WIIKWEMKOONG—Most of the 600-odd holes drilled by a hardy team of volunteers for the 10th Annual Wiikwemkoong Ice Fishing Derby had lines dropped in them from fisherfolk seeking the 50 elusive tagged adult rainbow trout that had been released courtesy of Buzwah Fishery. Alas, although two fish were caught at each end of the daylong event, neither proved to be tagged. Undaunted, there were plenty of prizes to be given out anyway and it was a great day to be out on the ice and fishing.
“It’s all about catching fish, folks,” said derby organizer and Wiikwemkoong Tourism manager Luke Wassegijig as he announced a couple of changes that would be taking place next year. “I think it’s time to kick it up to two days. Plans are in play to increase the time frame of the derby to a full weekend, likely welcome news to the 480 people who purchased tickets to this year’s event.
The two winning fish were pulled in at times that practically bracketed the derby, with the first being hauled up at 9 am and the second just 10 minutes before the bell sounded to end the competition.
This year’s top fish was a 5.99-pound whopper, sans tag, winched up the hole by Katelane Frohlick of Capreol at 9 am. sharp, good for $3,500 and followed much later that day by an almost-as-big 5.84-pound trout caught by Paxton Holmes of Cambridge at 11:49 am for the second prize of a cool $2,000.
photos by Michael Erskine
In the tagged fish draw (drawn by lot as no tagged fish were caught) it was Jessica Poirer who chose to take the $10,000 cash, leaving it to a grinning second drawn winner Alex Viimberg to take home the pimped hut and a 2018 Polaris Voyageur 550 144 snowmobile—a combination valued at over $12,000.
“What a great event!” enthused Ogimaa Duke Peltier to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd enjoying a fish dinner during the awards luncheon held this year on the Wiikwemkoong arena ice surface. “I think you owe that one to yourselves for coming out over the past 10 years to support this event,” said the chief in response to the cheers. “This is a great opportunity for people across Northeastern Ontario region and from across the Island to come together and reconnect with old acquaintances. Our people have always been connected to the land, and so have all of you.” The chief concluded his remarks by calling for a “great hand for all of the volunteers who have helped to establish this as a premier fishing event.”
The early bird prize of $1,000 was won by Sophie Shigwadja. The ten registration $1,000 prize winners were Jerome Mailloux, Matthew Foley, Edward Burke, Jessie Corbiere, Evan Prairie, Kenney Mogg, Rose Gravelle, Hali Pitawanakwat, Joni Shawana and Blake Naponse.
The Furthest Travelled prize was won by Marilyn Trudeau of Kenora.
The rest of the top 10 prize winners were third place, for $1500, Shane Mandamin; fourth place for a 65” LG 4K Smart UHD TV, Andrew Gordon; fifth place for a 2018 Season Golf Pass was won by a young fisherman named Peter Kanasawe; sixth place and double lucky for a Humming Bird Ice 55 Flasher Blake Naponse returned to the stage, seventh place for a 11’ x 20’ x 7’6” Adlonco Car Port was Nicholas McCormick; 8th place winner of a Tullos Rocker Recliner was Scott Breen; ninth place winner of a Stihl MS 170 Chainsaw was Mike Assinewai. Filling out the roster of top prizes was Kevin Pleuna who snagged a $250 Gift Certificate from Home Hardware.
Third prize for the third tagged fish caught this year was a special Lucky Catch for a chance at a prize of $25,000 was sponsored by AON Insurance, but went unclaimed this year as no tagged fish were captured.
