Ice conditions on Maine’s lakes and ponds have been unpredictable at best, and often very dangerous.
Numerous snowmobiles and ATVs, and at least one truck, have broken through the ice. One such incident ended in a death.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife urges people to be careful and check ice depths every few feet to be safe.
A handful of ice fishing derbies were either canceled or modified, but there has been enough ice on many of the lakes and ponds for the annual contests to proceed. Saturday and Sunday saw more than a dozen, the biggest weekend yet.
There are a few coming up this weekend too, and many of them focus on giving kids a chance to fish and earn prizes.
Traps for Kids ice fishing derby will be held from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at Lake Pennesseewassee (Norway Lake). $20 for people ages 16 and older; free to kids. A Maine guide will be available to teach kids to ice fish. Traps for Kids have 100 traps to give away. Cash prizes. Registration starts at 5:30 a.m.
Mt. Tir’em Youth Ice Fishing Derby will be held from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, with weigh-in on Keoka Lake in Waterford. Fish from all legal lakes and ponds in Maine qualify. Tickets are $10 per child with a $40 family cap ages 18 and under. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be available at Keoka beach until 10 a.m. Saturday. It benefits Harrison/Waterford P.T.O.
The Norway/Paris Fish and Game Association derby will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, with weigh-in at the clubhouse at 744 Buckfield Road, South Paris. Fish from all legal lakes and ponds in Maine qualify. Derby tickets are $1. Raffle.
The AJ Davis Memorial Fishing Derby will be held from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, on Shaker Pond in Alfred. Adults $20. Kids $10. Cash and other prizes. Raffle.
The Brady Nickerson Foundation annual Family Fishing Derby will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, on Mattanawcook Lake in Lincoln. Registration is at Prince Thomas Park. Adults $10. Kids free.
The third annual Chemo Pond Frost “Bite” Fishing Derby will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, in Clifton to benefit the Chemo Pond Lake Association, which works to protect and preserve the pond. Entry fee is $5. Cash, prizes and raffle. Registration and weigh-in on Scotts Point Road off Route 9.
Wiscasset Rod and Gun Club’s free youth ice fishing derby for kids ages 15 and under will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, on all legal lakes and ponds in Maine, with weigh-in from 3 to 6 p.m. at the clubhouse, 794 Gardiner Road, Wiscasset. Cash and door prizes.
The 13th annual Sebec Lake Ice Fishing Derby sponsored by the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department will be held Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25. Tickets are one for $3 and two for $5. Prizes.
Jack Traps Youth Ice Fishing Derby will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, on Cochnewagon Pond in Monmouth. Free for kids 12 and under. There is no competition, just a chance for kids to do some ice fishing. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stocks the pond with brook trout for the kids. Prizes.
The Goodall second annual Family Fishing Derby sponsored by the Richmond Booster Club will be held from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, on Woodbury Pond in Litchfield. Entry fee $5. Youth and adult categories. Weigh-in will be at 120 Whippoorwill Road. Raffle.
The 25th annual Dickie LeMont Take-a-Kid-Fishing family fishing derby will be held from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, in legal fishing waters in Sagadahoc County. Weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at the Phippsburg Sportsmen’s Association, 272 Main Road.
