Lahti, Hagen are winners in the Local Catch Contest

MNWonders.com — Two young anglers took top honors in this year’s Remembering Gary Local Catch fishing contest, celebrating both their catches and their enjoyment of time spent outdoors.

Teagon Lahti, a 10th-grade student at Floodwood School, captured first place and the $300 top prize with his winning catch. Lahti said fishing has been part of his life for as long as he can remember, thanks in large part to his uncle, Winston, who introduced him to the sport when he was young.

“My uncle got me into it when I was little,” Lahti said.

Those early fishing trips helped develop a lasting interest in the outdoors. Lahti enjoys pursuing bass and other fish and recalled catching a bass weighing about three pounds, his biggest bass to date.

For the contest-winning catch, Lahti used a Mike Bucca lure, putting his fishing knowledge and experience to work.

When he is not on the water, Lahti stays active with basketball and riding dirt bikes. He also considers himself an outdoorsman and enjoys hunting. With his prize money, Lahti plans to put the $300 toward additional fishing gear.

For Lahti, the contest provided another opportunity to combine his love of fishing with time outdoors.

Second place went to Allyn Hagen, who received a Youth Fishing Kit sponsored by Floe.

Hagen landed a 20 1/4-inch bass on Camp Lake while fishing with her family. She initially thought she had snagged something on the bottom, but quickly realized she had a fish on the line.

“I thought it was a snag, and then it started tugging,” Hagen recalled.

The battle lasted about five minutes before Hagen brought the bass in. She said the fish was the biggest she had ever caught.

Although Hagen does not consider herself a dedicated angler yet, fishing with family has given her plenty of opportunities to enjoy the sport. She typically fishes with her brother, dad, mom, Gigi and Baba, and she estimates she caught more than five fish during the summer.

Hagen said she does not necessarily fish for one particular species. Instead, she enjoys simply putting a line in the water and seeing what bites.

Her new youth fishing kit may provide even more encouragement to keep fishing. With her own rod already in hand, Hagen now has additional equipment to share in future fishing adventures with her family.

Both young anglers demonstrated what the Remembering Gary Local Catch contest is about—celebrating the excitement of fishing, time spent outdoors and the memories created along the way.