This week's installment of Trophy Tales — a beautiful array of smiling anglers holding a gorgeous assortment of fish — is the last of the season. Every summer we ask our Minnesota readers to wow us with stories and photos from their fishing adventures. Not a year goes by when we're not overwhelmed by submissions. Thanks to the hundreds of people who contributed to our weekly ode to the state's most popular outdoors sporting endeavor. Next week, our Wednesday page will return with coverage of hunting, wildlife, natural resource conservation, personalities, politics and other outdoors news — including fishing!

Trout bonanza

While fishing on Kasba Lake of Canada's Northwest Territories, Ron Peterson, of Edina, and Manny Gaziano, of Minneapolis, doubled their pleasure. As Peterson (left) had a 14-pound lake trout on the line, Gaziano reeled in to get out of Peterson's way. As he did, he hooked a 17-pound lake trout. Each was released.

Young skill

Mason Wold, a 10-year-old from St. Francis, caught this 12-inch crappie at sunset Aug. 1 on Pleasant Lake (near Hackensack, Minn.) Wold was fishing with his father (Jim), grandfather (Jim) and cousin (Ethan), who also caught a good-sized crappie. Both Mason and Ethan used jig hooks and minnows.

Sisters debut successful

While visiting their Minnesota grandparents in early August, (from left) Beatrice, Hannah and Isabelle Ellingson, of Norfolk, Va., had a successful first attempt at walleye fishing. Fishing on Lake Miltona (north of Alexandria), each caught a 20-inch walleye. In all, they caught nine nice walleyes and 11 sunfish. They used slip bobbers for the haul.

Surprise catch

Briana Potocnik, of Golden Valley, reeled in this 35-inch northern pike on Medicine Lake the evening of Aug. 18. Using a panfish lure in the hope of catching some nice crappies or sunfish, she instead netted the biggest fish she's ever caught.