By Steve Weisman

The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce (IGLACC) has announced the results of this year’s Walleye Weekend. According to Morgan Strauss, Director of Marketing for the IGLACC, “The weekend was fabulous! We had great participation in the fishing contest with 2,200 anglers signed up.”

According to Strauss, the big excitement for 2025 was the catching of one of the tagged walleyes. Dawn Ingvaldson of Albert Lea, MN caught the tagged walleye worth $43,000 around 2 a.m., Saturday on Big Spirit Lake, just two hours after the contest started.

In other results, the chamber says nearly 100 registered anglers joined in on the return of the Biggest Walleye Contest put on through the Fish Donkey App sponsored by Boji Powersports with 30 large fish submissions. First place went to Jordan Birchard of Spencer, with the longest walleye measuring 27.75 inches. Birchard earned $375 for taking the top honors.

Second and third place fish followed by Blake Mulder of Spirit Lake, IA (26.75”) and Nathan DeMuth of Milford, IA (26.75”).

A total of six walleyes over 26” were entered with 18 walleyes measuring over 20.5 inches.

Listed below are the top three placers in the other divisions:

• Heaviest Stringer of (3) Walleye (Under 19″): 1st Place (Charlie Shuck Memorial Award Winner), Spencer Vaccura of Jackson, MN with a weight of 7.75 pounds; 2nd Place, Nathan Demuth of Milford, IA with a weight of 6.76 pounds; 3rd Place, Richard Griffin of Boone, IA with 6.54 pounds.

• Heaviest Northern Pike: 1st Place, Tyrel Godberson of Marcus, IA with and 11.84 pounder and 35.25” in length; 2nd Place, Tim Baskerville of Sioux Falls, SD with a 10.47 pounder and 34.5” in length; 3rd Place, Josh Miller of Spirit Lake, IA with an 8.93-pound pike and 33.5.”
• Heaviest Stringer of (10) Bullhead: 1st Place, Chris Daisy of Spirit Lake, IA with 12.85 pounds; 2nd Place, Aiden Pullian of Holstein, IA with 12.66 pounds; 3rd Place, Brian Reinhart of Milford, IA with 11.62 pounds.
• Heaviest Stringer of (5) Panfish: 1st Place, Shannon Gustin of Lakefield, MN with 6.39 pounds; 2nd Place, Brad Petrowski of Jackson, MN with 6.27 pounds; 3rd Place, Justin Nolta of Orleans, IA with 6.24 pounds.

Over $3,500 in rod and reels were donated from Fisherman’s Factory Outlet and Pure Fishing for the winners of each of several categories.

Strauss noted, “It was definitely a perfect weekend. We couldn’t have ordered a better weekend for weather. All the local bait shops were pleased with the way the entire weekend went.  We’d also like to thank all of our volunteers, the many sponsors, the anglers and everybody who participated in the weekend.”

The winning $43,000 walleye!

Jordan Birchard of Spencer holds his 27.75-inch walleye that took the Biggest Walleye Contest.

(L to R) – Blaine Andrea, Chamber Director; Morgan Strauss, Director of Marketing; Dawn Ingvaldson, tagged fish winner; Michaela Arneson, Marketing and Communications Coordinator.