Longtime fans of ice fishing and newcomers to the sport have the perfect opportunity to catch derby fever with this year’s Fishing Lake Fish On Derby. The event is being held on Sunday, February 18 as part of Free Fishing Weekend in the province. Since anglers are invited to come out with or without a license, newcomers can toss their names into the hat and their lines into the water for a chance at some great prizes. The event is being held at the North Shore of Fishing Lake on Highway 5 east of Wadena near Kuroki.  

“We’ve extended the fishing hours this year to try and get a bit of that later bite,” says Carmen Sowa, one of the event organizers. “We’ve upped our prizes to $15,000 for the grand prize and $5,000 for second place. So, we are looking for some fisherman and a good time out on the ice.” 

There are plenty of additional prizes and side action to get in on with the walleye side competition and the early bird draw for a drill and auger pack worth over $750.  

“We have awesome sponsors, and they return every year,” Sowa says, “And they always come through with some awesome fishing prizes. We have all sorts of camera, augers and tents, and anything you could use for fishing.” 

Tickets purchased before February 15 are eligible for the early bird prizes. To get in on the action and find out more information, head to eventbrite.ca and search for Fish On.