Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge (MNTC) has a long history of helping people break free from the chains of addiction and restoring broken families. When you combine fishing, faith, and freedom from addictions, amazing things can happen. The Minnesota Fishing Challenge is one of the largest fundraisers that help fund this good work each year. Leading up to this event, anglers raised more than $512,000 to support MNTC drug and alcohol programs statewide. The cumulative amount generated via this family friendly tournament since 2008 exceeds $3.5 million. Top fundraisers Stu Nelson and Rich Brummer from Cloquet, Minnesota, are passionate about restoring lives of people who feel enslaved by drugs and alcohol; their hard work brought in $118,000. In all, 23 of the teams raised at least $3,000 to support the great work done by MNTC.
Beautiful spring weather and good fishing conditions made for a good day on the water. The 262 anglers fishing the 14th annual Fleet Farm Minnesota Fishing Challenge, a multi-species, fundraising fishing tournament, Saturday June 4, found friendly waters on the Gull Lake chain of lakes near Brainerd; many fish were brought to the scale to the delight of several hundred onlookers.
“This event attracts people from all walks of life with one goal in common: to save lives,” said tournament director Bernie Barringer. “From professional anglers and fishing celebrities to youth and seniors, those fishing this event are focused on fun and raising important funds for an amazing cause: saving the lives of people trapped in chemical addiction. We are seeing amazing things happen and restoring broken families.”
Tournament host and legendary Hall of Fame angler Al Lindner observed, “This event is all about seeing lives transformed with God’s love and about fishing, what a great combination! The fishing was good for all species, and I’m thrilled with the incredible amount of funds raised.” He went on, “I want to personally thank the participants and the entire community for helping make this event a huge success and for their continued support of the lives that are impacted by Teen Challenge.”
Three top three student-angler teams won $1,000 college scholarships from Sea Foam. In all, 50 teams earned a trip through the prize tent, the top 10 in each of the five divisions.
The Navillus Land Company Walleye Division produced many walleyes of all sizes this year including a few large ones. Taking honors and the first place trophy was Joshua Johnson of Cambridge and David Wagner of Brainerd with 12.96 pounds for their best three fish.
The Nisswa Lions Panfish Division (three panfish) was difficult to win this year as the crappies were hard to find due to the unusual spring weather. Partners Justin Chromy and Anthony Maule of Brainerd came in with three crappies weighing 4.92 pounds.
The Lindner Media Bass Division featured the weights of the top three bass brought in. A good bass bite saw many limits come across the scales, but McKinley Anderson and Corey Collins of Monticello bested the field with 11.84 pounds for their top three fish.
The Nor-Son Pike Division winners, Caden Bigelbach and Brian Miller of Prior Lake, brought a 7.82-pound northern pike to the scales. The MN Fishing Challenge pike limit is one fish. Fewer pike were caught and released in the tournament than in previous years. Only seven teams weighed in a pike in the northern pike division.
The challenging General Rental Mixed Bag Division consists of one northern pike, one walleye, one bass and one panfish. Only 10 teams managed to get all four species. Perennial top ten team Philip and Timothy Yeh from Nisswa brought in one of each for a total of 15.9 pounds.
The Woods to Water Real Estate Big Walleye Award went to Russ Pogatchnik of St. Cloud for his 7.1-pound walleye. The McDonald’s Big Bass Award went to Steve Cruikshank of Andover for a huge bigmouth weighing 4.88 pounds. For a prize, winners of these two awards were awarded a giant 3-foot long Rapala Lure autographed by Al Lindner.
The Beaudry Oil and Propane “Ugliest Fish” Category which went to a team who brought in a one-eyed, battle scarred pike that was released back into the lake out of respect for his toughness. He wins a plaque and bragging rights for the year.
Prizes including guided fishing trips, plus rods, reels, electronics, trolling motors, high-quality tackle and gear were awarded Friday and Saturday.
Additionally, each team that raised at least $500 was entered into a drawing for a new Lund boat powered by Mercury and outfitted with Humminbird and Minn Kota electronics. The $25,000 rig was won by the team of Neil Ericson of Welcome and Bob Evelsizer of Fairmont.
The faith-based MNTC offers a high long-term success rate for addiction recovery. The money raised in this event allows the program to accept addicts regardless of their ability to pay. Lives are saved and families are restored through the Minnesota Fishing Challenge. The 2023 fundraising tournament event will be held on Saturday, June 3.
For more information, visit www.fishingchallenge.org or https://www.facebook.com/mnfishingchallenge/
