Yess!
BRAINERD JAYCEES $150,000 ICE FISHING EXTRAVAGANZA
The rain turned to sleet and then to snow about the time Curtis Yess and approximately 11,000-plus other anglers dropped their lines for the 20th annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza.
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The precipitation - and accompanying sloppy conditions - was one constant of the tournament. The other was Yess' name atop the leaderboard.
Curtis Yess of Waseca held his 6.26- pound walleye after winning the 20th annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Saturday on Gull Lake. Yess won a 2010 GMC truck.
Brainerd Dispatch/ Steve Kohls
Yess, of Waseca, reeled in a 6.26-pound walleye in the opening minutes of the Extravaganza on Saturday at Gull Lake's Hole-in-the-Day Bay. He then had to wait, hoping that the catch - it topped the leaderboard from the start - would hold up.
It did, although it didn't come without a last-minute scare.
The catch itself also involved a few hairy moments.
Jerry Holzheu used an umbrella to brace against the driving snow during the 20th annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Saturday. Rain turned to sleet and then to snow for the approximately 11,000 anglers in the event.
Brainerd Dispatch/ Steve Kohls
"I just put the line down in the hole and he bit," Yess said matter-of-factly of the catch.
But Yess admitted that he struggled a bit to get the fish up, and once to the hole, "Its head hit the bottom of the hole" before Yess could finally get it up through the hole and onto the ice.
Yess, who won a 2010 GMC pickup, said he was fishing in about 60 feet of water and that the walleye took a plain, pink hook with a shiner minnow. Then came the waiting game. And although 3 p.m. - when the contest closed - came and went, official results didn't come until about 3:30. Just before then, officials announced that a fish registered in the closing minutes would change the entire leaderboard. Yess' name was even momentarily pulled from the top spot, but only for dramatic effect on a leaderboard that had lacked that the entire day.
Terry Meyer sported a Minnesota Vikings jersey - and a fish - as he made his way to the weigh-in station Saturday during the Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Gull Lake's Hole-in-the-Day Bay.
Brainerd Dispatch/ Steve Kohls
Brandon Cizek of Baxter said he caught his walleye at about 2:50 p.m. At 4.28 pounds, it was easily enough for second place. Andy Krakkow of Onalaska, Wis., was a distant third with a 2.86-pound Tulibee. In all, 843 fish were registered, and the line at the weigh-in tent stretched about 100 yards just minutes into the event.
Among the other top prize-winners was Shane Freitag, Little Falls, who won a $2,500 Cragun's vacation for finishing 18th. Placing 20th, 40th, 50th, 80th, 100th, 125th and 150th, respectively, and winning Suzuki 450 King Quad ATVs were Daniel Rudolph, Elk River; Michael Diederich, St. Cloud; John Lazarescu, Holmen, Wis.; Brian Axford, Spirit Lake;Greg Steffel, Olivia; Shannon Krejce, Northfield; and Dylan Kloek, Royalton. Kloek's last-place fish weighed .63 pounds.
Many of the top prizes are spread out, lending a certain randomness that has proven popular.
Cizek, who said he wasn't worried about getting his catch registered in time, said he caught the fish on a tip-up in about 55 feet of water with a plain hook and a shiner minnow. Cizek won a Suzuki King Quad 750 ATV.
Jeff Kolesar, dressed in a Paul Bunyan costume with a Brett Favre Vikings jersey, made his way through the crowd Saturday in the Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Gull Lake. Kolesar made the costume for Halloween but modified it with a Vikings theme.
Brainerd Dispatch/ Steve Kohls
This year, for the first time, the winner had the choice of a Ford or GMC pickup.
"I'm kind of a GMC man," Yess said with a smile.
And one of the Jaycees' own - Yess is a past president of the Waseca-area Jaycess.
"This event and all the things it does is great," he said. "As a Jaycee I had heard about it, but had never been here. I'll be back."
All proceeds go to local charities and mostly benefit the Confidence Learning Center.
Rain throughout the morning made for mostly sloppy conditions Saturday, but that didn't deter from what could end up being a record showing. According to Extravaganza officials, early post-tournament estimates were at more than 11,000 anglers. But as of Thursday, with strong early sales, they were expecting more than 12,000 - the record for entrants. Official numbers won't be known for several days.
More than 10,000 volunteer hours go into planning the world's largest charitable ice-fishing tournament, according to the Jaycees. Among the 450 volunteers was Brent Morris, this year's tournament chair.
"I'm excited that we had such a great turn-out and the event went off without a hitch," Morris said. "That's a tribute to our volunteers and the great planning and history this event has developed over its 20-year history."
The 2011 event is scheduled Jan. 22.
BRIAN S. PETERSON may be reached at brian.peterson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5864.