The second-annual Rainy Lake Ice Fishing Tournament took place Saturday afternoon on Northwest Bay and many of the 250 participants said it was about having a good time.
“I love it,” enthused Chrissy Soderholm, who came to the derby with her husband. “We were here for the first one and it was really neat. It is a lot of fun.”
William Wendt of Beaver Dam, Wis., who had been holding down top spot with his 8.66-pound northern, echoed Soderholm’s comments, adding that ice fishing is a true sport.
But with only an hour of fishing left, Wendt’s hopes of sealing first place were dashed when Melvin Blackhawk of Kenora pulled up a 10.76-pound northern.
“That 10.76-pounder was caught and now I am disappointed [that I didn’t win],” remarked Wendt.
For some, the derby, which ran from noon to 3 p.m. some five miles from Birch Point Camp, is about strategy and moving from hole to hole. For others, it is pure luck–which some anglers just didn’t have on that day.
“You have to pay attention to the lure, bait, and the line,” stressed Jack Fiset. “It is your presentation and luck, and that is all it is.”
“I haven’t caught nothing at all,” said first-time derby participant Herb Shoemaker. “I just tried a different hook in a last-ditch effort.”
With only 45 minutes left in the tournament, Soderholm still hadn’t given up hope. “It’s not over yet,” she stressed. “I could still win.”
Soderholm was among those who went looking for the fish instead of waiting for the fish to come to her.
“I spend about a half-hour or so at each hole and [if I haven’t caught anything], I will move on. I am going to try and stay at the outside holes,” she laughed as she packed up her gear and headed off to another one.
Mike Salvador, who took seventh-place overall with his 4.82-pound northern, sat at the same spot all day and only pulled out one fish.
Ralph Soderholm held first place for the first half-hour of the derby with his 2.42-pound bass but eventually was knocked down to ninth place when it was all over.
“It is an okay day–pretty relaxing, especially on a day like today,” he enthused.
But Tyler Barrette of Atikokan was in the same boat as many of the other anglers–he was struggling just to get a bite.
“I haven’t had anything yet–not even a bite,” he noted, obviously disappointed. “It is pretty sad . . . I have moved to a couple of different places [but nothing seems to help].”
The top 55 fish caught received prize money while 12 names were drawn to give away the rest of the money.
Here are the top 12 finishers:
1. Melvin Blackhawk (Kenora)–northern (10.76 pounds)
2. Andrew Suter (Winnipeg)–lawyer (9.86)
3. William Wendt (Beaver Dam, Wis.)–northern (8.66)
4. Jerry Bergvall (International Falls)–northern (6.80)
5. Richard Krztyszton (Winnipeg)–lawyer (6.54)
6. Rene White (Sioux Narrows)–northern (5.80)
7. Mike Salvador (Sioux Narrows)–northern (4.82)
8. Levi Fox (Kenora)–northern (3.80)
9. Ralph Soderholm (Fort Frances)–smallmouth bass (2.42)
10. Jason Baldwin (Fort Frances)–tulipe (2.16)
11. Almer Godin (Rainy River)–smallmouth bass (2.02)
12. Brian Halverson (Devlin)–smallmouth bass (1.82)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
