Jay Samsal, Scott Dingwall, Troy Norman and Jeff Gustafson celebrate Samsal and Norman’s victory at the FFCBC this past weekend. They finished in the top spot with a total weight of 62.10 pounds to win the grand prize of $10,000 and full bragging rights. For more photos and tournament wrap-up, see Wednesday’s edition of the Fort Frances Times. Gustafson and Dingwall placed 14th, with a weight of 51.56 pounds. - Photo submitted by Jeff Gustafson

There are tentative plans in the making to bring back a modifi ed version of the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.
The event would be held on July 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 2021, at the Sorting Gap Marina.

This would be a fishing event only without entertainment or the big tent, and with Covid protocols dictating any spectator involvement.
The angler entry fee will be $500 per team with 100% payback.
Weigh ins would be conducted with one angler approaching the weigh station located in a smaller tent near the docks.

Jamie Mountain, Fort Frances Times Ltd.
jmountain@fortfrances.com

It had been seven years since they hoisted the trophy, so no doubt they were elated.

Mark Raveling of Longville, Mn. and Mike Luhman of Deer Park, Wis. are back in the spotlight after their three-day haul of 53.6 pounds was good enough to give them the title at the 25th-annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

By Jamie Mountain
Staff writer, Fort Frances Times Ltd.
jmountain@fortfrances.com

By Jamie Mountain
Staff writer, Fort Frances Times Ltd.
jmountain@fortfrances.com

You would think that after a quarter of a century of fishing the same tournament each year, it would get old.
But that’s not the case for Devlin’s Bill Godin who will once again be teaming up with Dave Lindsay as they try to conquer the waters of Rainy Lake and claim the title at the 25th-annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

courtesy Fort Frances Times

A pair of faces were all smiles Saturday afternoon at the 24th-annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Bryan Gustafson and Brian McNanney produced a three-day haul of 51.57 pounds to claim their first-ever FFCBC title in front of a joyous crowd under the big tent at the Sorting Gap Marina.

Gustafson, a former local resident who now lives in Kenora, and McNanney of Sioux Narrows jumped from seventh place on Day 2 to first with an 18.5-pound bag on the final day to dethrone back-to-back defending champs Troy Norman and Jay Samsal.

There was a pivotal moment in their attempted title defence that changed everything for Troy Norman and Jay Samsal.

“The biggest challenge we had came [Friday] at 10 a.m.,” recounted Norman, who lives in Fort Frances.

“We had some poor misfortune not landing fish and lost three kings that five years ago [would] have ruined our day,” he noted.

“But we stayed focused and kept our nose to the grindstone, and carried on.”

Congratulations to the defending champs Troy Norman and Jay Samsal with their three day total weight of 55.23lbs!