Ice heaving moves Brainerd Jaycees' Extravaganza closer to shore

BRAINERD — The Brainerd Jaycees’ 35th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza is Saturday, Feb. 1, with the official event permit issued last Friday after an ice check with the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff's office found about 2 feet of ice, one year after poor ice conditions forced the contest to switch to a virtual format spread across dozens of Brainerd area lakes.

But Mother Nature is still offering up a challenge this year, too. Due to large ice heaving within the contest area, the actual contest site on Gull Lake will be moved closer to shore on Hole-in-the-Day Bay.

“We’re thrilled to see this iconic event return for its 35th year and appreciate the cooperation of the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office in ensuring the safety of our participants,” said Brainerd Jaycee and Extravaganza chairman Mike Kuck in a news release.

“We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the day, but we also want to remind all attendees to respect the ice and follow all safety guidelines. Due to minimal snow, we highly recommend ice cleats this year!”

The contest is billed as the largest charitable ice fishing tournament in the world, drawing thousands of anglers to compete for prizes and raise funds for community projects and local organizations.

Since the tournament began in 1991, the Brainerd Jaycees state $4.3 million has been donated back to the community.

Participating anglers are encouraged to review site maps and contest rules at icefishing.org.

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