Big Prizes, Little Houses and Big Fish at the Wawa Ice Fishing Derby

At the Wawa Ice Fishing Derby, anglers can turn big catches into big prizes.

Better yet, says Nick Veldt, derby organizers can turn derby entries into funding for local groups.

Wheelchairs, patient lifts and audio conferencing equipment are just a few of the medical items funded. “We have purchased various items for the local hospital,” says Nick, who serves on the derby board.

Derby proceeds have paid for new equipment for the Wawa Minor Hockey League and for the Wawa Volunteer Fire Department equipment, including $6,000 to buy a new ice rescue sled.

Up to 1,300 participants can pay the $135 fee to enter the derby, which offers well over $100,000 in prizes. This year there are prizes for the top 10 lake trout and top 10 whitefish. Prizes include Polaris Ranger 4x4 UTVs, MirroCraft 16-foot boats with motor and trailer, Polaris 550 snowmobiles and LG brand 47-inch flat-screen TVs. There are also drawings for $500 cash prizes and for a 2014 Dodge Ram 4x4 truck. Fishing is done on Wawa, Hawk and Manitowik lakes.

“It’s a huge boost for the local economy,” Nick says, noting that anglers come from Thunder Bay, Quebec, Toronto, Ohio and many are from Michigan’s U.P. And it’s hard to find lodging the weekend of the derby. There are people who book their rooms a year in advance.

Some people head to Wawa even before the weekend of the fishing derby. “We do have people who will start coming to town two or three weekends before the derby to start fishing and find the good spots,” Nick says. “Last year, we had 52 percent of our participants come from over 50 kilometres (31 miles) away.”

Anglers can warm up at the Saturday night dance with live music at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Center, but they’ll still be on ice. The dance floor is plywood laid over the hockey arena’s ice surface.

Wawa Ice Fishing Derby, March 4-6. 888-290-FISH (3474). www.wawaicefishingderby.com