CADILLAC — Ice fishing enthusiasts will have no shortage of opportunities to show off their skills this weekend, with multiple competitions scheduled in the area.
On Friday, Pizza Plus is sponsoring a speed fishing tournament at 4 p.m
Fishing will take place for one hour and every 10 minutes, the whistle will blow and the participants will go to a new hole clockwise. Line and bait only. No electronics allowed.
The biggest fish in length takes 100% payout.
The cost to enter is $25 and there will be a limit of 25 participants. Participants must register before noon on February 3rd. Sign up at Pilgrim Village Fishing Shop or Pizza Plus.
The venue will be determined closer to the tournament date.
On Saturday, the North American Snow Festival will hold its annual ice fishing competition.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for under 17s. Participants must register at the Pilgrim Village Fishing Shop prior to the event.
Fish must be caught in either Lake Cadillac or Lake Mitchell on February 4th between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm All Michigan fishing laws and regulations apply to this contest.
Prizes will be awarded for the largest northern pike, walleye, bluegill (sunfish), crappie and perch. Winners are determined by length. Any ties will be decided by weight. If the weight is tied, the winner will be decided by a coin toss. The judges’ decisions are final.
Officials will not accept any fish with sunken eyes, freezer burn or suspected to have been caught before February 4th. Participants must bring the catch to Fox Motors in Cadillac. The measurement will start at 14:00 and end at 15:30
All registered participants will be entered into prize draws whether they catch a fish or not. One prize per person. Participants should be at Fox Motors in Cadillac for the drawing at 3:30 p.m
Also this weekend, the Department of Natural Resources will host a hard water fishing school. The event will be held February 4-5 at Mitchell State Park.
The class will cover how to set up equipment and how, where and when to fish, ice safety and rules and regulations. The focus of this class will be panfish, walleye and pike techniques.
Participants will spend the first day preparing, setting up rods and learning what they need to know on the ice this year. On the second day, which is optional, the participants will spend the day fishing. There will be a warm-up hut, auger and a few huts (available on a first-come, first-served basis), but participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment if possible. Encourage the whole family to come.
Weather conditions will dictate ice activities, and they may be held indoors.
The cost of the class is $40, which includes one-on-one instruction, lunch on Saturday and Sunday, bait and a goodie bag.
To register for this class, go to Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses and click on the “Buy a License” button. Log in (using your username and password or your ID and date of birth) and find the class under the Outdoor Skills Academy tab.
For more information, contact Edward Shaw at (231) 779-1321 or [email protected]