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Brainerd, MN—The 30th Annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza has been issued its event permit. On Jan. 16, the Brainerd Jaycees and Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department checked ice conditions on Gull Lake’s Hole in the Day Bay and found 16-18 inches of ice throughout the two-square mile contest site. “The 30th anniversary of this event is going to be better than ever, and we are ready to host 10,000 of our closest fishing buddies next Saturday,” said contest chair Jeff Baillif.

The Ice Fishing Extravaganza is world-renowned and has drawn more than 10,000 people annually for nearly 25 years. People and media from across the globe attend this event which is the world’s largest charitable ice fishing contest. “The charitable aspect plus the $200-thousand-dollar prize package is what keeps people coming,” said Angie Nelson, marketing coordinator for the Brainerd Jaycees.

The proceeds of the Ice Fishing Extravaganza are donated to more than 50 area charities with Confidence Learning Center as the primary beneficiary. The Brainerd Jaycees have donated more than $4 million since the event was founded.

The Brainerd Jaycees would like to thank participants, contestants, sponsors and area businesses for their ongoing support. Tickets can be purchased at Brainerd-area outlets and on the ice the day of the contest. Visit icefishing.org for all contest details.

Brainerd, MN – Preliminary estimates indicate that over 11,000 people were in attendance at the world’s largest charitable ice fishing tournament Saturday for the 27th annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza. As always, contestants came from as far away as Western Europe, and also from across the country, including Hawaii, New York, California, and Texas to name a few.

Tullibee was the name of the game on the leaderboard throughout the day at Hole-in-the-Day Bay on Brainerd’s Gull Lake, taking 137 of the 150 spots on the leaderboard.

At 12:03 p.m. the first angler entered the weigh in tent amongst a crowd of excited onlookers. There were 826 fish weighed in this year. Les Laidlaw from Mankato, MN landed the winning fish, a 5.54 lb. Northern Pike in feet of water using a jammin’ jig. When asked if he would choose the GMC or Ford, Les said, “I’m a Ford guy,” so he will be taking home a new Ford truck after today, courtesy of Mills Automotive Group.

There are two notable characteristics about this event – it is entirely volunteer organized and run, and 100% of the proceeds are donated to charities. The Brainerd Jaycees invest nearly 25,000 volunteer hours in the year-long planning of the contest. Amongst the 350 volunteers was this year’s chairperson, Brandon Freihammer. He said “The enormous impact of this event on our community and the charitable organizations we donate back to is the reason we are all here. The commitment and dedication of the volunteers is impressive, and I am humbled to be at the helm of such a large event.” The largest beneficiary is Confidence Learning Center, and outdoor education facility for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. The Brainerd Jaycees have donated nearly $3.5 million to over 50 charities since the first Extravaganza in 1991.

The 2018 Event is scheduled for Saturday, January 27.

Brainerd, MN—The Brainerd Jaycees and Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department checked ice conditions on Gull Lake’s Hole in the Day Bay on Friday, Jan. 20, and found 20” of ice throughout the contest site. The event permit was officially issued. “We are excited the ice conditions are in our favor this year. Next weekend will bring a great impact to our community, and we are ready for it,” said contest chair Brandon Freihmmer. Contest organizers look forward to seeing participants at the 27th Annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza next Saturday, January 28. The Brainerd Jaycees would like to thank participants, contestants, sponsors and area businesses for their ongoing support. Tickets can be purchased at Brainerd-area outlets and on the ice the day of the contest. For more information go to the event website at icefishing.org.

Brainerd, MN – The Brainerd Jaycees 27th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza is set for January 28, on Gull Lake’s Hole in the Day Bay, north of Brainerd, MN. This year’s prize list is valued
at nearly $200,000. Contest tickets are available for a discounted price of $30 November 1-30 at all Mills Fleet Farm locations, and the Mills Indoor Shooting & Archery Center. As of December 1, contest tickets will be available for $50 at all ticket outlets through the event date.

The 27th Anniversary has much in store, including the Catch of the Day Extravaganza Give-Away, Lindy Bounty cash prize, and a Kick-Off party featuring Deuces Wild Dueling Piano
Show. If you cannot attend the event, there is also the Extravaganza raffle, with total prizes valued at $40,000. Tickets for this are $10 each and can be purchased from several Brainerd area charitable organizations and at all Minnesota ticket outlets.

The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is completely volunteer run and all event proceeds are donated to area charities. The primary beneficiary is Confidence Learning Center, an outdoor recreational facility and camp for individuals with developmental disabilities. However, over 60 organizations in the Brainerd Lakes Area have received donations throughout the event’s history, which has exceeded $3.4 million in total. More information and official updates can be found at www.icefishing.org.

Brainerd, MN – The Brainerd Jaycees 27th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza is set for January 28, on Gull Lake’s Hole in the Day Bay, north of Brainerd, MN. This year’s prize list is valued
at nearly $200,000. Contest tickets are available for a discounted price of $30 November 1-30 at all Mills Fleet Farm locations, and the Mills Indoor Shooting & Archery Center. As of December 1, contest tickets will be available for $50 at all ticket outlets through the event date.

The 27th Anniversary has much in store, including the Catch of the Day Extravaganza Give-Away, Lindy Bounty cash prize, and a Kick-Off party featuring Deuces Wild Dueling Piano
Show. If you cannot attend the event, there is also the Extravaganza raffle, with total prizes valued at $40,000. Tickets for this are $10 each and can be purchased from several Brainerd area charitable organizations and at all Minnesota ticket outlets.

The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is completely volunteer run and all event proceeds are donated to area charities. The primary beneficiary is Confidence Learning Center, an outdoor recreational facility and camp for individuals with developmental disabilities. However, over 60 organizations in the Brainerd Lakes Area have received donations throughout the event’s history, which has exceeded $3.4 million in total. More information and official updates can be found at www.icefishing.org.

Brainerd, MN—The Brainerd Jaycees and Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department checked ice conditions on Gull Lake’s Hole in the Day Bay on Friday, Jan. 29, and found 14-20” of ice throughout the contest site. The event permit was officially issued. “Safety is our number one priority so we’re thankful that by postponing the event two weeks there is more than enough ice to host the contest,” said contest chair Angie Nelson. Contest organizers look forward to seeing participants at the 26th Annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza next Saturday, February 6. The Brainerd Jaycees would like to thank participants, contestants, sponsors and area businesses for their ongoing support. Tickets can be purchased at Brainerd-area outlets and on the ice the day of the contest. For more information go to the event website at icefishing.org.