Brainard, MN vrs. Korea........you decide.

[perchhogslayer]

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

Thousands of people have taken part in a contest to catch fish in a frozen river in South Korea. The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival draws nearly a million visitors every year. The festival is an entertaining opportunity for children and parents alike.

Event Programs: Programs are organized into four major categories, with the main themes being ice and snow. The first program related to the mountain trout includes ice fishing (a hole is cut in the ice of the stream), lure fishing, and catching trout with your bare hands. Unlike other programs that are free of charge, these require an admission fee. The ice programs are ice sledding, snow sledding, ice tubing, and the football competition played on ice. Children's programs include the snowman event (children can have a picture taken with a snowman), building an ice castle, a sledding train, and a sled-driving test.

Adding to the fun of the festival is a buffet, which includes mountain trout dishes, and the opportunity to dine at eateries that offer local specialties of Hwacheon. Check out the Traditional Experience Venue, and concert, too.

[perchhogslayer]

[perchhogslayer]

Brainerd Jaycees Announce a very Successful
18th Annual Extravaganza

Over 10,000 anglers were on Gull Lake’s Hole in the Day Bay seven miles north of Brainerd for the 18th Annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza hosted by the Brainerd Jaycees today. 730 fish were registered in the event but the winning fish was a 5.34 pound Walleye caught by Terry Schwichtenberg of Waterville, MN. “We were fishing in 65 feet of water and using shiners,” said Schwichtenberg . A walleye has been the winningest fish throughout the history of the contest. Schwichtenberg took home a 2008 Ford 4x4 Truck. In 100th place, winning a Glastron GT Fish and Ski Boat, was Trevor Birdsall of Princeton, MN. Birdsall landed on the board with a .60 pound Rock Bass. In last place (150th) was Jason Jowas of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, and he took home a Suzuki KingQuad 450 ATV with .53 pound perch. For a complete press release view the "Press Release" tab on the left.

[perchhogslayer]

2008 Brainerd, MN $150,000 Ice Festivle

[vermonner]

I'm not even a member of the MIRC, but how great is it that a rock bass won someone a boat?

[perchhogslayer]

what the "MIRC".  I've never caught a rock bass... or pretty much any of those warm water fish, but they look just as fun as anything else to catch, and shoot, I could go for a new boat, or even an ATV, so maybe I'll be heading up there next year. 

[abishop]

mAN, THAT IS A LOT OF HUNGRY FISHERMAN. gREAT PICS

[fisher2hunter]

yeah that is pretty amazing i wonder wat it looked like under the water with all the lines down there. now that would be somthing to see

[Buck762]

How can that small area handle all that wieght? amzing that the lake wasn't just cleaned out...............(talking bout first pic only)

[perchhogslayer]

What ever happened to the guy that went up to that Brainerd Festivle this year?  Wonder how he did???  Anyone else make it to any Big Tourneys this year and actuall win something?  I did our local perch derby and won a drawing for an ugly ice rod/reel combo. 

[Walltrout]

I lived in Korea for a year.  Interesting people.  I miss the food there.  I wish I would have known that they ice fished.

[perchhogslayer]

I wouldn't think that it would get cold enough. go figure? 

[rileyross]

Yeah i dont know how the ice hold all that weight. But i would much rather fish the one in MN (AMERICA) because its in AMERICA we are AMERICANS what are those rod they where using anyway?

[Hard Ice]

perchhogslayer ,
when you decide on coming back to Minnesota let me know maybe you can drive that new truck home !!

you all really need to watch ice road truckers .
how can that ice take all that weight ??

[perchhogslayer]

perchhogslayer ,
when you decide on coming back to Minnesota let me know maybe you can drive that new truck home !!

you all really need to watch ice road truckers .
how can that ice take all that weight ??

Sign me up... I've never been to MN, but I tell you what.  that festivle just made my bucket list.  Someday... I'll drop you a line and you can meet me there. 

[perchhogslayer]

Found this Video on you tube of the Korean ice festivle.  Pretty interesting that the international sport of ice fishing extends beyond MN. 
http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/jan2008/letting_go.htm

[Slammerman]

Anyone else make it to any Big Tourneys this year and actually win something?  I did our local perch derby and won a drawing for an ugly ice rod/reel combo. 

I fished the White River Steelheaders Annual Perch Festival in Montague, Michigan in the end of January. I ended up in 15th Place in the Panfish Division with a bluegill (which won me nothing). I did win a baseball hat from Hesperia Sport Shop and a gift certificate for a $25 smoked ham from Doug Born's Smokehouse in the raffles.

I fished the Michigan Anglers Association's Muskegon Perch Derby in early February. I took 2nd Place in the Perch Division with a 496g "Warpig" Yellow Perch that won me a 6" HT Arctic Express hand auger.

I wasn't able to fish but attended the awards ceremonies at the Muskegon Recreation Club's Ice Fishing Derby in mid-February and won raffle prizes consisting of a 24" HT jigging rod, baseball cap, and gift-certificate for breakfast at the Steak-n-Egger.

These were all derbies where you could fish any area lakes and bring your big fish to the weigh-in.

Having that many people so close together on the ice in Korea and Brainerd is CRAZY !!!

[perchhogslayer]

A $25 Ham!  Sweet, can't complain about that.  what did you end up doing with the hand auger though?  Don't most people that participate in a tourney already have an auger? Kinda a strange prize.  sounds like you cleaned  up on the drawings though.

[Slammerman]

A $25 Ham!  Sweet, can't complain about that.  what did you end up doing with the hand auger though?  Don't most people that participate in a tourney already have an auger? Kinda a strange prize.  sounds like you cleaned  up on the drawings though.

I'm waiting to pick up the ham for Easter.

I was actually thinking about picking up a 6" hand auger for when I target bluegill. I've tried the 6" HT that I won once so far and don't like the handle design. The double handgrips seemed to make it want to wobble and pause at one part of my turn. I'm gonna try it on a cordless drill and see how that works. And yes I already have three augers - an 8" Swedish Mora, 8" StrikeMaster Lazer, and 9" Jiffy power auger - not to mention my trusty spud.