Fishing in the Fog

An outdoor temperature of 40 degrees made this year's annual Victoria Fishing Contest on Sunday, February 3rd, one of the most popular ever.  If you were in the middle of the crowd and looked to the east, you would have seen these six fishermen sitting in the fog over Stieger Lake with (apparently) a combined strategy to not let the big one get past them.  As it turned out, the big one was caught on the west side of the crowd, closer to the public access.  Sponsored by the Victoria Fire Relief Association, the Fishing Contest is a highlight for more than a few people in and around the community.  It was a delightful afternoon as people reveled in the mild temperature after suffering with 40 below days.  Families and friends arrived in droves to go fishing in the fog.  Thank you, members of the Victoria Firefighters Relief Association, for your work in bringing the community this fun outdoor event.

The annual Gathering on the Lake of people with strong ties to Victoria Past and Victoria Present continues, and the Gazette always finds them.  It's a lot easier to identify this group  when it's above zero and calm than when it's below zero and windy.  They could be almost anybody when covered with hoods and scarves and stocking hats and face protectors.

                 Front (l-r):  Abby and Ryan Jirak (Victoria), with their dogs Tug and Gordy.  Middle:  Brian Schmieg (Victoria), Randy Schneider (Minnetonka), Lori Jesberg (Victoria).  Back:  Steve Jesberg (Minnetonka), Jeff Chapman (Victoria), Larry Liestman (Chaska), Tony Raser (Prior Lake), Bob Jesberg (Watkins), Cindy Schmieg (Laketown Twp), Doug Raser (Chaska), Mark Jesberg (Victoria).  Not pictured:  Mike Wartman (Prior Lake).

Reported Barb Radde of Waconia, "The best part of the day is seeing old friends who love going to this as much as I do!"  These girls also have strong ties to Victoria Past and Victoria Present.

                 Left to right:  Erin Harder (Peggy Leuthner's son's girlfriend, lives in Independence), Jean Sohns (Peggy's sister who lives in Waconia), Barb Radde of Waconia and her sister Cindy Worm of Chaska, Peggy Leuthner (holding granddaughter Kyla Honetschlager, age 3, of Waconia), Jill Honetschlager (Peggy's daughter from Waconia), and Brienne Honetschlager, age 6 (in front, Peggy's granddaughter). 

                 Added Barbie, "Erin's son Liam Zealley won the fish  house (donated by Cabin Fever) for catching the largest panfish weighing in at .345 pounds. 

Brent Romenesko of Victoria and his son Bryce, 7, are familiar faces in town.  Reported the Victoria Lion, "This was our first time at the Fishing Contest.  I bought a ticket from Fireman Brian at the recent Lions meeting 'just because.'  We had a free Sunday and so decided to head to Cabin Fever to get set up.  Jeff deserves a big shout-out for helping us get our equipment set up.  But we didn't even get a nibble and no prizes either.  But we had a great time bumping into friends/Lions, and other biz owners."  Jeff Byrne is the owner of Cabin Fever Sporting Goods in Victoria.

                 Added the gregarious Romenesko, "Bryce would occasionally swing by the Triethart's who were fishing near us to see how they were doing.  Alayna taught him how to read a Vexilar.  The Fishing Contest was a great event."

Scott Buesgens  (center) of Carver was fishing with his Uncle David Engler, left, of Carver and his dad Ken Buesgens of Cologne.  Reported Scott, "We attend the Victoria Fishing Contest every year as a way to help support the Victoria Firefighters Relief Association.  We didn't catch any fish this year, but we did receive one door prize that included a $10 gift card to Subway and a promolink hat."

Bruce Schmid of Chaska and his son Alex Schmid of St. Louis Park were out of the lake with other family members.  Bruce is a son of the late Nushie and Mae Schmid, former owners of Vic's Bar and Grill in downtown Victoria, which was originally called Schmid's Bros Bar.  The Gazette featured Floyd 'Nushie" Schmid and Walter 'Bud' Schmid in July 1982.  They bought the bar in 1946 when you could get a glass of beer for a nickle. 

Mark Strellnieks of Victoria and his daughter Rachel caught a 1.295 pound northern early on in the Fishing Contest and spent little time at the Weigh Station.  They were very interested in getting their fish returned to the Catch & Release lake and quickly headed back to their productive hole in the ice.  According to Google, Mark is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Construction with Nor-Son, Inc.

Victoria Firefighter Jared Hammer, right, was a kind and industrious helper at the Weigh Station.  Both the name of the fisherman on the left and the weight of his crappie remain unknown at this time.

Shannon Osthoff of Eden Prairie was on the lake with her children Jack, 18, and Jordy Jensen, 12.  Jack who will be on his way to the University of Minnesota next year to play hockey, is wearing no socks and keeping his feet warm with a little propane heater.  He said it's "true Minnesota style."

The little girl who caught the biggest fish (a 6.245 lb northern) at the Victoria Ice Fishing Contest is Aurora Ross of Victoria.  Aurora (center) won a Strikemaster Ice Auger donated by the Glen Lake Animal Hospital.  Thank you, Victoria Fire Chief Andrew Heger, for this photo.

I got a photo of Aurora also!  And I heard on the loud speaker about the fish she caught!  But I couldn’t sprint fast enough on the ice to the Weigh Station to get the fish photo!

Tom Randall of Minnetonka is in the front in the wheelchair.  He has participated in this fishing tournament for 15 years.  He's won several drawings for prizes including an ice auger years ago and has caught two northerns in the past.

                 Reported his wife Barb Randall, "This year our group didn't catch anything but we were next to the gal and kids that caught the big northern.  Tom did win a bottle of wine and ten passes to the AmericInn indoor pool facility in Chanhassen.  His sister in law Chris Randall from Tonka Bay won a My Pillow in the drawings."

                 Added Barb, "Tom had a stroke on November 28th, 2018, and then suffered another one on December 1st, 2018.  He was in the hospital recovering for 38 days and moved back home on January 4th.  Life isn't easy, but slow and steady wins the race.  He tires easily and only lasted on the ice for an hour into the tournament.  We were able to park down by the lake and then push his wheelchair onto the ice.  When he was done fishing, we were able to drive onto the ice where he could watch and nap from the car.  The Victoria Fire Department was very kind and helpful.  We can't thank them enough for making this an enjoyable day for the Randall family."

Andrea and Grant Frey, who have family in Victoria where Grant grew up, were enjoying each other and the temperate weather.  They are expecting their first baby in May. 

Victoria firefighters always oblige the Victoria Gazette camera.  Front (l-r): Jason Hukriede, Jon Diethelm, Brady Lee, Rod Simonson (crouching), Chief Andrew Heger (black stocking hat), Ryan Thayer.  Back:  Chris Lovering, Thomas Erdmann.

Victoria Firefighters  Jeremiah Gossett and Jason Hesse worked the Hammer-Schlagen game.  It's a game (like at the Victoria Burrow) to see who can drive a nail into a piece of wood the quickest.

The winners of the 2019 Victoria Ice Fishing Contest of the Victoria Firefighters Relief Association.

Like most everyone else, Derek and Jessica Gunderson of Victoria and their children -- Sebastian, 5, Samuel, 7, and Lauren, 9 --  caught a bus down to the lake from the Enki parking lot but they didn't catch any fish.  Said Derek, "This was the first time we went to this event because it's been so cold in previous years.  As the kids get older, we'll go even if it is cold."  Derek was appointed to the City of Victoria Finance Committee in April of last year.

Most fishermen made their way to the lake with two school buses that kept running back and forth from downtown Victoria.

When Chrissy Kadolph of Victoria and her children left the Fishing Contest, they got a ride seated on hay bales in an open wagon pulled by a fire truck.  The kids are Clara,3, Chase, 6, and Ava, 6.

Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

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