MINNETONKA, MN – Noah Schultz of Waseca, Minnesota, and Tim Pittman of Waterville, Minnesota, weighed in a 20.14-pound limit of bass to win the 2023 Blackfish Classic Tournament for Bass on Lake Minnetonka. The duo’s limit beat out the second-place team of Matt Cunningham & Matthias Cunningham by 1.32 pounds. Schultz and Pittman are the first-ever repeat champions of the Blackfish Classic Tournament for Bass. For their win, Schultz and Pittman took home the $15,000 first place prize.  

Hosted by Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge, the 6th Annual Blackfish Classic Tournament for Bass consisted of 100 teams as they competed across Minnesota’s famed Lake Minnetonka. The top prize for the tournament was increased this year to $15,000, with payouts continuing through 15th place. Along with cash payouts, teams fishing in the tournament had the ability to win contingency awards from Blackfish Gear and tournament sponsors All-Terrain Tackle, Vexus Boats and In-Tune Marine. 

Schultz and Pittman started the morning out hot after leaving as boat number eight from Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge. “We got lucky we had a good boat draw,” said Schultz. “Right away we knew the morning bite would be key—and it was. We caught a big fish right away in the morning.” 

The pair continued to make their milk run around Lake Minnetonka, continuously catching and culling throughout the day. Within the final hour of competition, Schultz and Pittman decided to run a shallow pattern in hopes of a kicker to seal the deal. 

“Dumb luck in the afternoon... We flipped into a spot where I saw a big one while prefishing,” said Schultz. “I flipped into that spot, and I got a backlash, so I was peeling my backlash out and when I got it all done and I picked it up and there’s one on it. It swam under the boat; I set the hook and got it in, and it was a 4 ½ pounder. One of those days when it goes right, it goes right!” 

Pittman, who has now won two Blackfish Classic Tournaments for Bass with Schultz stated on stage, “It’s pretty easy when you got him as a partner (pointing to Schultz)! That’s all I’m going to say.” 

At weigh-in Schultz and Pittman’s 20.14-pound limit held as the biggest bag of the day and the only limit to surpass the 20-pound mark. The All-Terrain Tackle Big Bass award went to Sou Vang and Cy Vang who weighed in a 5.34 pound largemouth bass. 

The 2023 Blackfish Classic was sponsored by All-Terrain Tackle, Vexus Boats, In-Tune Marine, Your Boat Club, RLVNT Sunglasses, Premier Banks, Aqua Vu, and Thorne Bros.

 

The Top 10 Teams at the 2022 Blackfish Classic Tournament for Bass were: 

1. Tim Pittman & Noah Schultz, 20.14, $15,000 

2. Matt Cunningham & Matthias Cunningham, 18.82, $8,000 

3. Robert Storrar & Joe Ponessa, 18.71, $5,000 

4. Nick Sokolowski & Jack Sokolowski, 18.5, $3,000 

5. Eric Schultz & Corey Brant, 17.94, $2,000 

6. Chase Hull & Donnie Ogg, 16.17, $1,500 

7. Jason Berg & Brian Block, 16.12, $1,300 

8. Bruce Yang &Kao Xiong, 16.02, $1,200 

9. Bob Hennen & William Bartusek, 15.99, $1,100 

10. Ty Woodward & Max Hellmann, 15.56, $1,000  

Complete results 

 ###