(l to r) Walleye Challenge Co-coordinator, Lou Stutzke of Fuel-N-Food, Gina DaBiere-Gibbs, Director of Tourism, and Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation (GSLFF) President, Randy Gardinier. Missing from photo: Walleye Challenge Co-coordinator, Hank “Beaver” Ross
Representatives of the Eleventh Annual Walleye Challenge Ice Fishing Tournament presented a $1,000 check, as well as $518 from a special raffle raised by event co-coordinator Lou Stutzke (Owner of Fuel-N-Food of Mayfield), to the Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation for fish stocking this fall. The Walleye Challenge this year was held on held on February 16 on the Great Sacandaga Lake. Director of Tourism, Gina DaBiere-Gibbs, presented the check to Randy Gardinier of the Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation at a recent ceremony at the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The tournament registered 1750 fishing enthusiasts with approximately 55% of the registered participants from outside of Fulton County representing ten states outside of New York: Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The event has sold out in each of the eleven years it has been held.
The 2020 Walleye Ice Fishing Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2019.