Team Busily Preparing 2nd Edition of Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby

By JEN LYNDS; OF THE NEWS STAFF

ST. AGATHA – Now that snow is more prevalent in Aroostook County and with colder temperatures predicted to move into the region, the organizing committee behind the Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby is working diligently to put together the second annual event.

This year’s expanded derby is expected to draw anglers and fishing enthusiasts from throughout the region.

Organizers are looking to double the number of anglers from last year’s 300 to 600. It also has enlarged the fishing area to include Cross, Square and Eagle lakes. During its inaugural year, the derby was held exclusively on Long Lake. The added togue category also is new this year.

The derby officially begins at 12:01 a.m. Feb 3 for cusk fishing, and daylight opens the salmon, togue and brook trout categories. The derby wraps up Feb. 4.

Paul Bernier, the derby chairman, had just returned from a fishing trip on Long Lake and said that a blizzard of registrants was signing up for the event.

“We have about 50 registrations so far, but we definitely expect more now that the weather is more favorable and it is getting colder,” he said Monday afternoon. “There is about 6 inches of solid ice on the lake.”

The event is co-sponsored by the town of St. Agatha and The Black Bear Rod & Gun Club. The Long Lake Sporting Club in Sinclair will serve as the base camp and weigh station for the event.

A portion of this year’s proceeds will again be donated to the Edgar J. Paradis Cancer Fund, which is administered by Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent.

The committee has doubled the prize money from last year. A $3,000 cash prize has been offered to be split among the top heaviest fish in each category.

In addition to cash prizes, several area businesses have donated merchandise to be raffled off as door prizes for those registered. A special youth category prize will be awarded to the young fisherman who catches the heaviest fish during the derby.

Registration forms are available throughout Aroostook County, from Houlton to St. Francis, and also are available through the town of St. Agatha Web site at www.stagatha.com/ derby.asp.

The preregistration deadline is 9 p.m. Feb. 2, while Saturday and Sunday registrations will be accepted only at the Long Lake Sporting Club.

For more information or to request materials, call Bernier at the St. Agatha town office at 543-7305, or send e-mail to pbernier@adelphia.net.

(c) 2007 Bangor Daily News. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.