A recent Super Bowl Sunday saw two dedicated anglers, Micaiah Thompson and Dan Ginn, forgo traditional festivities to lead a church youth group on an ice-fishing adventure. Their destination was the 85-acre Lake of Three Fires in Iowa's Taylor County, a spot renowned for its abundant panfish, much to the delight of the young participants who quickly began reeling in bluegills. While the children enjoyed their catch, Thompson and Ginn pursued walleye, utilizing jigs and minnows, alongside strategically placed tip-ups. Their group of seven was distributed across a lake area where the depth varied from 3 to 17 feet, with Thompson focusing his efforts on a deep brush pile teeming with fish, as indicated by his sonar.
As dusk settled and the group prepared to depart around 6 p.m., a significant event unfolded. Thompson, aged 35, observed a substantial fish approaching his lure on the sonar. Though it initially missed his offering, a second green jig and minnow in a nearby hole quickly secured the powerful strike. Using light ice-fishing gear, he engaged in an intense minute-long struggle with the fish. Initially convinced he had hooked a walleye, even as it was guided through the ice hole, the true identity of the catch remained a mystery until his friend Dan illuminated it with a flashlight. To their surprise, it was not a walleye, but an exceptionally large crappie. The initial disappointment of not catching a walleye quickly transformed into astonishment upon realizing the crappie's immense size.
The crappie, initially weighed at 4.1 pounds on a personal scale that evening, could not be officially certified until two days later due to the Super Bowl holiday. They meticulously kept the fish alive in an aerated bucket of cold water. On February 10th, the black crappie was officially weighed at a certified scale, registering 3.95 pounds and measuring an impressive 17.8 inches. This monumental catch officially surpassed Iowa's previous state record of 3.88 pounds, which had stood since 2013. The achievement was confirmed after a state official positively identified the species, cementing Thompson's place in the state's fishing history. Remarkably, Dan Ginn had caught another crappie earlier that day measuring 17.2 inches, underscoring the lake's potential for exceptional catches.
This narrative beautifully illustrates the unexpected rewards that can arise from dedication and a spirit of adventure. It highlights how stepping away from routine can lead to extraordinary experiences and personal triumphs, reminding us that perseverance in our pursuits, whether in fishing or in life, often brings unforeseen and fulfilling outcomes.