Jim Mitchell, Fifty Lakes, shared the following poem he wrote in regard to the annual Eelpout Festival, scheduled Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 21-24, in Walker:
The Eelpout Wedding
A special day for a wedding.
Would the ceremony start on time?
ADVERTISEMENT
At thirty-five below zero,
The weather was pretty near sublime.
The snow was already cleared off the ice
And we're beginning to see some sun!
Of course we're in Walker, Minn.
Where people know how to have fun!
Who else would create a festival
ADVERTISEMENT
To honor the ugly Eelpout!
This is a real celebration,
And 10,000 people have turned out!
Including the wedding party
All arriving by snowmobile!
Because when Sven proposed to Olga,
She said, "You got a deal!"
ADVERTISEMENT
We could hear the machines a-coming;
There was a mighty roar!
And when all had gathered 'round,
They numbered a hundred twenty-four!
The Bride and her Bridesmaids all looked stunning
In their snowmobile suits of white!
The Groom and his Groomsmen were equally splendid
In black snowsuits zipped up tight !
All around us people were fishing.
Most had been there for awhile .
Of course Sven checked his bobber
As he came marching up the aisle.
The Bridesmaids were on our left,
The Groomsmen were on our right.
When Sven said, "Just a minute ...
I think I've got a bite!"
And up come a great big Eelpout!
As pretty as you please!
It wrapped itself around the Bridegroom's arm
And gave him a mighty squeeze!
The crowd sprang to their feet a-cheering!
We couldn't believe our eyes!
'Cause that ugly ol ' Eelpout
Was big enough for first prize!
The wedding party just stood there
Watching Sven as off he ran!
And as they weighed in his Eelpout
People shouted, "You the man!"
A more romantic wedding
You'd be hard-pressed to find!
So the rest of this story
Is about to unwind!
See, when the contest was over
Surely Sven had all the luck!
He not only had him a new wife ...
He won a brand new pickup truck!
