Maine
Maine ice fishing derbies are being canceled because the ice isn’t safe
Most of Maine barely has any snow to benefit from the outdoor — and including insult to damage is the restricted quantity of protected ice on lots of the state’s lakes and ponds forcing the cancellation of native ice fishing derbies.
Up to now this winter, heat temperatures and a major pre-Christmas rainstorm have been instrumental in slowing the formation of ice in lots of areas of Maine.
The state is experiencing a heat stretch, together with December temperatures in Bangor that had been 5 levels hotter than common. The shortage of ice and snow is disrupting an iconic season of derbies, together with actions like snowmobiling, Nordic snowboarding and pond skating.
In an try to draw early season anglers, some organizations schedule ice fishing derbies beginning in mid-January. There may be much less competitors than in February, when quite a few occasions are scheduled throughout the state.
Nonetheless, earlier derbies additionally run the danger of falling sufferer to unsafe ice circumstances.
The sixth Oak Hill Pike Derby, which had been slated for Feb. 4 on Sabattus Lake, has been canceled. That derby serves as a fundraiser for co-curricular actions at Oak Hill Excessive College in Wales.
“It’s unlucky we needed to cancel it for the climate,” mentioned Amy Raymond, president of the Oak Hill Excessive College Booster Membership. “That is such a giant fundraiser for our membership. We’re at the moment wanting into different fundraisers that we may do to usher in some cash.”
Raymond, who can see Sabattus Lake from her dwelling, mentioned Wednesday there are seen areas of open water. A Saturday forecast that features heavy rain and temperatures approaching 50 levels are anticipated to make issues worse.
“It’s simply unlucky that Mom Nature was not in our favor,” Raymond mentioned.
Canceling the derby means the Oak Hill Excessive College Booster Membership seemingly received’t be capable of do as a lot to assist its college students, which beforehand has included the acquisition of recent uniforms and gear for his or her sports activities groups.
“Prior to now we’ve made near $40,000,” Raymond mentioned. “It has gone down a bit, nevertheless it’s nonetheless value doing it.”
The membership is refunding the tickets which have already been bought.
The Dexter Fish and Recreation Affiliation has pulled the plug on its annual ice fishing derby, which was scheduled for Jan. 14-15, due to unsafe ice circumstances on Lake Wassookeag.
The membership is hoping that people who deliberate to take part within the ice fishing derby will as an alternative take into account shopping for tickets for his or her raffle objects. Among the many issues up for grabs are 10 totally different firearms and a crossbow.
Tickets for the gun and crossbow raffle are $10 every or six for $50, whereas tickets for the non-firearms raffle price $5 apiece. Members shall be promoting tickets on Friday and once more from 9 a.m. to five p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Lakeshore Restaurant in Dexter. Tickets additionally can be found at Pond View Sports activities in Dexter.
The Youth Ice Fishing Derby scheduled for Saturday on Lake St. George in Liberty additionally has been canceled as a result of unsafe ice circumstances.
The Icefishforkids Horne Pond Derby in Limington has been postponed till Feb. 11. That occasion advantages the Standish Fish and Recreation Membership and the Bonny Eagle Backpack Program.
As of Wednesday, organizers had been nonetheless planning to maneuver ahead with the North Anson Snowmobile Membership derby scheduled for Saturday on Sandy Pond in Embden and the Operation Reboot OutDoors derby set for Jan. 21 at Nice Pond.