Posted: 1/22/03

FL fishing contest will see major change

The Hopkins Jaycees simply werenít going to allow Mother Nature to force the cancelation of another Golden Rainbow Fishing Contest.

Hopkins Jaycees spokesman Jason Gadd said on Monday that exact details are still being worked out, but the ice fishing contest, which has lured up to 10,000 people to Forest Lake in the past, is still on for Saturday, Feb. 1. The 2002 contest was lost because of poor ice conditions on First Lake.

The format of the tournament, however, will be vastly different than in the past, Gadd said, because of the thin ice conditions on the lake and large areas of open water.

Complete details of the tournamentís new format were revealed on Tuesday ñ after the Forest Lake Timesí deadline ñ but Gadd did confirm that the parking lot of Northland Mall will be the site of the staging area and the basic parameters of the contest will be competitors taking to the ice themselves at any area lake and bringing the catches to the staging area.

Complete information can be obtained by calling the contestís information line at 952-903-4903 or by visiting the official website for the contest: www.forestlakeicefishing.com.

The contest had to be cancelled last year after several efforts to delay the competition due to a lack of ice. In mid-February last year, there were only 14 inches of ice and the Washington County Sheriffís Office said there needed to be 18 inches to even consider having the tournament.

Top of Page