DULUTH — Brian and Andrew Johnson of Superior took first place in the walleye category in Saturday's 27th annual Kolar Toyota ALS Fishing Tournament at Island Lake.
The father and son duo had six walleyes measuring a total length of 94.5 inches in the tournament which raised a new record $265,000, topping the $244,000 raised in 2017.
Money raised in the tournament goes to help people who suffer from ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an always-fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Doug Pirila of Proctor and Greg Poetz of Winsted, Minnesota, caught the longest stringer of five bass for a total of 92.75 inches.
Wade Aamodt, of Duluth, pulled in the day’s longest walleye, measuring in at 22.5 inches to win the tournament’s Big Walleye Bonanza. Doug Pirila snagged the longest bass of the day at 20.25 inches.
ADVERTISEMENT
“With the success of this year’s record-breaking event, over $4 million has been raised in the fight against ALS since we started this tournament in 1996,” said Blake Kolquist, tournament chairman, in a statement. “Funds raised continue to support people living with ALS and we’ve now been able to expand our funding into leading research efforts giving patients access to the latest and greatest ALS treatment trials right here in Duluth. Thank you to everyone that supports our cause as it’s truly making a difference in the lives of those living with ALS.”
In addition to the in-person Island lake event the contrast also included a virtual tournament for anglers not able to come to Duluth. Scott Monson of Perham, Minnesota, had the longest bass measured at 15.75 inches; the longest northern pike at 28.5 inches was caught by Jack Evens of Cold Spring, Minnesota; Wayne Johnson of Perham caught the longest crappie at 12.75 inches; and the longest walleye at 29.25 inches was caught by Calvin Boecker of Lakeville, Minnesota.
Former UMD and NHL hockey star Jim Johnson, two-time Minnesota Twins world champion Kent Hrbek, and three-time All-Star baseball player Terry Steinbach again hosted the event.
The Trust Project
