The 2021 Champions Tour presented by Skeeter Boats will have a full field of anglers and with our returning crop of seasoned Tour veterans we will have a total of eleven anglers fishing the Champions Tour for their first time! Here is a more detailed look at some of the new anglers fishing the 2021 Champions Tour.
Zac Dostal –
Zac has been fishing for as long as he can remember and like most anglers in Minnesota, he started out walleye fishing with his dad and grandpa, but Zac soon found out it was not his thing. Zac quickly fell in love bass fishing and began fishing out of a 14’ duck boat and at the age of 15 joined the Becker bass team, beginning his tournament career. In his second year of competing, Zach and his partner won and took second in an event, which had them finishing second in the team of the year standings.
“I’m really excited to fish the Champions Tour this year, I’ve never fished a format like it so it will be nice to change some things up,” said Zac. “There is a whole new group of anglers fishing the Tour this year, so it will be a real good time. I have high hopes for this year and can’t wait to start fishing.”
Kevin Fassbind –
Kevin got a late start in bass fishing tournaments, being almost 30 years old when he competed in his first event. He was mainly involved in club tournaments, which he really enjoyed and led him to qualifying for 12 plus Wisconsin State teams for BASS and the TBF. Recently Kevin has been more involved competing in team tournaments with his longtime tournament partner, Jay Wollenberg. Over the last six years between WABTA and Anglers Choice, they have amassed five Team of the Year titles and qualified for four Anglers Choice Championship’s.
“Over the past six years, my wife and I have vacationed in northern Minnesota and experienced the fantastic fisheries it provides,” said Kevin. “The condensed schedule of the Champions Tour lined up perfectly with voids in my team circuit schedule, so I was excited to have the opportunity to join. My tournament philosophy has always been to catch as many fish as I can during a tournament day. I think that strategy lines up perfectly with this tournament format. My home waters provide almost every bite available to a bass fisherman…from shallow to deep, it is the perfect training ground for a bass angler. So many of the lakes on the schedule mirror its attributes.”
John Gapinski –
John has fished competitively previously on the Chevrolet Silverado Pro-Am Bass Tour, Gander Mountain Team Tour, Super Slam Bass Tour, Frankie’s Pro-Am along with other various tournaments along the way, and in those events, he has recorded numerous top-ten’s, big bass awards and tournament wins.
“I am excited to fish the Champions Tour this season, I have been watching the format for a few years and it looks like a lot of fun,” said John. “I am ready for the challenge of a new tournament format.”
Aaron Teal –
Aaron grew up on the Horseshoe chain and found a passion for fishing at a young age. His grandpa first took him fishing when he was five years old, and when he was 13, he fished the Fishers of Men Legacy Series. He owes a lot to some of the folks that mentored me when he was young and helped foster my passion for tournament bass fishing. Since then, Aaron has fished a lot of tournaments in the Midwest both large and small and has learned a lot along the way.
“I’m excited to fish the Champions Tour this year as it is a new format for me, and with that, a whole new challenge,” said Aaron. “I’m going in with an open mind and a can-do attitude which… against these guys, you need at least that. I’m looking forward to a good learning experience.”
