ST. AGATHA, Maine – Registrations for the 19th annual Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby, an event that brings in nearly 2,000 participants from Maine and beyond, are open. Last weekend, event organizers unveiled a new website, longlakeicefishingderby.com, where participants can register and learn more about the event.
Paul Bernier, who has served as event chairman since the derby began, said they worked with Presque Isle-based web designer Borderline Digital for the past couple months to create a user-friendly website which lets people register for the derby and get any relevant information about the event, its history, and the Edgar J. Paradis Cancer Fund, which the derby supports.
The derby takes place on Jan. 27 and 28. Registration is $20 per day or $30 for the whole weekend.
Bernier said that, when the event began, only Long Lake was involved and there were maybe 100 registrations. Bernier was a town employee for the town of St. Agatha, where Ryan Pelletier was town manager. Bernier said they discussed using proceeds from the event to benefit the cancer fund. And from there, the event has continued to grow.
“It took off like wildfire,” said Bernier. “It’s really gotten to a place that we never imagined.”
For the last couple years, the derby has brought in between 1,500 and 1,800 people from Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, and across the border in New Brunswick.
The event economically benefits the St. John Valley and beyond.
“People start to come in midweek, and it’s just crazy,” he said. “The businesses do very well, all of them. And 99% of the rentals are already booked for the next year when people leave on Sunday. Because there are no vacancies leading up to the derby. Not locally, anyway.”
This leads to guests booking rooms in other Aroostook communities like Caribou and Presque Isle.
To date, about $120,000 in proceeds has gone to the cancer fund. They have also pledged $60,000 to the Northern Maine Medical Center foundation over the course of five years. Last year was the fifth year, and they will pledge $12,500 this year and next year.
Organizers also give out about $45,000 in prizes to participants each year.
“Last year we gave away a side by side that was worth $15,000 and a portable fishing cabin, all detailed inside, that was worth $6,000,” he said. And we had over $22,000 worth of prizes just for the fish. This year we’re at $23,500 for fish prizes.”
Prizes this year include a 2024 Ski-Doo Expedition 900 Ace and a Sport Shack Ice Shack.
In addition to online registration, people can still register by picking up a form at one of 28 different outlets in The County. Bernier said on Monday that he has about 1,400 registration forms circulating the area.
“We’re pretty much saturated everywhere,” he said.
Looking ahead, Bernier said they’re hoping the weather cooperates.
“We always pray for good weather,” he said. “We’ve only had one year where we were close to pulling the plug, but then we got some cold weather. We just need ice. It can be 30 below and people are gonna show up; but we need ice.”
