Northern Pike Challenge set for Saturday

WADDINGTON — This weekend as many as 1,000 anglers may descend upon the St. Lawrence River on Saturday for the sixth annual St. Lawrence River Walleye Association Northern Pike Challenge.

Last year’s tournament included nearly 750 anglers and with the addition of even more prizes, Association President Michael J. Gagner said he’s hoping to have even more anglers for this year’s event.

“This year we’ve added an extra $6,0000 prize,” he said.

A 2012 Polaris Sportsman ATV will be awarded to one of the tourney’s participants.

In addition to the ATV, Mr. Gagner said, the association has more than $10,000 in door prizes to be awarded at Sandy Beach at the close of the tournament. Sandy Beach will also serve as the tournament’s headquarters and will host “The Grub Tub” concession stand for the duration of the tournament from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

People wishing to register Saturday morning may do so from 3 to 7 a.m. at the Louisville fire hall.

Mr. Gagner said registration is $35 for adults, with a youth division for children up to 15. Registration is $5 for children competing in the youth division.

The largest fish caught will receive a free mount courtesy of Nature’s Trophies, the largest walleye caught will net its captor $100 and a $50 prize will go to whoever shows up at Sandy Beach Saturday afternoon with the wackiest hat. Prizes will be awarded starting at 4 p.m. at Sandy Beach.

Fishing spots include Wilson Hill, Coles Creek, Fobare’s Pond and Brandy Brook, a site that is replacing Sucker Brook due to unsafe ice conditions there.

“Those are the only sites that are open at this time,” Mr. Gagner said. “We don’t have the ice we normally have, but where there is ice, there’s lots of it.”

Mr. Gagner said the addition of Fobare’s Pond gives the tournament the space to accommodate a nearly unlimited number of anglers.

“There’s three miles of water along Fobare’s Pond with easy access,” Mr. Gagner said. “There’s plenty of fishable waters with plenty of fish.”

This year the Association will also host about 50 soldiers from Fort Drum, with about a dozen of them “wounded warriors.”

Mr. Gagner said Walleye Association member Dan Andreuss has donated 100 tip-ups for the soldiers to use.

“Basically he’s setting up a camp on the ice for the soldiers and their families to use that day,” he said.

A special prize that will be available only to members of Fort Drum’s contingent has also been donated by Don Lucas of Muskie Magic, who has donated a half-day fishing charter.

Anglers who would like to register in advance may do so in Massena at the Ale House or Massena Bait & Tackle; in Waddington at Nature’s Trophies or Green Machine Bait and Tackle; in Lisbon at Sandy’s Custom Tackle; and in Black Lake at Chapman’s Sports Shop.

For further information, please contact Mr. Gagner at 384-3450 and for a complete list of rules visit www.stlawrenceriverwalleyeassociation.com.