Organizers and participants finished off the annual Lost Villages Ice Fishing Tournament with a bang on Feb. 10. After the awards presentation, everyone was welcomed to a bowl of hot chilli at O’Neil’s Pub. From left, Claude Colette, 1st prize Pike and Lunker winner Joey Lemire, 3rd prize Pike winner Gerry Lemire, Ron Thieroff and Mona Thieroff. Sawyer Helmer photo
Garry Barcier of Bonville has been fishing in the Lost Villages Ice Fishing Tournament for about five years. He was one of 209 registrants out on the ice, trying their luck and vying for the prizes. Sawyer Helmer photo
Kalynn Sawyer Helmer
Record Staff
INGLESIDE – The Lost Villages 11th annual Ice Fishing Tournament was held over the weekend on Hoople Bay in Ingleside. Organizers Claude Colette and Ron and Mona Thieroff did a wonderful job producing a day of good fun and competition.
There were a total of 209 registrants on the ice on Sat., Feb. 10, including younger children enjoying their first or second year of fishing in the tournament. Folks from the far reaches of the surrounding area participated in the event all vying for the significant prizes up for grabs. Winners from the tournament were as follows:
Pike: 1st-$1,000 Joey Lemire, 8.254 lbs; 2nd-$300 Jenna Whittaker, 7.459 lbs; and 3rd-$200 Gerry Lemire, 7.072 lbs.
Due to the fact that there were no pickerel caught during the tournament, prizes were drawn at random from all of the participants: 1st-$1,000 Matt Lalonde; 2nd-$300 Tony Tyo; and 3rd-$200 Kim Quesnel.
Perch: 1st-$500 Don Crowder, 1.349 lbs; 2nd-$200 Skyler Moxley, 0.947 lbs; and 3rd-$100 Marc Blanchard, 0.946 lbs.
The $500 early bird prize went to Daniel Vernier; $300–1st-place mystery weight was won by Nathan Dixon and $200–2nd-place mystery weight went to Cole Casselman.
The 50/50 hosted by the Lost Villages volunteers for $437 went to Bailey Pilon and the Lunker for the heaviest fish for $1,045 was awarded to Joey Lemire.
Other prizes awarded at the after party at O’Neil’s Pub included an O’Neil’s $50 gift certificate won by Todd Tysick, an Adventure Tours gift certificate for $100 won by Cindy Lamothe and $1,000 donated by Claude’s Hutt Rentals, O’Neil’s Pub and Ron and Mona, which was won by Mike Quinn.
During the fishing activities, the dedicated Lost Villages’ volunteers, South Stormont Deputy Mayor Tammy Hart, Gardiner Sage, Gord Summers, David Hill, Jim Moram and Don Hallberg, walked from hut to hut across Hoople Bay to collect funds for the 50/50. The other half of the funds will go to Lost Villages’ projects, the most recent of which is the construction of a palladium to host outdoor shows in almost any weather. Hill explained that saving for the palladium has begun and the project will hopefully get underway this year.
With another successful tournament under their belts, Colette and the Thieroffs will have some downtime before getting ready for the next tournament in 2019.
