Officials with the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce said Dennis Weerheim of Spirit Lake is likely the fastest winner of the annual Walleye Weekend's extended contest on record.
Weerheim hooked one of the specially tagged walleye from this weekend's tournament during an evening fishing session off his own dock on the east side of Big Spirit Lake too late to claim the tournament's $41,000 grand prize, but still in plenty of time to earn a check for $5,080.
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It wasn't too long ago that those hoping to hook a fish in the Iowa Great Lakes had to come prepared with an ice auger but, with some early summer-like temperatures this season, the surface of the local lakes thawed rapidly ahead of the 41st annual Walleye Weekend fishing tournament.