Ice Fishing Goes Full Tilt on Lake Ripple

It was a great day to be out on the lake on Saturday. Outdoor winter fun was easy to find on Lake Ripple as people of all ages came out for the Second Annual Lake Ripple Ice Fishing Derby put on by the Delisle Goulet American Legion Post 92.

American Legion board member John Bassett of Grafton has organized the event for the past two years.

“It's a lot of fun, the fishermen get to compete and the kids have a great time,” he said.

The ice was safe for the event on Saturday due to the consistently cold temperatures. Fishermen kept an eye on their tilts while they warmed themselves by fires and cooked up lunch on portable grills.

Participants brought other things to do while fishing. Many brought their dogs, some brought Frisbees and a few were chipping golf balls around the lake. Some of the kids built snow forts on the lake using five-gallon buckets.

Grafton resident Harry Mayer helps run the event.

“We have 65 people attending the event this year, we had 63 last year,” he said. The winner of last year's event brought home first prize by pulling up a 4.8-pound bass. “The winning fish was caught right at 2 p.m.,” said Mayer. "At the very end of the derby.”

 Mayer's son Jeff, 15, was excited about the event and had been catching fish all day.

“I've caught three pickerel so far and almost had another on the line but it got away,” he said.

Lake Ripple is filled mostly with pickerel but fishermen do occasionally catch bass.

 Mike Kenney of Sutton and his eight-year-old son Owen had some great success at the derby. Owen put himself in the lead at one point when he caught a 3.4 pound bass.

 “He's been fishing since he was three years old, this is his first tournament,” said Kenney. "And he's doing it all himself: setting the hooks, securing the tilts, and pulling up the fish.”

Although he caught some pretty big fish, Owen was hoping for more.

 “I keep getting hits from another bass, it must be four and a half pounds at least,” he said.

 The derby seemed to be just as much about the food as the fishing. Many people made a day of it: breakfast from the grill with eggs, hash browns, sausage, and bacon, and lunch with burgers and hot dogs, bratwurst and beer.

 The entry fee for the derby was $15. Proceeds from the derby benefit the Post Scholarship Fund.

 “The prizes are determined by the number of entries,” said Bassett. "Last year's first prize winner brought home $225.”

 The prizes were awarded at the Delisle Goulet Post 92 American Legion after the derby. The Legion also provided food for the fishermen at the end of the day. There was a raffle and door prizes for the participants as well.