Brainerd $150,000 Extravaganza

[jwmiller33]

do most of you guys who fish this tournament buy 2 tickets and fish 2 lines? or stick to one? i'm thinking im probably going to use 2 lines and use a deadstick on one line.

Traxx-are you doing the tournament? Greg and I are coming up for it and we are going to probably be bringing the lodge wheelhouse out on Gull that weekend and setting it up and leaving it for a couple weeks. Your more than welcome to stop by and fish in the house whenever you want!

[Traxxx]

I'll be out there again. Just missed getting on the board last year, maybe this is the year.

[Bear55]

From my experience most people buy one hole, fish hard for a while and slowly give up.

If you really want to win something you can put in a little work. I know guys that have success constantly moving around, they fish an area for 15-20 minutes and move on if they don't find anything.

[gregg52]

not sure but you will probably need strong legs to move around

with this much snow on the ice

i tried alittle last and it was hard to walk around plus most of the holes that are open were in like 5 ft of water were i was not saying you couldnt luck into a fish but i'm not a real lucky person lol

[JP Z]

I believe I'll be fishing it with my dad this year............I've won a few things here and there. Was close 3 years ago to being on the board. Maybe this year is the year that it all comes together......or maybe I'll just follow Traxxx

[jnorm1984]

Extended forcast from weather dot com has a low of -8 and high of 9 for saturday! Dont forget the bathing suits and coconut oil!

[Traxxx]

Looks like they are forcasting a bit of a warming trend. Should be good for the fishing.

JPZ, You can tag along, you can drive my old truck home after the contest

[ditchpickle6996]

I'll take 9 deg over rain like last year any day!

[gregg52]

camp bob or any one do they sell beer in one of the tents ????

[jwmiller33]

you can drive my old truck home after the contest

eyes on the prize! i like it

[walleye-]

gregg52 they use to sell beer on the ice but not no more. You will have to bring your own.

[gregg52]

Did you buy those tickets?

[Traxxx]

BYOB,though you could probably find someone out of 10,000+ to bum one off of if needed

The local clubs and organizations sell brats,oher hot food and beverages to fundraise, so remember to help support them

[gregg52]

ya i was just curious

i never took any out there to to haul

maybe i shoulda coulda changed my luck maybe...lol

i just watched the weather they said 10 below by friday morning thats like 15 here

going to hafta warm up quick or brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

i'm to old for that with my luck

think i'll just attend the festivities afterward in the warmth!!!!!!!!

[BigRock]

Two years ago it was -22 below zero when I got ready for the contest.Stayed at a relatives house about a mile away from the contest area. The high that day was -13 below zero. Never again, ever. That's too long to sit on a bucket in the wind, at those kind of temps. Good luck to those that tough it out this weekend, because I won't do the contest with below zero temps.

[smartguy]

its actually not bad . . . especially if the sun is out or the wind is down. It was 9 degrees today, but boy did it feel great outside because of the sun and clam winds. Forecast is for sun and a high of 5, morning low of 0.

if Gov. dayton can stick it out, I think its doable for most of us.

[BigRock]

Two years ago the sun was out all day, but the wind was a steady 10-12 mph.Can you say bad wind chill values? 9 degrees with no wind and sunny is doable. But if you can do -15 below zero with a steady 10 mph wind for 6+ hours without a shack, I'm happy for ya!

[gregg52]

i think its a great event and would encouage any body to attend at least

once

i'm just not a real lucky person and fished like 17-18 times and never caught a fish and i live 5 mins away...lol

now i'm old and just dont care to buck the cold any more

15 and above for me

theres just bout always some breeze and its lookin like single digits high

we will probably walk out to the tents though just to be part of it \

i have a new gf and it will be fun for her to see the crowd

their saying maybe a record this yr i think that would be over 13500

on the icwe

[basssmasher*]

Anyone know which hotels offer shuttle service to the contest?

[gregg52]

this is kind of guess but i think craguns and maddens do

call em

[Hawg]

All of the Brainerd & Baxter hotels have shuttles that leave on a regular schedule. Like I mentioned before, most of the hotels are fine with you parking in their lots and using the shuttles. Just don't park in the front spots.

[basssmasher*]

Thanks Hawg! I won an entry but not too fond of goin up by meself... mebbe I will though.

[whitebassman]

Just noticed that on the iPad Navionics app, there is a option to show "community layer" and the boundaries are marked for the extravaganza. It correlates with the long-lat listed on the extravaganza website. Also showing are various peoples ice house locations! In this day and age, better be careful that your honey holes aren't posted!

[irishwalleye]

Two years ago it was -22 below zero when I got ready for the contest.Stayed at a relatives house about a mile away from the contest area. The high that day was -13 below zero. Never again, ever. That's too long to sit on a bucket in the wind, at those kind of temps. Good luck to those that tough it out this weekend, because I won't do the contest with below zero temps.

Caught my winner in the first 5 mins that year. We were off the ice before 1:30. But that wasn't the coldest year yet.

[gregg52]

not positive on this

but i kinda think that happens most yrs it seems the biggest fish is caught in the first mins of the contest

who ever is lucky enough to be above that one big fish that is hungry....lol

[Sportland_Bait]

The only time I ever placed was my first year fishing it. Caught a small walleye about 15 minutes into the contest.

Jason

[FLAG!!]

Newbie to the tourney..

Reading above that many scout holes before it starts. Do most respect a hole that someone has called dibs on? What's typical to mark the hole as yours? A bucket or twig ok or do I need to bring a guard dog?

Also judging by photos on the tourney page, it appears that very few pike are caught? Is this the case? I would have guessed some bigger pike and 'pout are registered.

Thanks.

[jnorm1984]

FLAG:you can mark your hole with anything, bucket, vexilar, rod- Have never herd anyone getting into a dispute about about who get what hole, or someone fishing a hole that has something on or by it. Most are respectful, but guard dogs are encouraged!

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

It is such a huge area, with so many holes, that a person should be able to get close enough to where they want to fish. I've been up there 4 or 5 years, and never had an issue. Everyone is super friendly, and genuinely excited to see people around them catching fish.

[whitebassman]

not a lot of pike, but if you get one, guarenteed a spot! usually walleyes, and bigger perches will place. eelpout has been few and far between the last few years I hear. winner has usually been 5-6 pound walleye. If you hit 3 pounds, you definitely should be in top ten, if not top five. Every year is different. I wish they kept a historical data of winning fish from year to year.