Spirit Lake, Iowa (NorthwestIowaNow.com) — The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the recipients of the 2025 Iowa Great Lakes Walleye Weekend grants. A total of $20,000 was distributed to six different organizations this year. These funds, generated from a turnout of over 2,200 anglers from 21 states, will support various conservation and angling projects in the Iowa Great Lakes Area.

Grant recipients include Camp Foster YMCA, receiving $1,000 to educate campers on proper fish handling. The Center Lake Improvement & Protective Association also received $1,000 for water quality sampling in Center Lake. The East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corporation was granted $3,500 to assist with aquatic vegetation management in East Lake Okoboji. The Okoboji Protective Association received $3,500 to support water quality measurements in the Iowa Great Lakes. The Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club was awarded $5,000 to host kids’ fishing events impacting over 800 children. Finally, the Spirit Lake Protective Association received $6,000 to acquire and install a new fishing and public access dock at Marble Beach in collaboration with the Iowa DNR.

The grand prize winner Walleye Weekend is Dawn Ingvaldson, who won the grand prize of $43,000 for catching a tagged walleye. Eight tagged walleyes are still in the lakes, and registered anglers have until August 31st, 2025, to catch them for a portion of the extended contest registration fees.

The 44th annual Iowa Great Lakes Walleye Weekend is scheduled for May 2nd and 3rd, 2026.