ALTHOUGH all the practically 9,000 individuals of the thirty second Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza presumably signed as much as catch fish on Jan. 28, most will inform you it’s actually an event to get collectively. (And for a great trigger too: The annual match in Nisswa, Minnesota, raised greater than $98,000 for native charities final 12 months.)
“The fishing facet ain’t all that nice,” says Tucker Vetsch (above), who has attracted consideration for his taxidermy buck hat. Though the 18-year-old positioned second total in 2022, he didn’t catch a single fish on Saturday. “I am going for the expertise and all that goes on, moderately than the precise fishing.”
For most people, that features grilling out on the ice, sipping half-frozen beers with previous buddies, fishing with the children, snagging raffle prizes, and infrequently, catching a walleye or perch.
“It began out with my grandfather, my dad, and I as only a yearly factor, however as we received older and the friendship between the fellows that went on the market received stronger, we’ve all made it a staple yearly,” says Ronald Enrooth of his highschool buddies. The Enrooth crew has attended the match since 2006 and has slowly turned the weekend occasion right into a full-blown trip, typically heading there as early as Wednesday earlier than the tourney. “We go up, we eat, we play playing cards, we snowmobile. We simply benefit from the northern Minnesota ambiance. After which we fish.”
So within the true spirit of the Jaycees Extravaganza, right here’s a take a look at a few of the foods and drinks that energy the funnest ice fishing tourney on the planet.