BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

As the temperature drops and the ice gets thicker, many local sportsmen are readying their tip-ups for ice fishing season.

St. Lawrence County features some of the best ice fishing in the country and local fire departments, fish and game clubs and other organizations organize derby’s throughout the winter.

Here are a few of the competitions scheduled in the coming weeks in St. Lawrence County and in nearby Theresa and Lake Bonaparte.

2nd Annual Youth Ice Fishing Tournament

Black Lake Fish and Game Club Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Jan. 29

Black Lake Fish and Game Club Ice Fishing Derby will be hosted by the Black Lake Fish & Game Association, Inc. on Saturday, Jan. 29 from 6:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The event is the Fish and Game Club's biggest fundraiser of the year.

Fishermen will vie for a chance at over $4,300 in cash prizes, $1500 in tagged pike and several thousand dollars worth of other prizes including a Lake Ontario fishing charter and a guided fishing trip on Black Lake and two kid lifetime hunting/fishing licenses.

There will be three ice fish check-in stations, Chapman’s Sports, Black Lake Marine and Roll Away Bay. Each station has its own cash and prizes to give away.

Sign up online at http://blfga.org/store.html#!/Fishing-Derby/c/124809036 .

First Strike Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Jan. 29

Cranberry Lake will host the First Strike Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Cranberry Lake Fire Hall.

Anglers can register at https://firststrikederby.profishingtournaments.com/ or send a check to Cranberry Lake Fire Department, PO Box 549, Cranberry Lake 12927.  

Register by Jan. 15 to be entered into a drawing for a $250 gift card.  

Registration fees are $35 per angler until Jan. 15. After Jan. 15 the cost will be $40 per angler.  

Children younger than 12 can register in the Perch Derby for $10.  

Every child registered will receive a door prize. Registrations will also be taken on Jan. 28 from 10 a.m.-4pm at the Cranberry Lake Fire Hall.

1st Annual Ty Fuller Memorial Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Jan. 29

The 1st Annual Ty Fuller Memorial Ice Fishing Derby will be held off Pleasant Lake Road on Saturday, Jan. 29 from 6 a.m.-3 p.m., hosted by Isaiah Young and Jillian Mashaw.

Entry fees are $20 if paid at local businesses in Hammond, or $25 on the ice.

Prizes include 1st place $500 cash, 2nd place $300 cash and 3rd place $100 cash. Winners will be announced at 3 p.m.

Door prizes will be announced as donations are received.

Weigh-ins end at 2:30 p.m.

Youth prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

Prizes for biggest fish of the hour will be awarded from 6 a.m.-noon.

There will be a 50/50 and a raffle. 50/50 tickets are $1 each or $10 for an arms length.

Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to stock local lakes.

Chippewa Bay Annual Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Feb 12

The Chippewa Bay Fish & Game Club will host its annual ice fishing derby on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. off Hammond-Chippewa Bay Road in Hammond.

The event is an open boundary ice fishing derby.

Cost to enter is $15 for adults, $10 for kids.

An adult prize of $1,000 will be awarded.

Kids prizes of $500, $250 and $250 will also be awarded.

For anglers fishing in Chippewa Bay, there will be $200 presented to an angler every hour from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. for catch and release. At the end of the day $400 will be awarded.

Hance Annual Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Feb 12

The annual Hance Ice Fishing Derby will be held off on Pleasant Lake off West Shore Road on Saturday, Feb. 12 starting at 7 p.m.

Registration for adults costs $10. Kids younger than 12 pay $5. Door prize tickets are $1 each. The Hance family is also accepting donations for restocking the walleye.

Cash prizes for the three largest fish in each category and lots of door prizes will be at 4 p.m. on the ice in front of the Hance home.

Sons of the American Legion Waddington Post 420 Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Feb 12

The Sons of the American Legion Waddington Post 420 will host its 20th anniversary Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday, Feb. 12 from sunrise until 4 p.m.

The derby boundaries will be from the Iroquois Dam to the Coles Creek Marina and all connecting water in between.

The tournament will feature $2,000 in cash and prizes. There will be a $500 first place prize and $50 for heaviest perch and walleye for paid registrants. There will also be cash awards for the heaviest northerns. Prizes will be based on 100 entries.

All registered kids will receive prizes and be in their own bracket.

Fish will be weighed in, signed, and timed. Weigh in will be at the Waddington American Legion.

There will be door prizes, 50/50 and free drawings for all registered contestants.

The award ceremony and drawings will be at 5 p.m. at the American Legion Post 420, Fenton Street.

Entry fee is $25 per person. Anglers younger than 16 years old can fish for free.

Sign up will be at the American Legion in Waddington, Pig and Moo BBQ (former Louisville Mini Mart), Hosmer’s Marina, R&R Pallet & Bait (611 County Route 31A, Lisbon) or at the weigh-in station at The Waddington American Legion on the day of the derby until 9 a.m.

For more information, call Derby Chairman Mike Tiernan at 315-250-5252.

All participants fish at their own risk.

Theresa Fire Department Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Feb 12

The Theresa Fire Department Inc. is hosting a two-day ice fishing derby from Feb. 12 at 5 a.m. to Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Pre-registration begins Friday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

Registration on Saturday, Feb. 12 starts at 5 a.m.

There will be raffles all day Saturday. The final fish entry for Saturday will be 5 p.m. A dance at the fire hall will be from 8 p.m.-12 a.m. with no cover charge.

Registration on Sunday, Feb. 13 is at 5 a.m.

Raffles continue all day Sunday. A chicken barbecue starts 1 p.m. and the final fish entry will be at 4:30 p.m.

Prizes will be drawn Sunday at 5 p.m.

The adult grand prize will be $1,200 and the children’s grand prize is $300.

Pre-register at the Theresa Fire Station, Land of Lakes in Theresa, Felder’s Bait Shop in Redwood, Bills Feed in Great Bend, 1000 Island Bait Store in Alex Bay, Chaumont Hardware, Rt. 12E, and Frog Hollow Bait Shop, Gouverneur.

Info; Timothy Karg, 315-777-3936

All proceeds benefit the Theresa Fire Department equipment fund.

2nd Annual Chris Gamble Memorial Ice Fishing Derby

Sat., Feb. 19

The Harrisville Volunteer Fire Department, just over the St. Lawrence County border, will host the 2nd Annual Chris Gamble Memorial Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 7 a.m.-3 p.m on Lake Bonaparte.

The entry fee is $35. Those paying the fee will enter into a drawing for a 570 Polaris Four-Wheeler, $1,000 cash from Harrisville Fire Department and other prizes. To claim the four-wheeler prize, the winner must be 16 years old and have an ID.

Registration will be Friday, Feb. 18 from 12-9 p.m. or Saturday, Feb. 19 at 4 a.m.

There will be a weigh-in station at Sand Bay on the lake’s north shore. Prizes will be given out there as well.

There is also a $10 trout entry and a $5 perch entry fee for children younger than 12.

Total cash prize payout will be $6,400, based on 1000 entries.

Prizes will be awarded every hour.

First place is $500 cash, second place is $200, third place is $100.

A 50/50 raffle will be held. Tickets will be available for purchase at the weigh-in station or from volunteers selling tickets on the ice. Power ice augers, ice shanties and other prizes will be awarded.

Food will be sold at the weigh-in station.

Entry forms are available at the Harrisville Fire Hall, Sliders Food Mart in Pitcairn, Trackside Tavern, Harrisville Rod & Gun Club and Gamble’s Distributors in Carthage.

Info: 315-543-2833.