More than 500 ice fishers flock to derby on Bangs Lake in Wauconda
For the first time in the event's 11-year history, more than 500 fishers flocked to Bangs Lake in Wauconda Saturday for the Lake View Villa Association ice fishing derby.
The derby, which raises money for a local veterans group, set a high last year with 446 registered fishers, then exceeded it this year. The ice anglers headed out onto the surface of the lake to pitch tents and drill their holes as early as 4 a.m., according to association President Chuck Black.
Michael Rodgers, one of the event's co-founders along with U.S. Navy veteran Ryan Jacobsen, had his base of operations set up well before anyone else. Rodgers lives near the lake and has built himself what he calls a cabin atop a modified pontoon boat - which is complete with a bar, a heater, two flat screen TVs and a surplus of fishing gear. He said he leaves it on the lake in the winter so the water freezes around it.
On the morning of the derby, volunteers mixed up Bloody Marys and mimosas in the cabin for the ice fishers, the proceeds of which went to McHenry-based TLS Veterans. The group's executive director, Laura Franz, said the event gives their organization around $10,000 annually, mostly through registration fees and the 50/50 raffle. Franz said the money is used to give veterans a hand in securing housing, finding a job and forming a community.
The ice was solid on Saturday. Rodgers said the event usually is held in late January but there wasn't nearly enough ice on the lake then this year. The object is to catch the longest fish in one of five species: northern pike, bass, crappies, perch and bluegill.
The warmer-than-usual weather gave fishers a break from bitter cold but did make traversing the slippery ice a bit trickier. Black said the best advice for trodding the frozen lake was to try to find snow to walk on, but the sun melted more and more of that precious resource away as the morning went on.
That was no issue for the many people who brought ATVs or snowmobiles onto the lake to speed around on. Similarly unaffected were those who brought ice skates so they could play hockey.
"It's about taking advantage of the lake," Rodgers said, watching as a group of boys hauled a hockey net out the window of his cabin during a brief respite in his busy morning.
The first year of the event saw just 38 fishermen take part. Rodgers said it's been great to watch it grow over the years.
"I always say when it starts to feel like work we'll be done with it," Rodgers said, as voices squawked on the walkie-talkie attached to his hip. "But I still enjoy taking days off to set up."