It’s officially time to meet the 2025 Champions Tour, Presented by Skeeter Boats, Rookie Class. Over the years we’ve seen some tremendous rookies take the Champions Tour stage. Last year, in 2024, our Rookie of the Year was John “Nellie” Nelson. Nellie has quite a bit of tournament fishing experience under his belt, but he did an excellent job of adjusting to the Champions Tour format.
This is a bit smaller group from years past, as we have a lot of returning anglers, but we can’t wait to meet them. We reached out to this field of anglers to get a little bit of information about them, learn a little bit, and set the stage for the season.
Who out of this Rookie group do you have your eye on for Rookie of the Year?
John Bergstrom
Blaine, MN
“Home” Body of Water: Chisago Lakes Area
Years Tournament Fishing: 4- 7 Years
What brought you to the Champions Tour: Fellow competitor Tate Blomquist
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: Goals for the season would be to qualify for next season and be competitive in this format where every fish counts.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: A few tournament accomplishments would be winning a 2-Day tournament with my father in law last season and also winning a Tournament of Champions Tournament. Also helping my high school anglers get to the state tournament last season.
Bennett Gapinski
Foley, MN
“Home” Body of Water: Mille Lacs Lake
Years Tournament Fishing: 5 years
What brought you to the Champions Tour: It has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and last year I won the Lund Virtual Stairway to Success. This means my entry fees and travel expenses for the 2025 season are fully covered.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: My Goal for this year is to make it into the championship to try and compete for a Skeeter Boat.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: I won 3 Lund Virtual Tournaments last year including the Stairway to Success.
Tim Kovar
Fergus Falls, MN
“Home” Body of Water: I mostly fish the West Central Minnesota area. Dead Lake, Pelican Lake, and the Cormorant Chain of Lakes are some of the more popular tournament lakes in our area.
Years Tournament Fishing: I have been fishing tournaments in our area for the last 10 years.
What brought you to the Champions Tour: I have really been wanting to take the next step upward in my tournament fishing progression and this seemed like a great place to do that.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: I am excited to meet all the guys and it would be great to get a top ten fishing this season.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: None at this time.
Kevin Ruh
Onalaska, WI
“Home” Body of Water: Mississippi River La Crosse area, pools 7,8,9.
Years Tournament Fishing: 14 Years
What brought you to the Champions Tour: The La Crosse event initially excited me about the Champions Tour this year but I’ve been following it for a couple years and think it’s an exciting format and looks like something I want to be a part of going forward.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: My goals for the year would be to have fun fishing the new format, try to Win an event, and qualify for the Championship.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: 2 MLF BFL wins, 18 MLF top 10’s, 1 BFL All American qualification, 1 TBF National Championship appearance.
Rich Lindgren
Lakeville, MN
“Home” Body of Water: Wherever the tournaments take me.
Years Tournament Fishing: 30
What brought you to the Champions Tour: An invite from Scott, but I am back because it finally works with my schedule again.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: AOY
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: I’ve never lost any lunch money to Sam Sobi (Also 5 Time BASS Nation MN National Qualifier)
Braden Koenig
Clear Lake, MN
“Home” Body of Water: Clearwater
Years Tournament Fishing: I have been tournament fishing for 5 years and this will be my 6th.
What brought you to the Champions Tour: What brought me to fishing the Champions Tour was through a tournament I fished in through the SATT where the winner was granted free entry fees to fish for 1 year in the Champions Tour.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: My goals for the 2025 season is to qualify for the tournament of champions and to have fun.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: One accomplishment would be winning the tournament that qualified me to fish in the Champions Tour. Another accomplishment would be that I was a part of the winning team in 3 state highschool team tournaments. Another accomplishment would be winning an SATT Tournament with my partner at Le Homme Dieu.
Nate Nipper
Rockford, MN
“Home” Body of Water: I cut my teeth fishing the Denny’s Minnesota and Minnetonka Series. Now, I have fishing ADD and go all over the place. I probably fish Mille Lacs as much as anywhere else these days.
Years Tournament Fishing: About 15 years?
What brought you to the Champions Tour: I was looking for a change of scenery. I’ve done a few of the Opens in the past and they are a blast.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: Make the TOC, stay competitive, and no bombs.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: Nothing crazy, I’m excited to get fishing!
Dan Mueller
Prior Lake, MN
“Home” Body of Water: Rainy Lake
Years Tournament Fishing: 23 Years
What brought you to the Champions Tour: I was looking for a new tournament experience.
What are your goals for the 2025 Season: Make the Classic Bass TOC.
Any Tournament Accomplishments or Industry Accolades you want to Shout Out: Represented Minnesota in several National Fishers of Men and Fishers of Men Legacy Tournaments.
