Emphasis on youth at 2016 Walleyes Banquet

The 27th Annual Walleyes Unlimited Banquet last Saturday Night at City Hall was once again successful, provided plenty of suspense, fun, fellowship and food.

"It was fantastic," John Demarais President of the Malta Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited told the PCN after the event. "It was one of the best nights ever. We had great support from the community; we had a great turnout as far as people that support us."

The annual fundraiser is more than just a great time of fellowship, food and prizes. The event places a huge emphasis on the children.

"This is how we get our money to take a kid fishing, to improve the docks and to educate the young people," Demarais said. "To me that's what it's all about... Take a kid fishing."

Demarais believes that taking a kid fishing can eventually help to keep many out of trouble.

"You teach a kid to fish, they're going to stay out of trouble, I guarantee it," Demarais said.

The fundraiser helped pay not only for fishing rods for this year's entire young and junior angler of the year nominees but also for prizes at the banquet and renovations around the Nelson Reservoir.

"It goes towards repairing the docks and maintenance on the docks and ramps at Nelson, doing a major extension this year and taking kids fishing," Demarais said.

He literally means taking kids fishing.

"When we go fishing, we pay for everything," Demarais said. "We pay for all the boat gas and everything. We encourage people to go with us because once you go, you'll go again because it's a great sport."

During the banquet, Demarais shared a few things including the renovation of the North ramp, which had been affected by the low level of water that Nelson has experienced the past couple of years.

"Right now when the water gets so low, there's a drop off," he said. "And you break your tires or ruin your axle, so this is the right time to fix it. We've been really lucky working with Fish, Wildlife and Parks."

The cost of the ramp will be $15,000 but Malta's Walleyes Chapter will only have to put in $8,000.

"Then we will be going to the state and asking for money there," he said. "Depending on how much we get there, we will approach other Chapters in the area."

He also explained that Nelson will have a parking lot at the North End in the near future, solving a huge parking problem.

"Across the road there will be an approximately one hundred by one hundred paved staging area," Demarais said. "Some people don't know how to park and they take up all the spot and there's no space to drop in."

Demarais also warned that Nelson's water levels will be the lowest they've been since 1985.

"It's been lower only four times than it's going to be this time, when they work on it," he said. "By natural irrigation and evaporation and things like that."

The water level will be 14 foot from full pool.

Though the levels are low, Demarais believes that the fishing will still be good this year.

"I would like to thank Don Voegel," he said. "We've been good friends for many years, we're good fishing buddies. He helps me with my spiritual world and I help him. The other person I would like to thank is my wife. Without her, I don't know where I would be."

Junior Anglers of the Year were Hunter Stolem and Lavida White.

College scholarships were awarded to Shelby Brookie, Kaitlyn Smith and Keenan VanWichen.

Sponsorship Honors went to Ed Peigneux & Sons Construction and Joe's In & Out.

Lunker Leadership and Service honors were given to Greg Kielb and Carl Kaasa.