Anglers head out Chain O' Lakes for a day on the ice

The sun shone brightly on the first day of the 56th annual Chain O' Lakes Fishing Derby and Winter Festival in Antioch. Though temperatures dipped to the single digits with a breeze menacing to push the windchill factor below zero, many anglers were out in force.

"Most people out there are die-hard fishermen and they'll fish in these conditions," said Leonard Dane, the vice president of the Northern Illinois Conservation Club, which sponsors the derby as its main fundraiser for the organization and its scholarship programs.

Dane couldn't say how many ice fishers were participating on Saturday since the derby encompasses the entire Chain O' Lakes system. Yet Dane said many competitors choose to fish on Channel Lake to be near derby headquarters on Turtle Beach.

In the NICC tent adjacent to the Thirsty Turtle bar and restaurant, ice fishers get their catches measured, purchase food and keep tallies on the competition. More than $4,000 in cash and prizes is available in 10 different categories, with overall and hourly contests for largest and "smallest" fish (for instance, a northern pike has to be a minimum of 24 inches to be considered).

"It is really family oriented," said Dane, highlighting the derby's kids' activities and the many raffle and auction prizes.

"I've been coming to this derby for 20 years," said John Styx of Ingleside, who brought along two grandsons, Jack and Gabriel Styx, for their third time ice fishing.

"I don't let them bring the iPad," Styx said. "The whole thing is to get them out on the ice. So many kids never get out of the house and this is a good opportunity."

"The sun makes a huge difference," said Kaylie Rettig of Antioch, part of a first-time derby party led by Mick Kaywood. He recently moved to the area and provided a makeshift shanty tent on the ice to keep his friends warm.

"We've got a propane heater going on in there, so it's not bad at all," Kaywood said. "We're not in it to win it, we're just having fun and hopefully we'll catch something."

Also enjoying the sunny conditions was the family of Mark and Debbie Artus of Lake Villa, who have been derby competitors for more than 30 years. Their 17-year-old son, Ryan, had an hourly "smallest" fish contender for when he caught a 25-inch northern pike sometime after 8 a.m.

"The only time we don't come out is when the ice isn't safe," Mark Artus said. "If we were in Wisconsin, you'd see people driving their trucks out on here."

The Chain O' Lakes Ice Fishing Derby and Winter Festival continues at 7 a.m. Sunday, with kids activities starting at 11 a.m. and the live auction at 3 p.m. Visit mynicc.org for more information.