Charitable Ice Fishing Contest

[Lee Borgersen]

   World's Largest Charitable Ice Fishing Contest hubba_hubba-404.gif       Jan 28th 2017


Ice Fishing Extravaganza Contest is a go: 20 inches of solid ice found throughout Hole-in-the-Day Bay.

Details at:
http://icefishing.org/

GULL LAKE—Hundreds of volunteers putting together the 27th annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Contest can breathe easy knowing the event is a go thanks to a sub-zero stretch of cold this winter.

Three times the auger punched through the ice Friday afternoon on Hole-in-the-Day Bay and three times the measurement came back with 20 inches of ice, more than enough for Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl to approve a permit for the annual event to an excited group of Jaycees.

The annual ice check allows the sheriff's office to OK the contest, and according to Lt. Scott Goddard, they like to see at least 16 inches of good ice for approval. The approval means some 10,000-plus anglers are expected to walk on the ice to choose from the planned 20,000 drilled holes in the contest area.

While conditions on the ice were slightly slushy, some snow remained on the surface, helping to limit glare ice conditions. A steady stream of anglers coming and going through the public access with large fish houses gave witness to the many anglers eager to see how the fish were behaving.

While last year the event was pushed back several weeks to allow more ice to form, Jaycee members felt nothing could stop the event this year. When asked if a continued thaw could hurt the plans, marketing coordinator Angie Nelson said, "Not a chance."

"Everybody wants to be safe," Dahl said about the contest. "We're pretty excited that this is a go."

Dahl even mentioned that he's been fishing Gull Lake, and while he didn't say where, he noted fishing has been good.

This year's event chair, Brandon Freihammer, was at the helm of the ice auger that performed the ice check. Freihammer has served with the Brainerd Jaycees for seven years. Though Freihammer moved to Bemidji, he continues to be heavily involved in making sure this is another great year of fundraising for over 40 area charities, and he is excited about continuing to work with the Brainerd Jaycees as well as the Bemidji group.

In the past, Freihammer worked with the logistics of the contest including making sure the site is ready to handle the flurry of contestants, media, sponsors and people watchers. As a chair, he said he looks forward to raising as much funds as possible to give away to charities, including the main charity Confidence Learning Center, which has received over $3 million to date.

"There's nothing else like it," Freihammer said. "There is nothing more rewarding than giving money to charities. When we get done with this, all the hours and hours of hard work we put in really pay off when we sit around a table and talk about how much money we've made and get to give that out to Camp Confidence and the other 40 or so local charities that we help. If I could do that every day that would be amazing."

The charities that receive funds from this contest are groups that volunteer for the event as well as some that apply for funds.

Freihammer, who manages NAPA Auto Parts in Bemidji, said he's excited to bring back the Catch of the Day prize giveaway. This contest is an additional contest that gives contestants a chance to win more prizes with a $5 ticket. It includes a prize package valued at nearly $9,000. Prior to the event a mystery species will be announced. The person that catches the largest of that species and has the Catch of the Day sticker on their ticket wins.

The event includes over $200,000 in prizes as it has for several years. While the group has talked about changing the name to reflect that number, Freihammer said, it's hard to change name that has such a strong brand.

Mills Fleet Farm, which changed ownership last year, is still prize headquarters and a major sponsor of this event, according to Freihammer. Those winning prizes must go to Mills Fleet Farm in Baxter to claim prizes either 4:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 or 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Jan. 29. Mills Automotive Group still offers up the top prize including the winner's choice of a GMC or Ford truck.

Ticket sales are up thanks to record early sales in November, according to Freihammer. Those early tickets sold for $30, but tickets now available are sold for $50. Nelson said about 7,500 tickets had been sold so far and with the contest now approved, she is sure the tickets will sell quickly in the next week.

Goddard noted that the event is an economic machine for the whole community.

"It really works out well for our area when we don't have to cancel this event," Goddard said.

He and the rest of the sheriff's office and Jaycee members were excited the show would go on.

Purchase tickets at www.icefishing.org or visit the site to find outlets selling the tickets, or purchase by mail at Brainerd Jaycees, P.O. Box 523, Brainerd, MN 56401. Tickets bought by mail are available at center ice of the contest site.

Freihammer's tips for beginners:

Take the bus

The contest has bus shuttles going to the lake access from both Brainerd International Raceway and the old flea market in Nisswa. Park cars and avoid the traffic by hopping on a bus.

Bring your own ...

Bait is not available on the lake so contestants should bring their own. They can also bring their own beverages, but no glass containers are allowed.

Know the lake

The 250-acre contest area in Hole-in-the-Day Bay ranges from 7-70 feet in depth and a variety of species. To target a certain species, check out where they may be. Walleye and pike generally win the contest but perch and tullibee make up much of the remaining 150 winning spots. And in this contest, getting last place is still a very good prize.

Don't wait

While the cannon sounds at noon, Freihammer said some of the most fun is being around 10,000 other people, so come early and pick a spot to watch the fun begin. Holes can go quick, so he suggests claiming a site early.

If you go

The event is scheduled to start at noon and end at 3 p.m. Jan. 28 on Hole-in-the-Day Bay on Gull Lake. The fishing area is open to anglers at 8 a.m. and winners are expected to be announced at 3:30 p.m. Anglers and onlookers should be prepared for cold weather. Anglers must remain visible at all times, so no shelter is allowed. A variety of food and vendors are on ice, so anglers should bring cash for those purchases.

For the latest info on the contest check out BrainerdDispatch.com, icefishing.org or search for the Extravaganza on Facebook.