The Lac Du Bonnet Ice Fishing Derby is coming up this weekend. 

President Dennis McGuffin says this is their 15th anniversary. 

“We've got more prizes and more giveaways than ever. We've increased our first prize this year to $15,015 just to celebrate the 15th anniversary. And we'll be giving away over $60,000 in cash and prizes.” 

Over the years, they have had over 13,000 anglers participate, caught over 1600 fish, and had over 1800 volunteers. 

He says it’s been great to have families come out year after year, and it’s amazing to watch a child catch their first fish. 

“If you've ever been fishing with kids, that's what it's all about, is seeing the pleasure that they get from catching a fish and the excitement that you can see on their face when they get that little tug on the line and bring in a fish.” 

They’re going to have lots of games for the kids this year, lots of giveaways, and every kid on the ice will receive a fishing lure.  

They also will have a kids zone with a warm up fire pit set up, so you can get warm if it's a bit of a cooler day. 

“And lots of games for them and prizes to be won, we're going to have some axe throwing going on as well as various other events,” he says. “So it's going to be a really fun filled day, whether it's the fishing, or the events that take place afterwards.”  

He says that the Lac Du Bonnet Ice Fishing Derby goes by a hidden length and time, and that means any size fish can win that $15,015 first prize.  

"A computer-generated program gives us the length and a time. So we track all the fish that are caught, and then look at what it says for the 1st place,” he says. “So it might be that the 14-inch sauger actually gets you that $15,000, it doesn't have to be the huge fish.” 

McGuffin says that the Ice Fishing Derby is financially beneficial for Lac Du Bonnet. 

“It's a huge benefit to the community, Not only in the money that we raise and we get back into the community, but for the economic benefit for the community itself.” 

Over the last 14 years they have been in operation, they have given out over $200,000 in grants, bursaries, donations, and CBO hours. 

“CBO hours: what that is, is we have the volunteers from various groups, whether it's from the Wildlife Association, the Curling Association, the cadet squadron, they all come out to help us run this Derby,” he says. “And we pay them back at a rate, this year is $18.00 an hour, so all that money goes back into their groups.” 

And then with the grant process, they give student bursaries every year up to two $1000 burseries. 

“And over the few years we've had that in process, we've given away $12,000 that way as well.” 

The Lac Du Bonnet Ice Fishing Derby is on Saturday, Feb. 25. 

 

You can buy tickets at the following locations: 

Lac Du Bonnet Co-op Gas Bar 

Beausejour Co-op Gas Bar 

Smoke N Fish Selkirk 

West Hawk Marine Lac Du Bonnet 

The Fishin’ Hole Winnipeg 

Manitoba Made Lac Du Bonnet 

 

With files from Dave Anthony