2007 Champs:
Jim Moynagh
& Joe Thrun



Dock Talk 2007/2008
Official Newsletter

View the 2007 results by clicking here!

Final 2007 Kid-Pro results can be found here!

By Justin Holmes
Fort Frances Times

Jim Moynagh and Joe Thrun led on Day One and never lost a step en route to their third title at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship on Saturday.
Their three-day total of 58.36 pounds was almost two pounds more than the second-place team and just short of the 58.62-pound tournament record set, fittingly enough, by the two Minnesotans back in 1998.
Thrun credited their 20.92-pound bag on Thursday as being key to the victory, calling it “probably our best day ever of all tournament and practice put together.”
“It was truly amazing,” he added.
Moynagh agreed, but said even after that day the victory wasn’t secure in his mind.
“You know, waiting in line, I was just squirming like a worm on a hook ’cause I didn’t know,” he laughed.
Moynagh admitted his history at the FFCBC— which now includes six top-three finishes out of his seven years on Rainy Lake—put some pressure on him to excel.
“I’m very proud of our finishes here,” he said. “The best track record of my finishes is on this lake. I didn’t want to blemish it.”
As tremendous as his record is at the FFCBC, Moynagh said this is his first tournament win in a number of years—and it was good to do it on what he calls his favourite lake.
“I wanted to make some noise and let the fish know I’m back,” he remarked. “And the fish like me here, they really do.”
Coming in second was Ted Olson (Littlefork) and Bob Hell (Duluth) with a 56.43-pound total. The duo were the model of consistency—bringing in bags of 18.90, 18.90, and 18.63 over the three days.
“Every big fish we had we laid,” Hell noted. “That doesn’t happen out here at all.”
In the third spot was the Fort Frances team of Guy Johnston and Doug Wright. They weighed in two of the best bags of the weekend—20.53 on Thursday and 19.24 on Saturday, marred by a 15.90 total on Friday, largely due to mechanical issues.
Wright said his experience being pulled through the tent as a member of the top 10 after Day 10 was unequalled.
“You see that local crowd and that’s what it’s all about,” he enthused. “I wish every angler could see or experience that. It’s a great feeling.”
Janice Wickham and Dave Lindsay had the big catch Saturday with 19.59 pounds and ended up in fourth place.
The couple had the highest finish of any team that had entered the tournament through the draw, although it should be noted Lindsay is a three-time former champion.
Rounding out the top 10 were David Skallet and Jim Merthan (53.69 pounds), Bill Godin and Norm Lindsay (53.25), Hiram Archibald and Joe Prichett (52.95), Jim Sandelovich and Karl Howells (52.87), Pat Jeffries and Kurt Johnson (52.84), and Chad Adrians and Caleb Colwell (52.36).
This year marked another first in tournament history when Mandi Olson, along with her partner and dad, Ken, were sitting in fourth place after Day Two—earning her the distinction of being the first woman in the top 10 parade on the final day, which she said was “very important” to her.
Unfortunately, the team only managed a 12.5-pound bag on Saturday and ended up in 25th place overall.
Scott Walsh (Ely) and Heath Iacarella (Ramsay, Mn.) had the big fish of the day Saturday at an even five pounds.
Wisconsinites Scott Ourada and John Allen landed the big fish of the weekend—a 5.15 pounder on Thursday.
All in all, 137 teams entered the tournament for a share of the $171,250 in prize money, of which Moynagh and Thrun took home the $50,000 winner’s cheque.
The top 34 teams finished in the money, with the top 90 automatically qualifiying for next year’s FFCBC.
The tournament, which ran for its 13th year, was supported by several other events during the week, including the “KidPro” tournament a week back on July 22, “Quest for the Best,” a casting accuracy contest, Daytime Land, concerts, and other entertainment.

By Justin Holmes
Fort Frances Times

Jim Moynagh, partnered again with Joe Thrun after a five-year layoff from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, returned with a bang yesterday—leading the tournament with a 20.92-pound haul on Day 1.
“It was a special day the way things unfolded,” Moynagh said. “It was nice to see. It was our best day we’ve had here this year.
“We’ve had a couple decent practice days, but nothing like this,” he added.
Moynagh said he and Thrun, both from Minnesota, can’t have any complaints being in the top spot—and noted they landed all of the big bass they had hooked.
“These smallies, they’re real scrappers. They’re known for coming off the hook and they’re gonna get off the hook,” he remarked. “We got the right ones in the boat today.”
Moynagh and Thrun won back-to-back championships in 1998 and 1999, as well as five top-three finishes over a span of six years. Despite that pedigree, the duo admitted being in top spot after the first day was a bit of a surprise.
“I didn’t expect to do this good today,” Thrun said. “So if we do something close to this tomorrow [Friday], that’d be a bonus.
“There’s a lot of guys who’re really good fishermen who’re going to come in with really good bags [Friday], so by no means are we comfortable with what we have,” he stressed.
In second place after Day 1 was the local duo of Guy Johnston and Doug Wright, who brought in 20.53 pounds.
Johnston said that with the strong first-day total, they expect to compete for first place.
“Oh, yes,” he said. “With the fish that we had in the pre-fishing, hopefully the weather stays stable. The fish aren’t going to go anywhere.”
He said he and Wright moved around the lake very little and stuck to the game plan they’ve had every year—this time it’s just been paying off in spades.
The third 20-pound bag of the day belonged to Brad Rassmussen and Gordon Fothergill of Minnesota (20.01).
Also in the top five were Wayne and Dean Howard with 19.63 pounds, followed by Morgan Cadene and Doug McBride at 19.27.
Rounding out the top 10 after Day 1 were Glen Ward and Mark Wilson (19.25), Mike Luhman and Mark Raveling (18.99), Alex and Darrell Keszler (18.96), Ted Olson and Bob Hell (18.90), and Chad Adrians and Caleb Colwell (18.90).
Defending champs Mark Libitka and Dave Bennett still are in contention after the first day, sitting in 21st place with a 17.48-pound total.
The big fish of the day—5.15 pounds—went to Wisconsinites Scott Ourada and John Allen, who’s 18.31 total left them in 14th place.
A total of 648 fish were caught yesterday, weighing a total of 1,885.59 pounds.
Tournament conditions were marked by heavy cloud cover, which did not recede until the start of weigh-in, and periodic showers. While Johnston laughingly denounced conditions on the lake as “terrible,” Moynagh said he enjoyed it.
“I spend so much time out in the sun, if I can get a little shade from the sun, I’m all for it,” he remarked.

Tournament Week:
July 20-26, 2008

Competition Dates:
July 24, 25, 26, 2008