PHOTOS: Anglers reel in the night at Lake Mitchell's catfishing showdown

An angler sits in Lake Mitchell fishing for catfish while competing in an overnight fishing tournament on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Mitchell.

By Adam Thury

July 20, 2024 at 12:30 PM

MITCHELL — Under the starlit sky, 20 teams of avid anglers gathered at Lake Mitchell for an overnight catfishing tournament.

The team of Jeff Deeds and Mike Gray emerged victorious, landing the largest grand total of catfish of the night at 47.8-pounds.

Jeff Deeds (left) and Mike Gray (right) win the catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell

Other notable catches included a total of 42.8-pounds in catfish by the duo of Zach Wharton and James Gilchrist, securing them second place, and a total 38.3-pounds of catfish by Micheal Gasway and Joe Gasway, who took third place.

The overnight catfishing tournament at Lake Mitchell proved to be a successful and enjoyable event for all involved, reinforcing the community’s commitment to both the sport and the environment.

1/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

2/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

3/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

4/18: An angler sits in Lake Mitchell fishing for catfish while competing in an overnight fishing tournament on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Mitchell. Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

5/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Friday, July 19, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

6/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

7/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

8/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

9/18: Cody Ruml prepares his bait while fishing for catfish during an overnight fishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

10/18: Scenes from an overnight catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

11/18: Scenes from the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

12/18: Kayden Foht transfers a catfish into a bin for the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

13/18: Scenes from the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

14/18: Scenes from the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

15/18: Scenes from the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

16/18: Jeff Deeds (left) and Mike Gray (right) win the catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

17/18: Scenes from the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

18/18: Scenes from the weigh-ins of a catfishing tournament in Lake Mitchell on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Mitchell Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

By Adam Thury

Adam Thury joined the Mitchell Republic in March of 2022. He was born and raised in Mitchell, S.D., and graduated from Mitchell High School in 2015. He always had an eye for photography but started honing his skills mid-2014. He has worked on growing his knowledge of photography by shooting for local events. He can be reached at [email protected] and found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/adamthury.