Emily Gedde
From the time they entered the big tent Saturday to the blaring sound of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town,” Duane and John Peterson were referred to as “a couple of wily old veterans” by International Falls Bass Championship president Gary Potter.
And IFBC veterans they have become.
The brothers from Bemidji, Mn. captured their first IFBC crown Saturday after pulling in a two-day total weight of 28.35 pounds of smallmouth bass in the two-day, two-water catch-and-release tournament.
“It is so special,” John Peterson said of winning the championship with his brother.
The pair is among the original 30 teams that participated in the first IFBC in 2005. Last year, they finished just shy of the top 10 finishers in 11th place.
“It feels great to win,” Duane Peterson told The Journal on Tuesday.
The tournament title was up for grabs this year with three-time IFBC champs Scott Dingwall of Dryden and Jeff Gustafson of Kenora not fishing in the event together.
Gustafson did not participate this year because of a prior commitment but Dingwall was a last-minute addition to the tournament after another team dropped out.
He and Kalan Wagner of International Falls finished in third place with a two-day total weight of 26.20 pounds.
“We battled out there,” Dingwall said of fishing on the Rainy River on Saturday.
“Kalan got the biggest [fish] we’re weighing in, so he did his job.”
John Peterson attributed his team’s win to the growing knowledge of his favourite lake—Rainy.
“We finally learned the lake,” he remarked. “We learned where the fish bite, we learned their habits.”
“We have accumulated knowledge and experience on Rainy Lake and Rainy River over the past several years, and this year we simply performed better,” echoed Duane Peterson.
The Peterson brothers are no strangers to the sport of fishing. In 1975, John founded Northland Fishing Tackle. A few years later, Duane joined his brother as the company’s chief financial officer.
Northland Fishing Tackle now has a reputation as being one of the best-known and successful tackle companies in the business.
The company has a manufacturing plant in Ranier, Mn.
Because of their success, the Petersons were inducted March 31 into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as Legendary Anglers.
“It is special for us to see any angler win the IFBC, however, when the winners are both hall-of-famers, it is icing on the cake,” Potter told The Journal on Monday.
“I visited with one of the IFBC winners and he said of all the things he has accomplished in his long fishing career, being inducted into the hall of fame and winning the IFBC with his brother, and to have his family present, are two of the greatest moments he has ever had.”
Duane Peterson thanked the crowd, and those in the Borderland area, for supporting Northland Fishing Tackle for more than 30 years.
“We have made tons of fishing tackle in Ranier and we just appreciate all the people and customers—they have helped us build a great company,” he remarked.
Duane said he was grateful to share Saturday’s spotlight with his brother, but also for the local anglers participating in the tournament. He referred to himself as an “outsider” and acknowledged how visitors to Rainy Lake and the Rainy River appreciate the two bodies of water.
“I appreciate fishermen from the local area more than you can believe,” he noted.
He also credited John for playing a big part in the duo’s win Saturday.
“We’ve been business partners, we’ve been best friends, and we’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations,” Duane Peterson said.
“This moment of success is very special to us.
“Believe me, I fish with a lot of people . . . there is not a better multi-species fisherman under all conditions than John.”
And all types of conditions tested the skill of anglers over the weekend. While the Petersons may have had luck on their lines, other tournament teams weren’t as fortunate.
A storm that blew through the area Saturday morning carried with it wind, rain, hail, and poor fishing conditions.
“It was really windy,” said Jay Taylor of the Falls. “When you start to see waves with white caps on the river, you know it’s pretty windy out there.”
Taylor added the water was “pretty dirty,” which made it hard to see what he and his teammate and father, Ed Taylor, were bringing into the boat.
The duo wound up finishing in ninth place with a total weight of 23.68 pounds.
Jay’s wife, Kristi Taylor, who was part of the only all-girl team with Bonita Korzinski, blamed her husband and father-in-law for fishing in spots the girls had found.
“Looks like another week on the couch for Jay,” Potter joked.
Team #18—David Hartig of Big Lake and Eric Kielb of Medina—came through the big tent Saturday based on their top finish Friday with 12.18 pounds of Rainy River smallies.
On the second day, the team brought in the tournament’s biggest bag weight with 14.73 pounds of smallies off the lake.
Hartig and Kielb finished the tournament in second place with a two-day total of 26.91 pounds.
Team #46—Nathan Brigham and Brett Meyers of Emo—was the last to come through the big tent and had their fingers crossed they would knock the Petersons off the hot seat.
But the young team fell short with a total weight of 24.75 pounds to finish in sixth place.
Potter patted the backs of tournament rookies Jake Ruelle and Andrew Mannausau, who were able to bring in their five-fish limit off both Rainy Lake and the Rainy River.
“A lot of tournament anglers who have won this [tournament] struggle with that,” Potter said to the Falls-based team.
“Job well done, guys.”
“We were happy with the [results],” Ruelle said.
The pair finished in 17th place with 20.98 pounds.
Seven father-and-son teams fished this year’s IFBC, including Team #32 (Leroy and Mike Wilson), who Potter noted fish in tournaments all over Canada.
“I’d like to know the pattern of the guys around who caught some 13 pounds,” Mike Wilson noted.
Leroy Wilson said the pair didn’t lose any fish, but added Potter fishing around them earlier in the day brought them their best luck.
The team finished in the 35th spot with a two-day weight of 17.66 pounds.
Potter said he talked to several of the fathers after the event and most said they wouldn’t want to fish the IFBC with anyone other than their son.
“They had an absolute blast,” he noted.
When it was all said and done, Potter said the tournament was a complete success and he was glad to see the Petersons standing on the stage at the end.
“What was very nice to see was a team who has fished in all eight championships and who has helped build our event to where it is today,” he remarked.
