Hearty anglers brave cold for ice fishing on Bangs Lake

At least two dozen people endured the Tuesday morning cold and gloom to venture out onto frozen Bangs Lake in Wauconda to drill holes in the 7-inch thick ice and hope for the fish to start biting soon.

"There are at least a hundred fishermen out here on weekends. I only fish it probably a couple of times a year," said Guy Seno, of Grayslake. Seno said he decided to go to the lake Tuesday at the prompting of some friends from church.

When asked about the cold weather, he said the ice fishing shacks "are built pretty good for wind resistance, and if you been doing it for awhile, your body becomes accustomed to the cold."

Bangs Lake will be the site of the Lake View Villa Association's 6th Annual Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday, Jan. 31. Saturday, Feb. 14 is the "bad ice" backup day.

The LVVA Ice Fishing Derby, which supports wounded veterans, has become one of the largest and most successful ice fishing derbies in northeastern Illinois. Fishing begins at 7 a.m., with registration beginning at 5 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest northern, bass, crappie, bluegill and perch.

For more information on the fishing derby, visit www.lvvaicefishingderby.com/.