Ray Lee and Eric Thompson overcame a first-day deficit to capture the 2026 CATS Incredible Team Tournament championship, weighing 79.71 pounds over the two-day Friday-Saturday event at Lafave Park located in East Grand Forks.
After finishing second on Friday with a five-fish limit weighing 38.92 pounds, Lee and Thompson added another 40.79 pounds on Saturday to edge the opening-day leaders by 5.42 pounds. Their two-day catch included a tournament-best 10-fish limit and a big fish weighing 17.06 pounds.
Kelly and Casey Clement entered the final day atop the standings after leading Friday with 42.31 pounds. The pair added 31.98 pounds on Saturday to finish second overall with 74.29 pounds.
Mason and Jamie Grimes made one of the biggest moves on the final day. After ending Friday in 10th place with 34.37 pounds, they climbed to third overall by adding 37.14 pounds Saturday to finish with 71.51 pounds.
Tim Koski and Cory Stejskal placed fourth with 69.74 pounds, while Jeff and Geena Jordheim rounded out the top five at 69.35 pounds.
Rounding out the top 10 were Ethan and Megan Kringlen (68.81), Dustin Casmey and Troy Weber (68.43), Mike and John Howard (68.40), Aaron and Steven Ouellette (67.98), and Jace Lunski and Cody Robertson (66.26).
Friday's leaders saw considerable movement after the final weigh-in. Andrew and Kailee Fruetel, who finished fourth after the opening day with 36.11 pounds, slipped to 21st overall after weighing only four fish on Saturday. Trever and Branden Lunski dropped from eighth to 19th, while Tony Burnside and JT "Porkchop" Lloyd, who were 11th after Friday, finished 46th after failing to add to their first-day total.
Several teams made significant jumps on Saturday. Wayne Pietruszewski and Eric Delene climbed from 26th after the opening day to 12th overall, while Mike and John Howard improved from 19th to eighth. Tony Weber and Billy Cariveau moved from 15th to 18th, and Jason Gagnon and Lila Gagnon advanced from 66th after the first day to finish 49th.
The tournament drew 85 teams for the two-day event, an increase of 12 teams from the 73 that competed a year ago. Anglers brought 506 fish to the scales, 20 more than last year's 486, but the total weight of 3,133.92 pounds was 270.32 pounds lower than the 3,404.24 pounds weighed in 2025. Competitors released 503 fish, a 99 percent release rate, while averaging 5.95 fish and 36.44 pounds per team.
The tournament's biggest fish was caught by Jason Kotowicz and Kelly Kotowicz, whose lone fish of the weekend weighed 18.04 pounds. Other notable catches included Wayne Pietruszewski and Eric Delene's 17.55-pound fish, Kelly and Casey Clement's 17.50-pound catch, Nate Erickson and Andrew Rice's 17.31-pound fish, Riley Gregoire and Maggie Gregoire's 17.25-pound fish, and the championship team's 17.06-pound fish.
54th Annual Lake of the Woods Steam and Gas Show set for August 1-2
Julie Bergman, Editor
The Lake of the Woods Steam and Gas Show returns for its 54th year on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2, bringing a full weekend of antique machinery, pioneer demonstrations, and family activities to the grounds.
Each day features a working blacksmith shop, a working flour mill where visitors can watch wheat flour being made and buy fresh-ground flour, the Comstock Sawmill, the Taylor Bird School House, a Pioneer Home, and the HH&E Gasoline Engine Shed. A flea market runs both days; vendors interested in a spot can call Kathy at 218-386-1749. A parade steps off at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday night brings a spark show, weather permitting, and those interested in trying their hand at the wheel can sign up for tractor driving lessons by talking to Cory or Jared.
Breakfast is served both mornings from 7 to 9 a.m. for $8, with pancakes, eggs, sausage, and beverages. The snack shack is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Saturday features a pork and turkey dinner, priced at $15 for adults and $6 for ages 7 to 14; children 6 and under eat free. Live music plays throughout the weekend in the bandstand.
Admission is $10 per person and includes a collector button; the ticket is good for the entire weekend, and children 12 and under get in free. Primitive camping is available for $10 a night — contact Steve LaDuke for details.
Organizers describe the event as fun for the whole family, and a chance to help preserve the region's heritage.
Highway 11 Improvements Will Be Worth the Wait
Samantha Alme
Shortly after the community wrapped up another memorable Independence Day celebration, work officially began on one of the most significant improvement projects to Highway 11 in recent years.
The project includes pavement, sidewalk and storm sewer reconstruction on Highway 11 from Highway 32 to 7th Street/Red Willow Road. Additional improvements include upgraded corridor lighting and utility work designed to better serve the community for years to come.
While construction has temporarily changed traffic patterns and required a little extra patience from residents, business owners and visitors, it's important to remember the bigger picture. Once completed, the project will provide a safer roadway, a longer-lasting driving surface, improved drainage and better pedestrian accessibility—improvements that will benefit everyone who travels through Greenbush each day.
Like any major construction project, progress can sometimes appear slower than expected from the outside, and it's natural for conversations around town to include questions about the timeline. However, projects of this size involve countless moving parts, careful planning, weather considerations and a tremendous amount of coordination to ensure the work is completed correctly and built to last.
When the dust settles and the orange cones disappear, Greenbush will have an updated entrance through town that residents can take pride in for decades to come. The temporary inconvenience will soon give way to smoother roads, safer sidewalks and infrastructure that will continue serving the community well into the future.
Perhaps most importantly, this project is made possible by the dedicated men and women working long hours—often in the summer heat—to improve the community. Their work requires skill, precision and a strong commitment to safety, and their efforts deserve appreciation. Every section of pavement poured, every storm sewer installed and every sidewalk completed brings the project one step closer to the finish line.
As Greenbush has demonstrated time and again, strong communities are built with patience, cooperation and a shared vision for the future. With completion expected later this September, the community has plenty to look forward to.
In just a few short months, today's construction zone will become tomorrow's smoother drive, safer walk, and lasting investment in Greenbush's future. Until then, a little extra patience today will help pave the way for many years of benefits tomorrow.
