BONNYVILLE – On a chilly Saturday morning, anglers gathered at Angling Lake, located about half an hour east of Bonnyville, for a day of fun and fishing during the Bonnyville Pontiacs’ 3rd Annual Ice Fishing Derby.
In the afternoon, the weather turned out to be better as the sun shone brightly in the sky, casting warm rays that reflected off the frozen lake. Ice fishing tents of various colours were scattered on the lake’s icy surface, as some anglers measured their catch of northern pike before letting them go.
Neil Langridge, associate general manager with the Pontiacs, said the ice fishing derby brought out 50 anglers, and offered an opportunity for people to be outside on a nice winter day, enjoying the outdoors.
“We’ve wrapped up our regular [hockey] season yesterday [March 3] so we’re getting ready for the playoffs,” said Langridge. Some of the team’s coaching staff, billets, sponsors, fans took part in the event, and some of the Junior A hockey players were out on the ice as well, March 4.
Pontiacs’ forward Ludovik Tardif came to Bonnyville from Quebec City, QC. He enjoyed the weather as he waited for a pike to take his bait. Tardif is no strange to the outdoors, coming “from a really small town similar to Bonnyville.”
“I love fishing, hunting, and going outside, so [the Lakeland] is a perfect match,” he said, when asked how he adjusted to coming to the region, from Quebec.
Pontiacs’ goalie Bodee Weiss from Medicine Hat also enjoyed seeing people getting together to relax and have fun. “It’s awesome... especially the Pontiacs spending a day together, [have some] team bonding, and get to compete for the top prize. It’s been lots of fun so far.”
The team’s arena announcer Tim Graham also did not miss his third year of participating in the event with his son Kesler, echoing Weiss and Tardif’s sentiments - “I’m having a blast.”
Langridge thanked all who came out and says he hopes to grow the event in the coming years. “We’ve had some people that have been here for all three years and some that are new this time around. So, it’s just good to have all sorts of people out,” he said.
The fundraiser raised approximately $5,000 according to Langridge.
Top results
The first place for the Stringer of 4 Northern Pike division went to Kelvin Desjarlais with 112 inches. Clay Charlton took second place with 110 inches. David Shields finished third with 108.75 inches.
Neal Resch won first place in the Largest Northern Pike open division with a 29.50 inches pike. Clay Charlton and Kelvin Desjarlais followed with a tie of 29.25 inches. And Joe Gallant caught a 28.50 inches pike.
The top prize for the largest Northern Pike for youth under 16 years old went to Alexa Riche with 28.50 inches catch. Rhett Thomson caught the next two largest with the first measuring 26 inches and another measuring 25.25 inches.
