Minnesota winters can get long, which is why those of us who live here tend to find plenty to do. One of my personal favorites things to do in winter in Minnesota is to head up to the Brainerd Lakes area for a true North Star State spectacle. And it's not just me - every winter, thousands of anglers - and a whole lot of spectators - flock to Hole-in-the-Day Bay on the north end of Gull Lake in Nisswa for one of the premier winter events in Minnesota: the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza. It's the largest charity ice fishing event in the world, and it's truly something to behold.
The world's largest charity ice fishing event takes place in Nisswa every January or February. This year's event is scheduled for February 3, 2024, from noon to 3 p.m.
Anglers from all over Minnesota, the United States, and the world come to compete.
Not only is it the largest charity tournament in the world, it is one of the biggest ice fishing tournaments on the planet, period.
Thousands of them flock onto the ice.
All anglers must show a ticket and have their bait inspected at a checkpoint as they enter the fishing area.
Then they proceed to one of thousands of pre-cut holes in the ice.
As many as 10,000 anglers have fished from more than 30,000 holes during the tournament.
Fortunately, teams do constant safety checks leading up to and on the day of the tournament.
The rules are simple: Catch the biggest fish in a three hour period...
and you win.
But it's the waiting...
Staring into a hole with 9,999 of your closest friends looking on, waiting for a bite, that's the hard part.
Sometimes, just to break the tension, a snack is called for.
Fortunately, you'll usually find some friendly folks willing to help you out in that department.
Anglers lucky enough to land a fish place their live catch in a bag.
They take it immediately to the Weigh In Tent.
The fish is weighed, recorded, and released back into the water.
The results are updated in real time on the leaderboard and the tournament website.
Whoever has caught the biggest fish by the end of the day wins. But, given the tournament's convivial atmosphere and charitable nature, pretty much everybody wins.
Visit the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza website for more information, to purchase tickets, or to verify the date and times of the event. If you're heading up for the tournament, consider a stay at nearby Grand View Lodge - it's right on the lake, so you can snowmobile, snowshoe, or cross country ski over to the tournament. If you prefer accommodations that you'll have to yourself, check out this cozy lake cabin located right in Nisswa.
Have you fished in or attended the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza? What other unique winter events in Minnesota should we know about?
If you're looking for more things to do in winter in Minnesota, why not head up the North Shore to Grand Marais and take a day – or a weekend - to explore the Gunflint Trail. I try to make the trip at least once every winter - there's always something amazing to discover up there on the trail!
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!
