Ice Fish Fest Draws Hundreds To Catfish Bay In Sioux Falls

Mild weather on Saturday brought out people by the hundreds for Ice Fish Fest.

People from around the area came to Catfish Bay to enjoy a day on the frozen lake.

Catfish Bay Founder Jim Bruns said, “The number one rule is you have to have fun, that’s the number one rule at our tournament is that you have to have fun.”

“Like a lot of outdoor activities, it brings families and friends together, it gets you out of the house, gets you off your phone and we think that’s kind of cool,” Bruns added.

Dakota News Now reports that over 500 people grabbed a bucket and a rod Saturday, searching for the largest fish in the pond.  There was plenty of fish to catch.

"Like last year we weighed in over 300 fish and we figured that with everybody they caught over 1,000 fish last year and we think that will probably happen again this year,” Bruns said.

Ice Fish Fest is a catch and release event.  When a fish is caught, it’s weighed and released back into the lake.

The event is a fundraiser for the Catfish Bay Water Ski Team. The tournament hands out over $10,000 in prizes.