Tickets are on sale for the 23rd annual Park Rapids American Legion Fishing Derby.
And best of all, it marks the return of the ice-fishing contest to Fish Hook Lake.
Unsafe ice conditions forced the cancellation of the 2020 fishing derby – for only the second time in the event’s history. COVID-19 restrictions meant there wasn’t a contest in 2021 either.
“The newest turn of events is we found good ice here,” contest organizer Dave Hanson reported from Fish Hook Lake on Sunday.
Slushy conditions had forced some fishing houses off the lake, but Hanson said dry ice was discovered off and away from the road to and from the public access.
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“So they’re actually clearing the area today and we’re going to put some signs up just letting them know Feb. 5 is the derby,” he said. “It sounds like a certain ‘go’ for the derby out on the ice.”
Hanson said the sheriff will make the final determination whether ice is safe or not, but current ice depth is between 15 to 17 inches.
One ticket equals two chances
The $40 ticket is available at American Legion Post 212, from Legion members and from authorized vendors.
Tickets also can be ordered through mail. A check or money order may be sent to the American Legion, ATTN: Fishing Derby, P.O. Box 143, Park Rapids, MN 56470. Along with your check, include a note with a name, address and phone number for each ticket. The stub part of the ticket will be filled in for you and your ticket will be mailed to you.
Tickets are limited to 5,000. They will be sold on the ice until the tournament begins.
“Ticket sales rebounded nicely. We’re actually only about 57 tickets behind last year’s sale at this time,” Hanson said. “We hope they continue to take off. Of course, costs are up, especially from over three years ago, so we have to sell more tickets in order to break even now.”
Hanson said they hope to repeat last year’s sales, where only a handful of tickets remained. “It was essentially a sell-out,” he said.
Unlike other fishing contests, each ticket at the Park Rapids event provides a chance to win both fishing awards and raffle prizes.
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A limited number of “extra hole” tickets will be sold on the ice for $10 each.
Three grand prizes
More than $125,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded.
Cash prizes range from $5,000 to $100 for the 10 biggest fish in each of four divisions – bluegill, sunfish and crappie; northern, walleye and largemouth bass; perch; and rock bass.
Grand prize, for the 20th-largest contest fish caught, is an Ice Castle fish house provided by Smokey Hills Outdoor Store.
In the raffle, the grand prize is a $30,000 gift certificate to Park Rapids Ford. The Legion and Up North Sports teamed up to offer a gift certificate for Polaris side-by-side as well.
The fishing contest is open from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 on Fish Hook Lake, with the winners of 71 raffle prizes being announced at 3:30 p.m. on the ice.
There will be a warming tent. Portable fish houses are not allowed.
Boy Scouts will provide refreshments, along with Blue Line BBQ and Three Bears Food Truck.
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Sons of the American Legion will serve breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. on Feb. 5 at the legion, followed by a Post 212 Auxiliary fundraiser lunch beginning at 11 a.m.
Official results of the fishing contest will be announced at 5 p.m. the Park Rapids American Legion. The event wraps up with the Fisherman’s Ball at 8 p.m., featuring the Midbros, a live acoustic band.
“They know how to play just about anything. They put their own sound to a lot of it – anything from the classic rock area they have covered. They have new songs in their repertoire, too,” Hanson said.
For official tournament rules, a full list of prizes or other information, visit parkrapidsamericanlegion.com or call 218-732-3360.
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Ice-fishing derby returns to Fish Hook Lake - Park Rapids Enterprise
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