The Brechin and District Lions Club is set to host its second annual Ice Fishing Derby next month.
Last year, the derby was sidelined due to the pandemic, but organizer Derrick Patrick is pushing through this year to get anglers back out on Lake Simcoe for Saturday, Feb. 19. The first derby saw 105 participants; they helped raise $6,000 for the Lions Club.
“The money goes to anybody in need. We help those who need the help. This is a not-for-profit event. Everything we raise goes right back into the community,” Patrick said.
“We put money towards Soldiers' Memorial Hospital. We also have an obligation for five years to the Mariosa Hospice that was built in (Severn). We also help youth soccer, baseball, Brechin Public School, Foley Catholic School, Uptergrove Public School and Rama Central Public School.”
Patrick says fundraising events have been hampered during the pandemic, making it tough for the Lions Club to support the local groups and organizations who need it.
“We haven’t been able to have any of our fundraisers. We usually have a golf tournament and that raises quite a bit of money, but for the last two years, we haven’t had it,” he said.
“I don’t know how some of the Legions and churches are surviving because it’s been really tough.”
The derby will conclude with a dinner and prizes if restrictions will allow for it, but if not, Patrick says the event will still be fun and safe for families to participate in.
“You are outside, and most huts only hold one or two people. You can also fish outside as most people do,” he said.
“The event is also on Family Day weekend, so you don’t need a fishing licence. It’s open to anybody. This is a good opportunity to get into the sport, and once you hook onto a fish, you will be hooked for life.”
Patrick has been ice fishing since his grandfather took him out as a little kid. He says catching a fish is one of the best feelings in the world.
Weigh-ins will be held at 5 p.m. at Brechin Point. The top prize is $1,500 in cash for the first-, second- and third-place finishers on the whitefish side and lake trout side.
There will also be a prize table and a cash bar. The event costs $45 and people can register at Brechin Feed Mill, Brechin Point Ice Hut Rentals, Brechin Timber Mart or by calling Patrick at 705-340-1082.
“I just want people to show up, enjoy the day, pray for nice weather, and even if restrictions aren’t lifted for the indoor events, know that we will make it work outside somehow,” Patrick said.
