Over 8,000 Attend Annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza

Over 8,000 people attended this year’s Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Saturday, January 26.

According to a release, preliminary estimates indicate that over 8,700 people were in attendance at the world’s largest charitable ice fishing event. Contestants came from as far away as India, and also from across the country, including New York, California, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

There were 836 fish weighed in this year. Gary Creger from Forest Lake, Minnesota landed the winning fish, a northern pike that weighed in at 5.20 lb. which won him a new truck. This was Creger’s fourth year fishing the Extravaganza.

Allison Atkins of Blaine came in 100th place with a .96 lb. tullibee which won her a Red Lake Edition Ice Castle Fish House.

The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is entirely volunteer organized and run. All the proceeds from the event are donated to area charities. The Brainerd Jaycees have donated over $3.4 million to more than 75 different charities since the event started in 1991.