Submitted Photo Devils Lake is well known for its excellent fishing. This Saturday Devils Lake Tourism is hosting a “virtual fishing contest” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

DEVILS LAKE – One of the best known fisheries in North Dakota is Devils Lake. Walleye, perch, northern pike and white bass provide anglers with countless hours of quality fishing every year. The lake is also home to numerous fishing tournaments every summer.

This year, though, coronavirus concerns have sliced deeply into the fishing tournament schedule all across the state, including several such events on Devils Lake. The biggest of them all is the annual Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce Fishing Tournament, which would have been held this weekend if not canceled because of coronavirus.

Why not virtual fishing? That’s right. Not quite willing to throw in the towel on competitive fishing, Devils Lake is hosting a virtual fishing contest Saturday, June 27. The innovative event will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“We were looking for something fun to do and still practice social distancing and obey the guidelines,” said Suzie Kenner, Devils Lake tourism director. “It doesn’t matter if you are fishing and not catching, we still want you to take a picture and enter it. Just a picture of having a great time and getting out.”

Submitting a photograph is entry into the contest. Entries can be made into any of five categories. Photographs need to be posted on the Visit Devils Lake Facebook event page with the hashtag DevilsLakeVirtualFishingContest. The categories are biggest fish, ugliest fish, best-dressed angler, parent and child fishing duo and even out-of-town fishing.

“They don’t have to just be fishing on Devils Lake,” said Kenner. “But for the out-of-town fishing we want them to tell us why they miss fishing on Devils Lake.”

Winners for an impressive list of prizes will be chosen at random, even in the “big fish” category. Entries will consist of proof of the date of catch, such as holding up a daily newspaper.

“They can use a Snapchat filter with the date and time, somehow to show the date of that particular day,” explained Kenner. “We just want participation. We’ve had a lot of interest with people seeing it and talking about it.”

Winners will be announced on the Visit Devils Lake Facebook page on Monday, June 29.