The 11th Annual Lake Hanska Ice Fishing Derby begins with registration at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 31 at Geiger Landing, near the intersection of County Roads 10 and 20 and 240th Avenue, Lake Hanska Township.

The contest raises funds for the Hanska Fire and Rescue Relief Association. It begins at 11 a.m. and continues to 3 p.m. Prizes will be awarded in multiple fishing categories including walleye, pan fish and largest fish. More than $16,500 in cash prizes will be drawn. Brats, hot dogs and other food and beverages will be available. Visit the 11th Annual Fire Dept Ice Fishing Tournament on Facebook for more information.

Hanska Fire Chief Mikale Gustafson said this year’s calendar is the reason Hanska and Sleepy Eye ice fishing contests are on the same weekend.

“We’ve always said our fishing contest is the last weekend in January. Sleepy Eye’s contest has been on the first weekend of February,” said Gustafson. “I don’t think it will affect us much. I think most people will continue to support the ice fishing tournaments like they have in the past. We have about 16 inches of ice now on most of the lake. We plan to have a fire pit near our large tent on shore.”

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Sleepy Eye Sportsman's Club members are pictured with the fishing derby grand prize, an Ice Castle Fish House. Members from left are Larry Hansen, Sam Domeier and Chris Krenz.

Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club member Sam Domeier urged fishing derby participants to wear ice cleats to help them deal with slippery lake ice.

Contest registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Fishing begins at noon and continues to 3 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their ice augers.

Cash prizes will be given for the three largest fish in six categories plus trophies.

He talked about three fish houses that went into the lake earlier this winter.

“They pulled one (fish house) out. The spot where it went in is marked with signs so nobody drives near it. There was 10 or 11 inches of ice in that area when we drilled two days ago,” Domeier said Wednesday. “You can see the other two fish houses that went in (the lake). One is near the fish house that was pulled out. The other is on the south side of the lake. We had very good ice out there this year, 13 to 17 inches now. The (boat) landing is solid. It’s open to all traffic. People can bring permanent houses and drive on the lake. Just be aware of the thin ice signs were the house was pulled out.”

He urged people to remember that ice is never 100% safe.

Domeier thanked all the volunteers and businesses that support the fishing derby that is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club. Proceeds go to local parks and lakes projects.

For more information, visit the Sleepy Eye Sportsman’s Club Facebook page and listen to 89.1 FM near the lake.