Skip to main content

Big fish tales

Subhead
Luverne brothers capture two large northerns within minutes on Schoneman Pond
Lead Summary
, ,
By
Mavis Fodness

A brief stop at Schoneman Park netted more than a fish story for brothers Brody Kopp and Hunter Baker. It filled a freezer.
Late in the afternoon on Jan. 6 Kopp and Baker reeled in 37-inch and 38-inch northern pikes, respectively, from the man-made pond located south of Luverne.
“I knew they were out there, but I didn’t know we would get that lucky,” Baker said.
The brothers had a few hours available that late afternoon between school and evening church activities. Baker is a senior at Luverne Middle-High School and Kopp is a sixth-grader.
It was Kopp’s first ice fishing experience and Baker’s first time fishing at Schoneman Park.
Stopping at the south pond, Baker set up a windbreak and augered a hole into the ice. The two then sat down for a couple of hours of fishing and a memorable time together.
The experience became more memorable when Kopp felt a nibble on his line baited with a minnow.
“He thought it was a little perch at first,” Baker said.
All thoughts of perch left the boys’ minds when they saw the northern’s identifiable pointed mouth.
After a quick picture with Kopp holding his 37-inch fish, they settled back to fishing.
Shortly afterward it was Baker’s turn for excitement.
About 10 minutes later he slowly reeled in the 38-inch northern.
“I knew it was big but not that big,” he said.
With the sun setting, the brothers headed home to clean their catch.
Their mother, Teri Baker, received plenty of proof of her sons’ ice-fishing adventure.
“They were two excited boys — kept sending me pictures all evening long with smiles on their faces,” she said.
“It also makes me so happy that they enjoyed their time together, just the two boys doing what they love — memories that they will have forever.”
While the Kopp and Baker fish are large, they don’t break records, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website. The record for the largest northern pike caught in Minnesota is 45.25 inches.

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.