher to show for it, so as you can imagine, I was hog hunting to

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-42116395165699395842008-07-01T08:49:00.002-05:002008-07-01T09:42:52.344-05:00

After a mediocre finish at Green Lake in Chisago, I was excited to fish Rush Lake with the other member of Team BassAckwards, Gumby, otherwise known as my dad. He gets his name from his flexibility, on and off the water. If anyone has fished this lake before, they will know that Rush Lake has all kinds of structure just begging to be fished, and I was pumped to again fish a lake that was

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-40465804824998546722008-06-23T11:34:00.003-05:002008-06-23T16:28:14.480-05:00

With little preparation and lots of anticipation, Team BassAckwards was ready to challenge the 49 boat field on Green Lake in Chisago City. To prepare for this tournament, we spent one morning on Green a week ago to familiarize ourselves with the lake, and then we fished Bald Eagle later in the week fishing lily pads to practice in the type of vegetation that we were preparing for on Green. We

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-60436524067322002182008-06-09T13:35:00.005-05:002008-12-09T08:32:16.659-06:00

With a break from tournament fishing this weekend, I had the opportunity to fish 3 different lakes in my chase to continually catch those bucketmouths. I fished Lake Gervais in Maplewood on Friday, Demontreville on Saturday, and Green Lake in Chisago on Sunday. The first two outings were for fun, while Green Lake was a little more serious as I was doing some prefishing for an upcoming tournament

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-16440983816940675302008-06-03T10:13:00.002-05:002008-06-03T13:33:58.439-05:00

With the Minnetonka Classic bass tournament on Saturday the day prior to our club tournament, coupled with excellent weather for the pleasure cruisers, and also including a damaging storm front that passed through the area, my expectations were that the fishing would be tough and catching an early limit would be the key to success.My dad and I started the day fishing docks with little success. We

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-66571631064825420102008-05-27T15:09:00.005-05:002008-05-30T08:56:01.197-05:00

Finally! Bass fishing in the land of 10,000 lakes has opened throughout the entire state! The bass opener is always a day celebrated by bass anglers and feared by those elusive, lurking, big mouthed predators...no, not our wives and girlfriends, although it may seem at times that we put more time, energy, and money chasing the commonly called bucketmouths...maybe.I hope everyone had a safe and

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-7935043722940188302008-05-12T11:02:00.005-05:002008-12-09T08:32:17.048-06:00

Strike King's Red Eye Shad rattle bait has stirred up much commotion recently and I want to highlight some of its features and presentation techniques to best utilize this bait. The most revolutionary feature of this bait is the way it wobbles or shakes as it falls, a feature that is not seen with any other crankbait. Strike King Lure Company spent many months perfecting this bait with the help

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-8684076912992537542008-05-09T09:26:00.004-05:002008-05-09T10:06:04.078-05:00

So with a disappointing first tournament under my belt, I was long awaiting the WI bass open on May 3rd along with my first club tournament. My dad and I joined the club together, which I think is an awesome idea for a couple reasons. One, we are able to fish together almost every other weekend for 8 hours and it's great to spend the time with my dad as we fish. Two, he has a boat with livewells,

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-8348517033233630682008-05-07T09:21:00.000-05:002008-05-07T10:31:18.175-05:00

Spring was right around the corner, I had just gone shopping at Cabelas and loaded up on new and replacement tackle, and a buddy of mine wanted to fish the Fishers of Men Tournament on the Mississippi River Pools 4 & 5, so how could I refuse? For those of you who are unfamiliar with Fishers of Men, they are a group of tournament anglers who believe in Christian values and practice. Their

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929525714691741991.post-12136597919902848312008-05-06T16:53:00.000-05:002008-05-06T17:04:27.230-05:00

Ahhh, a phrase only true fishermen can appreciate. Thanks for visiting my BassAckwards Blog, dedicated to providing information regarding my amateur bass tournament fishing experiences. My hopes are that this information will be useful in terms of tournaments, lakes, lures, and personal experiences, as well as being somewhat entertaining through my trials and tribulations that will occur as I

Carl Spandenoreply@blogger.com0