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Catching ‘excitement’ on the ice

Mustang Ice Classic pulls in more participation

Photo by Sabrina Pankratz The last fish of day being weighed in at the Mustang Ice Classic on Lake Sarah. More photos on page 8A.

LAKE SARAH — Chloe Thooft, 9, from Clarkfield felt “pretty good” about catching a fifth place perch at the second annual Mustang Ice Classic Saturday.

“To me its kind of boring when you have to sit there and digging it (a hole). But, when you actually catch a fish it’s really exciting,” Thooft said.  

Michael Vandrehle with the Southwest Minnesota State University Alumni Association said they started the Mustang Ice Classic to reach more of the alumni population.

“We knew that there was a demographic of our alumni population and community that those (the Gala and gold rush raffle) aren’t necessarily the events they want to attend. So, we know they like to be out ice fishing and in nature and we wanted to capitalize being able to get that group of individuals together,” Vandrehle said.

More than 300 people attended the classic on Lake Sarah.

“We are ahead in more registrants, more fishing people and more sponsors than last year,” Vandrehle said.

Forty-seven fish were caught throughout the day with hopes of making it on the board. Randy Studemann came with his three children, Sara, Cora, Kallie from Tyler, but didn’t have much luck.

“The fishing is better, I got three kids that came — they like to come,” Studemann said.

Dwane Bengston, from Marshall, came with his two kids, Ben and Lexy with not much luck either.

“In some spots it’s good and in some it’s dead,” Bengston said.

“We’re here to support the lake. My son’s over there, he likes to fish,” Bengston said.

“Organization takes a long time. Essentially, we start planning already for next year, this year. We already rounded up more sponsors for next year, already today at this event. People come and they love what they see and they want to sponsor it,” Vandrehle said.

“Really it takes an effort of a lot of people, a lot of volunteers to make it go smoothly. It’s a big team effort for sure,” Vandrehle said.

Mustang Ice Classic results

• First Fish: Jordan Rolling — 11:32 a.m.

• Smallest fish: Travis Frazee — 0.3 oz walleye

• Largest: Matt Engesser — 1 lb 5.5 oz

• Second largest: Landon DeSmet — 4.5 oz

• Third largest: Derek Holmgren — 2.7 oz perch

• Largest: Craig Feldman — 1 lb 2.6 oz

• Second largest: Jacob Portz — 15.1 oz

• Third largest: Cory Crowley — 14.7 oz

• Fourth largest: Bruce Timmerman –13.7 oz

• Fifth largest: Chloe Thooft — 13.2 oz

• Sixth largest: Travis Frazee — 12.8 oz

• Seventh largest: Steve Maerteus — 12.7 oz

• Eighth largest: Evan Johnson — 12.1 oz

• Ninth largest: Riley Schweiger — 11.5 oz

• Tenth largest: Dick Peters — 11.3 oz

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