Brainerd Jaycees’ 35th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza to Get Underway

The Brainerd Jaycees’ 35th annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza gets underway tomorrow afternoon on Gull Lake’s Hole-in-the-Day Bay.

The Extravaganza is the largest charitable ice fishing tournament in the world, attracting 10s of thousands of anglers ever year. It’s raised over $4.3 million since its inception in 1991.

Last year due to unseasonably warm winter conditions affecting ice levels, the Brainerd Jaycees successfully put together the first ever hybrid edition for the extravaganza. But this year, after organizers confirmed over 24 inches of ice across the tournament area, participants will get a taste of the true uninhibited experience.

“It’s like a family on ice,” Brained Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza Co-Chair Sheena Ziegler said. “You don’t even have to know the person next to you. You catch a fish and 50 feet around you, everyone’s cheering for you. The atmosphere is positive and exciting. People are serious, right? People are excited, they want to win that truck. There’s really great fisherman out there, but people get excited for you as well.”

Tickets for the event are still available and can be purchased at Brainerd area outlets and on the ice Saturday at the venue.