(Arnolds Park)– The Board of Directors of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce announced today (Monday) this year’s Walleye Weekend, scheduled for May 2nd and 3rd, is being cancelled due to COVID-19, however they say the extended contest will still go on.
Chamber CEO Blain Andera says the decision was very painful to make…
“It was a really, really hard decision and not one that we took lightly. We had originally set April 15th as the date that we were going to make a decision and you know, the board met at that time and we put it off until today and you know we’ve had a lot of conversations with the DNR and our local bait shops and the sponsors and the board of directors and again just feel like this is the right thing to do right now and in the interest of public safety for our communities.”
The extended contest will run from Monday, May 4th until Monday August 31st. 10 tagged walleye will be released into the chain of the Iowa Great Lakes. The first three tagged walleye caught during the contest will receive a percentage of the entry fees: the first will receive 20%, the second will receive 15% and the third will receive 10%. One tagged walleye was caught in 2019 and three were caught in 2018.
Walleye season in the Iowa Great Lakes will still open the weekend of May 2nd-3rd.
Participants are urged to practice social distancing and to limit the number of people on docks and boats as much as possible.
Andera says the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is deeply concerned over the potential impacts the pandemic may have on the area’s economy over the upcoming summer and that they continue to closely monitor the situation…
“Well Steve it’s a tough time and we certainly understand that and you know the Walleye Weekend portion of our area was not taken lightly as far as if we were going to cancel that. And looking forward you know, we’re going to, we’re going to keep being positive and sharing information with our members and the community as best we can and try to look for a solution and when the Governor does allow us to open up those businesses that have been closed to be ready to help promote them.”
Those who have already pre-registered for the Walleye Weekend Tournament will have their money refunded.
