MAYFIELD - With the limit of 1,500 contestants signed up before Christmas, the fourth annual Walleye Challenge Ice Fishing Derby took place Saturday on the Great Sacandaga Lake in spite of warm temperatures and some standing water.
"There's plenty of ice on the lake," organizer Lou Stutzke said. "With from nine to 12 inches everywhere, it's safe for four-wheelers and snowmobiles. You just need to stay away from moving water."
Groups of fishermen, ice shanties and recreational vehicles could be seen scattered across the Mayfield to Broadalbin sides of the lake, which was lit up with sunshine and little wind throughout the morning and into the afternoon.
"It's actually great weather for it," Mayfield Mayor Jamie Ward said at the Broadalbin boat launch weigh-in station.
Stutzke was busy at the station, calculating the weight of incoming fish. The fish were hauled in five-gallon buckets with lids so the live catches could be released back into the lake.
"By noon we've already recorded more fish caught than any prior year for the complete day," Stutzke said.
Fulton County Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry member Glen Henry was busy with raffles and organization at Lanzi's on the Lake where the other weigh-in station was located. He said by the afternoon, the count recorded by fishermen was more than 200 caught and released.
"This is our leading year for the number of fish caught," Henry said. "We've got contestants from eight states and as far away as Indiana and Maryland."
He said all but two fish caught had been returned to the lake alive to swim another day.
At the Mayfield weigh-in station, Linda Dumblewski and her niece, Tiffany Dumblewski, said they were glad they set up a hot dog cart.
"My aunt's special meat sauce was a big hit today," Tiffany said.
Lou Ritz of Mayfield was on his way in from the lake with a fish that wouldn't be going back in the lake. Ritz said he won the sixth hour of fishing with a 3-pound, 10 oz. catch. He said he thought the four-pounder he had in his bucket might also be an hourly winner, but it hadn't been announced at that time.
"Either way, I'm going to have it mounted," he said.
Ritz and his friend, Al Rajter of Fort Johnson, said they come every year to fish the contest.
Becky Burden was with her son, Jacob, were on the Broadalbin side of the lake where the 16-year-old boy had set up his ice shanty Friday morning and slept the night to be ready for the contest and have his area all staked out.
"I built the shanty myself," Jacob said. "I bought the camper bottom for $75 and built the [housing] last summer."
Becky had entered the contest as well, but decided with the rain and standing water she wasn't as eager to actually fish, so she was just there to support her son.
In the same group of Broadalbin youth near Jacob's shanty, Zachary Porter, 18, also of Broadalbin, said he was "fishing for Nessy," a reference to the famous Loch Ness monster.
Porter said he had caught a couple of Northern Pike, a walleye and a perch. He said he hadn't signed up in time to be in the walleye contest.
"I'm one of the 600 on the waiting list," he said. "So I signed up for the Federation contest."
Complimenting the Walleye challenge this year, the Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation decided to piggy-back on the Walleye contest with $1,500 in cash prizes for the largest pike, perch and trout caught during the day.
Acting Director of the chamber, Terry A. Swierzowski, said a fisherman who entered both contests would be able to put his catch in for a possible prize in one of the contests for almost any species caught.
