Free chili, prizes, a raffle and fish in a variety of species and sizes marked the Island Lake Lions Club’s annual ice fishing derby fundraiser.
The fishing took place Saturday on Island Lake, with the headquarters at Eastway Park.
Hourly prizes were handed out for the longest fish in categories of largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill and perch. Separate awards were given in the children and adult divisions.
Mary Clark of Woodstock and her group of a half-dozen friends were among the participants. While fishing during the morning, they cooked a pot of venison chili, grilled burgers and served a barbecued pheasant for lunch.
Clark said the fishing was good too.
“Early this morning, we got a lot of flags popping up and we got a lot (of fish),” Clark said. “Our biggest bass was 15 inches.”
Club Secretary Geoff Zivic says the derby usually draws around 100 participants. After the derby, an awards and raffle ceremony was held at 3-D Bowl that included free chili courtesy of 3-D’s Jerry DeLaurentis.
The Lions Club is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping the vision and hearing-impaired. All of the proceeds from the fishing derby goes back into the community, organizers said.
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