2005 Minnesota Bowfin Grand Champion Announced

This is the Press Release from the MN Bowfin Club to the Brainerd Dispatch:

Owatonna angler wins 2005 Bowfin Championship
Alan R. Stienbauer is the Grand Champion of the Minnesota Bowfin Club (MBC) for 2005. Stienbauer, of Owatonna, MN, was visiting relatives in the Brainerd area when he caught and released a 28.5 bowfin on Lower Mission Lake. The winning fish was taken on May 30, 2005, using a white jig/craw artificial lure in the bulrushes. Mr. Stienbauer credits his brother, local angler Chuck Stienbauer, for putting him on this pattern for bowfin. Many of the best bowfin fishermen are also accomplished bass anglers. The patterns and techniques used in bass fishing are easily adapted to catching bowfin early in the spring.

Finishing close behind Stienbauer this year were Dennis Lothspeich and Todd Berghuis, both of Brainerd, with fish measuring 28 and 27.5 inches respectively. Last years Grand Champion, Dave Maas, finished a distant fourth place with a fish of 25.5 inches.

This is the seventh year that the MBC has held it’s annual competition which is open to the public. The MBC tournament occurs each spring to see who can catch and release the largest Bowfin (dogfish). The Bowfin is considered a “rough fish,” and is not traditionally sought after by sports anglers using artificial lures. The MBC promotes fishing for these fish using artificial lures, and releasing them unharmed. Bowfin play a valuable role in the eco-system of any lake.

The MBC tournament season is held from ice out until June 15th each spring, and results are reported on an honor system. The individual reporting the largest fish each spring is the Grand Champion for that year. For a complete listing of tournament rules and registration procedures, please visit the MBC website at

Past MBC Grand Champions are:
1999 Ken Fields
2000 Chuck Fields
2001 Guy Henkensiefken
2002 Dean Sauer, and Tom Swanson,
2003 Dan Quinn
2004 Dave Maas

The BP would like to Congratulate Alan Steinbauer and welcome him to the fraturnity of Bowfin Grand Champions.