Westhope, North Dakota, woman lands 2024 Chevy Colorado with 2.46-pound walleye
Jan. 29—DEVILS LAKE — Damon Poitra of St. John, North Dakota, won the grand raffle prize of a 2024 Ford F-150 pickup, and Jennifer Hermes of Westhope, North Dakota, landed a 2024 Chevy Colorado pickup for catching the second-largest walleye — 2.46 pounds — Saturday, Jan. 27, during the Devils Lake Volunteer Fire Department's 40th Annual Ice Fishing Tournament.
This year's tournament was held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday on Six-Mile Bay of Devils Lake, and thousands of anglers took advantage of near-perfect weather to try their luck catching perch, walleyes and northern pike.
"We figured around 4,021 people on the ice," said Cory Meyer of the Devils Lake Fire Department and member of the tournament's organizing committee.
Other activities in conjunction with the tournament got underway Thursday, Jan. 25, in the Devils Lake Memorial Building, culminating with Saturday night's drawing for 165 raffle prizes, followed by a Fisherman's Dance to wrap up the popular winter event.
In keeping with the theme of "first isn't always best," Shayne Bratlie of Larimore, North Dakota, won a 2024 Chevy Trax SUV for the 165th and final prize in the raffle drawing.
Organizers sold 24,000 tickets priced at $25 each for the tournament, and tickets were sold out well in advance of the tourney, Meyer said. This year's tournament, the Fire Department's primary fundraiser, included more than $325,000 in prizes, Meyer said.
Anglers iced 150 fish during the tournament between the three species, Meyer said. Prizes were awarded for the five heaviest fish in each category. This year's winning anglers were as follows:
* First: Jeff Dammen, Devils Lake, .8 pounds, $2,000.
* Second: LeRoy Schneider, Strasburg, North Dakota, .7 pounds, $1,500.
* Third: Mike Longtin, Devils Lake, .36 pounds, UTV.
* Fourth: Brian Martinson, Sharon, North Dakota, .3 pounds, $750.
* Fifth: Wes Broe, Rugby, North Dakota, .3 pounds, $500.
* First: Eric Eckardt, Epping, North Dakota, 2.82 pounds, $2,000.
* Second: Jennifer Hermes, Westhope, North Dakota, 2.46 pounds, 2024 Chevy Colorado pickup.
* Third: Brad Cernik, West Fargo, 2.08 pounds, $1,000.
* Fourth: Cody Graetz, Mandan, North Dakota, 1.98 pounds, $750.
* Fifth: Jeff Durbin, Crookston, 1.74 pounds, $500.
* First: Craig Ellsworth, Minot, 2.3 pounds, $2,000.
* Second: Doug Wick, Sidney, Montana, 2.08 pounds, $1,500.
* Third: Corey Wentz, Warren, Minnesota, 2.08 pounds, $1,000.
* Fourth: Jeremy Johnson, Grand Forks, 1.78 pounds, hardshell fish house.
* Fifth: Hadley Hodous, Devils Lake, 1.74 pounds, $500.
