Ice fishing derby participants brave cold for sense of community, fun and camaraderie

Chicago Tribune

27-01-2025

A cold winter with days of freezing temperatures may not please everyone but it makes for great ice fishing.
Saturday's ice fishing derby was held on Loomis Lake at Rogers Lakewood Park, sponsored by the Friends of Fishing Club, and welcomed over 150 fishermen of various ages and experience levels.
'We are a small club of local anglers in the area,' said Scott Sarkan, the club's social chairman.
'Our ice fishing derby creates a strong sense of community by bringing people together, fostering camaraderie and providing fun, shared experience,' said Sarkan.
'We have partnered with Valpo Parks and can now receive charitable donations from our generous supporters,' said Sarkan. 'The partnership has been instrumental in helping us raise funds for our events, our fish stocking efforts, and fishing-related park projects.'
The derby is crucial to the club because it helps fund their flagship event in the summer, Take-a-Kid Fishing Derby, which takes place the first weekend in June.
'This is an event that many children in the community eagerly anticipate each year,' said Sarkan. 'Take-a-Kid Fishing is a free event accessible to all children in our community.'
Sarkan's ice fishing experiences are still growing but he has recently been to Hayward, Eagle River and Sturgeon Bay, all in Wisconsin.
'I've found that the quality of fish up north is often similar to what I catch locally,' said Sarkan. 'So this year, since the ice is safe here, I plan to stay closer to home and enjoy the local lakes I fish in during the summer.'
Ice is not always available in this area every year, which presents a problem for the sport. In fact, last year's Derby had to be canceled due to warm temperatures in the 50s in January.
'When I was growing up there was no problem not having ice,' said Friends of Fishing Club President Randy Hall. 'Nowadays you have to make sure you have good enough ice.'
Winter sports enthusiasts who like to get on the ice should take precautions no matter the reason, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which said in a release to assume no ice is safe ice.
The agency recommends testing thickness with an ice auger; at least 4 inches is recommended for ice fishing and 5 inches is recommended for snowmobiling. 'If you don't know the thickness of the ice, don't go on it,' DNR said in the release.
Other safety tips include wearing a floatation device and carrying rope and an ice pick, as well as telling family or friends of whereabouts and not testing ice thickness alone.
Hall was pleased that this year, some of the ice on Loomis Lake was 10-12 inches thick, and a lot of people have been out to fish.
'Things have changed a bit over the years,' joked Hall. 'Now the ice tents are like Cadillacs, you can get them up to 65 degrees in there.'
Alan Morton, 14, of Valparaiso, attended the derby with his father, Ted Terry, and his two friends. Morton is responsible for getting all three of them out on the ice.
'My uncle got me into it,' said Morton. 'I was a fly fisherman first and I just love it.'
'I've never seen him more excited about anything more than fishing,' said Terry.
'I like it because you can be with your friends, compare who got what, and have fun,' said Morton. 'And you get the reward of a fish.'
Morton was using a vexilar to find the depth of the water after he made his hole.
'It's basically sonar, you can see the fish and how far down they are,' said Morton.
Around 7:30 a.m., angler Sarah Langston held up a huge large-mouth bass and brought it over to the committee for measuring.
'There are youth and adult winners based on total length of fish,' said Hall. 'The Valpo Parks helps us out with trophies, and the kids get awards and the adults get cash prizes.'
'This lake has pan fish like bluegill and crappie,' said Hall. 'There's also bass, and our club has recently stocked the lake with walleye.'
Friends of Fishing Club has about 35 active members and is always looking for new members and people who want to learn more about fishing or help the community.
'Retaining members has become increasingly challenging in an era where information is readily accessible online,' said Sarkan. 'But for us, the focus is on camaraderie, contributing to our community and helping fellow fisherman improve their skills.'
'We have fly fishermen, bass fishermen, multi-species fishermen, salmon/trout fishermen, and pan fishermen,' said Sarkan. 'You can step out of your comfort zone and learn a lot from these ladies and gentlemen.'
For anyone interested in joining the club or learning more about the events held throughout the year, contact Sarkan at [e-mail].