Fishing for fun: Large crowds turn out for revitalized catfish tournament

The hum of boat motors and the happy yells of children filled the air Saturday at East Grand Forks' Cats Incredible catfish tournament.

Held at LaFave Park, the city's revitalized fishing tournament and festival brought anglers and families together on the banks of the Red River for a day of fishy fun.

As the 120 teams of anglers took their boats in the river, on the banks children were bouncing around on inflatable games or trying their luck at a handful of carnival-style games.

Alison Lawrence of Fargo was at the event to support Nathan Mytych, her brother and one of the competitors. She brought along her son Gavin, who she said had more than enough to do.

"We are really glad we could finally make it out to this," Lawrence said. "It's good that there is so much for the kids to do, and it's the perfect day for it."

Crowds of children would take a break from their playing as captured catfish were returned to the river. The children's eyes widened and they pointed as each fish flew down the makeshift slide.

"Gavin especially liked that," Lawrence said.

With decent crowds making their way to the park throughout the day, the East Grand Forks Association of Firefighters organized event seemed to be making its way back to the community spotlight according to Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Anderson.

"We really want to get this back to a community-wide event," Anderson said. "And based on the amount of people we have seen and the happy faces, I think this year is a sign of good things to come."

Cats Incredible was nearly canceled in April because of declining participation. The firefighters' union stepped in and took over management of the event from the Chamber of Commerce.

"It's really good to see the kind of results we have today," Anderson said. "This used to be a huge event in the 1980s and we want to get it back to that level again."

Anderson expects crowds to thicken on Sunday as final weigh-ins are made and winners are announced.

All about the fish

Saturday wasn't fun and games for everyone along the Red River, the 120 teams of anglers spent nearly nine hours on the water.

Merle Hoverson of the firefighters' union spent much of Saturday assisting teams in and out of the docks. He said that, while the turnout was strong, the fish weren't biting.

"From what I've heard it's been slow today," he said. "But the weather turned out very nice, it's still a good day."

Teams of anglers came and went hastily throughout the morning into the late afternoon, hauling their freshest catch up to the weighing station only to hustle back onto their boat and head back out on the water.

Hoverson said teams were limited to five fish, with only two fish allowed over 24 inches and the remaining three within 12 to 24 inches.

Spectators flocked around the docks as boats came and went, hoping to catch a glimpse of the day's biggest catch.

"There have been little children who can barely see over the tanks all the way to folks in their 80s coming down wanting to see the fish," Hoverson said. "So it's good to know that there is interest in the community in what we have going on."

Teams will head out onto the waters again today from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an awards ceremony to follow.

Wristbands will be sold once again for the children's games. Wristbands are $5 and can be purchased on site. A beer garden will also be at both LaSalle and Boardwalk locations.

Cats Incredible Standings

Here are the top five finishers of Cats Incredible as of Saturday's weigh-in. Final winners will be announced after Sunday's round.

1. David Stans and Mark Swenson, total weight 36.69 pounds

2. Tom Grzadzieleski and Brandon Patterson, 36.65 pounds

3. Dave Clement and Casey Clement, 36.47 pounds

4. Brandon Oby and Chris Dolan, 36.11 pounds

5. Chet Hartwig and Birian Block, 34.93 pounds

*Results courtesy Paul Hansen, EGF Fire Department

Call Ashlock at (701) 780-1137; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1137; or send email to aashlock@gfherald.com .