20,000 holes, 10,000 people, one fish

An estimated 10,000 anglers headed for Gull Lake for the annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Saturday. They had no problem finding a place to pull up a bucket; organizers had drilled 20,000 holes.

Steven Baumgartner of Owatonna, who landed a 6.73 pound northern pike, won the competition — and a truck. He told the Brainerd Dispatch he just happened to try a new hole just before the competition ended on Saturday.

He’s been attending the annual event for the last 10 years and, until Saturday, had never caught a fish.