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Professional bass anglers Jeff Vitali, of Chisago City, and Mark Tipler, of Forest Lake, took part in recent mini-courses at Chisago Lakes Middle School. The three-day program “Tournament Fishing” covered a variety of topics for the novice and more experienced anglers alike. Day one students received a first hand look at how tournament anglers prepare for the tournament, from tackle selections, fishing knots, rigging rods for various bait presentations, a short video on pan fishing and determining what lures to bring to the tournaments.

Day two included tours of fully rigged tournament boats including: safety equipment, basic graph reading, and how much equipment to carry on the water. The day ended with students learning casting techniques, the flip, pitch and roll cast. The anglers provided equipment for the students to practice these techniques the next time on the water.

Day three activities culminated in a question and answer session and taking the students fishing at the North Center Lake fishing pier. At the end of the day, the students received a gift bag of product that was donated by the angler sponsors and local businesses. Four rod and reel combos were given away along with line and soft plastics to get them started. The winners were Adam Sikkink, Jake Hennegar, Cody Oase, and La Lee Yang.

This is the second year that Titali has offered the course and is Tipler’s first experience with the program. “This is great for the kids and great for us. We have a chance to share our passion with the students and from the feed back we received, the students got a lot out of the program,” Vitali said.

Vitali and Tipler are full-time professional anglers fishing the Minnesota Pro-AM Bass Circuit along with regional and local events and both have been featured on FOX Sports Nets Coverage of the Minnesota Pro-AM tournaments. Vitali has also been featured in national and regional fishing publications.

The two anglers forged their friendship while on the circuit and work together in the off-season “talking fishing.” Tipler and Vitali also guide and can be found fishing area lakes when they are home. For more information on group presentations and guide services, contact them at [email protected]. The next time the two will join up is at Tipler’s own Celebrity Pro Tournament to benefit Regions Hospital Burn Center in St. Paul.

The anglers would like to thank the school district for inviting them to mini-courses and the following product: Gambler Worms, Berkley, Zebco/Quantum, YUM Bait, Minn-Kota, Fishing the Wild Side, Bass Club Digest, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Croxton Pond Products, and Brad Dusenka at Frankie’s Live Bait and Marine, Chisago City, who donated tackle and crappie minnows for the students.

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