Okoboji, Iowa — It’s almost time to fish for walleye again in the Iowa Great Lakes.
The Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce tells us that each year the Iowa Great Lakes Area kicks off walleye season with the Iowa Great Lakes Area Walleye Weekend tournament put on by the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Ten walleye are tagged and released into the chain of Iowa Great Lakes. Starting at midnight on Saturday, May 7th you can “cast” your chance at catching one of these ten tagged walleye, which are worth $40,000.
The chamber tells us that there are many other chances to win prizes all weekend long – from the largest fish categories to the raffle prizes at the awards luncheon.
They say the weekend’s tournament ends at 11:59 a.m. on Sunday, May 8th.
Chamber officials encourage people to sign up for the extended contest giving you a chance to catch one of the remaining tagged walleye from 12:00pm Sunday, May 8th to 11:59pm on Wednesday, August 31st. The first 3 tagged walleye caught during the extended contest are paid out a percentage of the registration fees all summer long.
While the walleye season on most Iowa lakes and rivers is continuous, it’s a little different in the Iowa Great Lakes. On West Okoboji Lake, East Okoboji Lake, and Spirit Lake, the season opens this year on May 7, 2022 and closes on February 14, 2023.
