(Arnolds Park)– Walleye Weekend is in the books for 2023. Blain Andera, President and CEO of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, says the 41st annual event was another huge success…
“We had close to two thousand anglers enter the fishing contest for the weekend and the extended contest and, you know, golly, looking at the pictures online and the different things from the bait shops, there was some huge fish caught this weekend. There were no tagged fish caught in the regular contest this year, so all of the tagged fish are still available for the extended contest if folks are registered in that, and the first tagged walleye is going to be worth a little over $5,000 for that, so.”
Andera says it was also a big weekend for area businesses…
“This is, you know, without a doubt the biggest tourism event we host since Winter Games and so we’re excited to be able to bring people back and support our area businesses. Gosh, the area restaurants all looked full and the gas stations and there’s a lot of business happening. It’s a great economic boost to our community and it’s something that we really, really enjoy doing for our chamber members.”
Andera also expressed his thanks to all of the sponsors and lakes area bait shops that helped make Walleye Weekend possible.
***UPDATE*** A post on the chamber’s Facebook page states that a tagged walleye in the contest was caught apparently this (Monday) morning, hours after the main contest closed. The name of the angler and whether or not that person is registered in the extended contest weren’t immediately available. Additional information was expected to be released later today.
Results from the weekend:
Heaviest Northern Pike
1st Place: John Reising of South Sioux City, NE with 9.57lbs & 35″
2nd Place: Shawn Vanderweide of Remsen, IA with 8.64lbs & 35.5″
3rd Place: Zac Christensen of Spencer, IA with 8.46lbs & 35″
Heaviest Stringer of (10) Bullhead
1st Place: Chris Daisy of Estherville, IA with 13.6lbs
2nd Place: Wyatt Lincoln of Dexter, IA with 13.31lbs
3rd Place: Nick Biestedt of Cambridge, IA with 12.69lbs
Heaviest Stringer of (5) Panfish
1st Place: Brad Cabrera of Barnum, IA with 8.63lbs
2nd Place: Carter Johnson of Jackson, MN with 8.11lbs
3rd Place: Chris Daisy of Estherville, IA with 7.14lbs
Heaviest Stringer of (3) Walleye (Under 19″)
1st Place (Charlie Shuck Memorial Award Winner): Kelly Cook of Spencer, IA with 7.12lbs
2nd Place: Luke Christiansen of Spencer, IA with 7.00lbs
3rd Place: Brandon Veen of Worthington, MN with 6.96lbs
