Mary Ringer Essex, 63, of Ferrisburgh addisonindependent.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from addisonindependent.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Northern pike dominated the leaderboard during the virtual event. Written By: Gabriel D. Lagarde | 5:46 pm, Feb. 2, 2021 ×
People fish on Hole-in-the-Day Bay Saturday, Jan. 30, while participating in the virtual version of the Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch
BRAINERD, MInn. A northern pike measuring 40.5 inches was the largest fish caught during the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza, a virtual event that resulted in organizers needing more than 53 hours to verify the weekend results.
In light of this year’s unprecedented format, the No. 1 ranked largest fish and the winner of the grand prize a GMC or Ford truck were separate entries, unlike prior competitions. Concerns that the virtual tournament would weaken oversight by organizers and encourage cheating, the Jaycees instead established the major prizes at random points on the leaderboard to discourage fraudulent entries. In turn,
×
“Our whole Extravaganza committee came together this year to make what seemed impossible happen,” Brainerd Jaycees Chair Benji Thoennes stated in a news release. “The hard work and dedication that our committee had this year really shows how much we all love and cherish our community … We are simply happy to be able to give back to the community and provide some good old fashion outdoor fun in a year that has been full of many obstacles for everyone.”
Here are the three most notable entries in which northern pike dominated:
The largest fish caught this year was a 40.5-inch northern pike hooked by Chuck Betterman at 2:46 p.m. Saturday, which was good for a 50-quart Maluna cooler. Betterman, a Park Rapids native and self-described Ford guy, was fishing Potato lake when he caught his prize winner.