Fishing To End Hunger 2025 – Photo Gallery & Recap
- Camp Nisswa
- Oct 13
- 3 min read
Event Date: October 4, 2025
Location: Bar Harbor Supper Club – Gull Lake, Nisswa, MN
The 2025 Fishing To End Hunger Tournament brought together anglers, volunteers, and the community for one incredible day on Gull Lake. From the early morning boat launches to the weigh-in and awards, the energy was high and the mission was clear — fish hard, give back, and help feed those in need.
Our Camp Nisswa crew was onsite starting at 5:00 AM, capturing those first light moments, weigh-in excitement, and everything in between.
Congratulations to Caughey & Steffen, this year’s first-place winners, who took home $16,000 and an additional $1,080 for Jingles. Their dedication and teamwork set the tone for another successful year on the water.
Below are the top finishers and total weights from the 2025 tournament:
Place | Boat # | Fisherman 1 | Fisherman 2 | Total Weight |
1 | 64 | Jake Caughey | Dan Steffen | 18.15 |
2 | 13 | Mark Hightower | Jeremiah Piepkorn | 16.6 |
3 | 23 | Ben Hittle | Andrew Hittle | 16.46 |
4 | 108 | Evan Blakley | Eric Holmvig | 16.46 |
5 | 61 | Troy Rahn | John Wessel | 15.95 |
6 | 14 | Ben Wasson | Logan DeCent | 15.68 |
7 | 1 | Justin McKee | Mike McKee | 15.46 |
8 | 47 | Hays Baldwin | Jadyn Thomas | 15.31 |
9 | 97 | Deron Eilertson | Matt Eilertson | 15.17 |
10 | 86 | Philip Ballard | Trent Graf | 15.08 |
11 | 90 | Aaron Schmitz | Steve Heller | 14.77 |
12 | 40 | Nate Blasing | Butch Blasing | 14.73 |
13 | 112 | Don Marx | Caden Laqua-Marx | 14.65 |
14 | 4 | Ryan Wellcome | Dave Askew | 14.64 |
15 | 35 | Jordan Johnson | Brandon Teberg | 14.62 |
Fundraising Update
This tournament is about more than fishing — it’s about making an impact. The 2025 Fishing To End Hunger event raised $47,445.66, which translates to 135,559 meals packaged through The Outreach Program of the Brainerd Lakes Area.
Through October 4, fishermen raised $27,445.66
The National Conductor’s Match added another $20,000
Fundraising links remain open until December 1, 2025
If another $7,554.34 can be raised, a sponsor will contribute $5,000, pushing this year’s total to an incredible $60,000.
Donations can be made through outreachprogramBLA.org. Every dollar helps provide meals for families across Minnesota.
Save the Date
Early Bird Registration opens November 1, 2025, and next year’s Fishing To End Hunger Tournament will be held October 3, 2026, once again hosted by Bar Harbor Supper Club on Gull Lake. Don’t miss your chance to fish for a cause — and maybe reel in $16,000.
About the Event
Fishing To End Hunger began in 2013 and has grown into one of the most meaningful tournaments in the Brainerd Lakes Area. Bar Harbor Supper Club serves as the host venue, offering a great Friday night registration dinner before anglers take to the Gull Lake Chain on Saturday morning.
The tournament benefits The Outreach Program of the Brainerd Lakes Area, a humanitarian food aid organization that packages and distributes ten different meal types.
Located in Nisswa, Outreach BLA ensures that 80–90% of the meals packaged stay in Minnesota, supporting local food shelves, shelters, and community meal programs. The remaining 10–20% are sent where they’re needed most — for disaster relief or international aid.
Since 2012, Outreach BLA has remained focused on one mission: ensuring no child, no family, and no neighbor worries about where their next meal will come from.
