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This year the Kinneys are defending their previous year’s victory over the Ernts. After a four-year hiatus of coming in dead last or with a death grip on second place, out of only two families competing, they won last year by a margin of one crappie and two perch. Both families somehow tied on walleye and northern pike, another first after all these years.
More years than not the contest does not happen on the opener, Mother’s Day, conflict of interest, the weather, everyone’s not fishing if it looks like snow or rain or some ridiculous winds, kid’s schedules, parent’s commitments and the like, but eventually the days do occur.
And these two families have a ton of rules, no night fishing, live bait only, two people per boat, each of the three days, you must come to shore for lunch. And your word is no longer good. Recently, a photo of each fish must accompany the day’s tally, as it should be with most fisherman, myself included. The winner gets the family’s name, the year, either an anchor or a bobber engraved on the paddle blade. If it’s an anchor the winning family clobbered the losers, a bobber you barely finished in first. The contest is on its second paddle since 1967, and some years I fish with Ernts and some years with the Kinneys, that happens like when you were in fourth grade being picked for dodge ball. I’ve never been picked first, and more importantly to me, I’ve never been picked last. And one year, I can honestly report that de to my efforts, the Ernts won handily, and the Kinneys will tell you I have helped them many times earn second place. I’m great at that.
--The trout whisperer
