Explaining the Eelpout Festival, Sort of...

Here is the official site.

The whole thing began as a joke 31 years ago. Two local businessmen were having a drink together after work. It was the middle of winter and Walker was very, very quiet. (as opposed to the busy spring, summer, fall tourist time).

They decided that Walker needed something to draw people to the area in the middle of winter. Other seasons had walleye, bass, and muskie fishing tournaments. Why not have a tournament for ice fishing? And what better than the elusive eelpout! (The eelpout is considered a 'pest' fish. No one goes out to deliberately catch one to mount it on their wall, nor eat it.)

So, as the saying goes, that was the beginning...

It has developed into a HUGE celebration of winter. People have decorated encampments on the ice. Walker Bay looks like a small village complete with street signs, and plowed roads. There are Polar Plunges that raise money for the Walker Community Center ($47,000 this year), music, food, games, prizes, trophies, etc.

Local people, like me, try to avoid town during this time...