The wind was blowing, but that didn't stop the fishermen and women from heading out to the 18th Annual Jackfish Lake Ice Fishing Derby Saturday. For the first time in 18 years, all the prizes were claimed at the event, including the bonus prize of $100,000 sponsored by Norsask Farm Equipment and a $50,000 shopping spree at Battleford Furniture. Leaving the Battlefords Provincial Park with the prizes was Terence Grams of Lloydminster. He reeled in a northern pike tipping the scale at 11.55 lbs. Along with the cash and shopping spree, Grams won the grand prize, a Vectra pontoon boat, sponsored by Sylvester RV and Princecraft.
Although Grams took the grand prize and bonus prizes, Dale Gerbrandt of Meadow Lake, like many other fishermen, didn't go home empty handed. Gerbrandt captured the second place prize of a Polaris Ranger and trailer by catching a northern pike weighing in at 7.85 lbs. Leo Brassard won the Polaris quad and trailer for third place with a northern pike weighing 7.35 pounds. The fourth place prize of a 55" Panasonic 3D TV went to Alan Larode with his six-pound northern pike. Sage Knot, a junior fisherman, won the ultimate ice fishing package for fifth place. His fish weighed in at 5.25 lbs. Syklar Noltcko and Jerry Bankswon won 50" Panasonic HD TVs with fish weighing just over five pounds each.
There were 43 other prizes handed out for fish including Jiffy Model 30 ice augers, Aqua View cameras, ice fishing tents, 3D Blu-ray players, Hawkeye handheld sonars, Tru North smokers, Zebco fishing reels, trail cameras, camp stoves, Coleman heaters, Coleman lanterns, Nautilus life vests and Plano gear bags.
The Battlefords North Stars players and volunteers drilled 2,500 holes this year and nearly 200 fish were caught and registered, people from across western Canada once again gathered at one of the most popular ice fishing derbies in the area.
