The top angler Saturday at a Minnesota charity tournament drew anglers from around the globe was a 13-year-old boy.
At the 33rd Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza, Zac Padrnos caught a 9.45-pound walleye that struck his jig at a depth of 50 feet.
As Padrnos was fishing with 3-pound-test line, landing the hefty walleye was a challenge.
According to event staff, he first thought it was a tullibee, but in the end he caught a walleye of a lifetime.
In Minnesota, walleyes are the most prized game fish. The state record is 17 pounds, 8 ounces.
A record 14,300 holes were drilled into area lakes by volunteers on Friday, according to the Brainerd Jaycees. Nearly 12,000 people participated from Australia and France.
Among the donated prizes, Padrnos won a Ford F150 truck. His guardians were to claim it.
This year’s largest beneficiary of the charity competition is the Confidence Learning Center, an outdoor education facility for people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.
Since 1991, the group has donated $4.3 million to more than 75 charities.
Sources: USAToday
