Chamber revives ice-fishing derby

After a year without its annual fishing derby, the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce has revived the tradition this month, but with some changes.

The Chamber will host the Arctic Games Ice Fishing Tournament and Raffle Saturday, Jan. 27, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 28, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Chamber Executive Director Jody Olson said the tournament will be held at Fresno Reservoir or Beaver Creek Reservoir, though Beaver Creek would probably be ideal, she added.

She said changes in wind and warmer temperatures can make ice unsafe there.

"So our backup is Fresno," she said.

The location will be decided at a date close to the tournament.

The Chamber's Agri-Business Committee used to organize the derby each year to raise money for agriculture scholarships at Montana State University-Northern.The derby drew the interest of fishing enthusiasts not only locally, but also from Great Falls, Kalispell, Alberta and elsewhere.

Despite its popularity, the committee discontinued the fundraiser last year.

Olson said the Chamber and Fresno Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited will run the new ice-fishing tournament in its place.

Though the raffle portion of the event will raise money to pay for one scholarship to Northern for a Havre High School student, the tournament will be more about recreation, Olson said.

"This is something to do around town this time of year when there aren't that many events," she said.

Only live fish will be measured and judged.

Categories of fish judged will be walleyes, northern pike and perch/crappie.

Olson said cash prizes will be based on the number of participants for the largest of each fish species on each of the tournaments two days.

Money for the cash prizes will come from the $25 entry fee participants must pay each tournament day they participate,

Tickets for the raffle will be $20 each with only 200 available for sale.

Raffles prizes will include an ice house valued at $1,000, an ice auger, a cooler and other small items, Olson said.

The Fresno Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited will provide free fishing poles to children.

Rules posted on the Chamber website say any applicant under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Contestants are required to attend a rules meeting both days at 7:30 a.m. before each tournament day to review rules and receive a score card. The rules posted on the website say the meeting will be held at the main ramp on Beaver Creek Reservoir or the main ramp at Fresno depending on ice conditions.

Contestants can sign up for the tournament by filling out an application on the back of one of several flyers advertising the tournament. Olson said contestants can mail or drop off their form and entry fee at the Chamber's office at 1350 5th Ave.

A flyer advertising the event said people can also sign up the day of the tournament. More information about the tournament and tournament rules is available at http://www.havrechamber.com.