Jaycees ice fishing derby set for Saturday
By Jason Arndt
Editor
Featuring music and raffles, the eighth annual Off the Hook Ice Fishing Derby, which is set for Saturday at Fischer Park on Browns Lake features something for everyone.
The fishing derby, hosted by the Burlington Jaycees, has attracted hundreds of participants in previous years, according to member Joe Mangelsdorf.
“About 250-300 people throughout the day come,” he said. “Some people just come in for the raffles after the fishing derby is done.”
While derby costs $5 to enter, proceeds from the event will benefit several charitable organizations and initiatives in the community, Mangelsdorf said.
The fishing derby runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with raffle drawings to follow at around 2 p.m.
Participants who finish first and second place in catching bass, northern pike and walleye will receive awards.
According to rules, all fish entered must meet legal requirements, and have to be alive to register in the derby.
For those seeking a raffle prize, according to Mangelsdorf, about $3,000 in items will be awarded on Saturday.
Prizes include a 50/50 raffle and three gun raffles.
The annual event, which is held regardless of the weather, will also offer food, beer, meat raffles and music in a 2,400-square-foot heated tent on the Fischer Park boat launch.
“They should expect to be dressed for the weather,” Mangelsdorf said. “We do have a heated tent, and it will be about 20 degrees outside, we can get the tent up to around 40 degrees.”
Chief fundraiser
Burlington Jaycees, which is a not-for-profit organization, conducts two major fundraisers annually, including the fishing derby.
The other event is the craft fair held during ChocolateFest.
“Those are our two big fundraisers throughout the year that we are able to take that money and donate it back to the community,” Mangelsdorf said. “Proceeds go to numerous things that we do. We donate to various charities.”
One community event, he said, is Safety Town.
Safety Town is a program that involves several city agencies and teaches children about personal safety.
“We also put on Safety Town, which is for kids entering kindergarten, and is a fairly large thing in Burlington with the police involved.”
Safety Town, he said, also teaches children about road safety and stranger danger.
Other community organizations that benefit from the Jaycees efforts include the Burlington Community Aquatic Center.
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