The second part of the Pelican Lake ice fishing derby will take place today – that’s for the kids and youth who couldn’t make it to last weekend’s derby in Ninette.
Changes to Manitoba’s ownership limits have prompted the planning committee to add a new App to aid in both registration and the recording of fish species and sizes.
Manitoba’s new restriction rules mandate anglers not to have walleye over 21 ½ inches, or northern pike over 29 ½ inches. The reason is that these larger fish are the female egg-layers that keep the fish population healthy. So, to reduce their stress, the fish are returned to the water as soon as possible.
The Secretary Treasurer for the Healthy Lake Committee, Charlotte McConnell, said that the Fish Donkey App works well for registered fishermen, however it is difficult to have children involved in the process because children traditionally participate in competition For free.
Having their kids derby this weekend made sense!
“Because of the Fish Donkey App and the way it works, it wasn’t easy to have a youth division that we usually have with the paid division, because kids fish for free. So, we moved the kids’ derby to a separate day, now.”
The billet was full as over 250 kids took to the open holes in the lake to land the biggest fish, to win the Grand Prize, the new kayak.
“We’re going to do the kids’ derby in a smaller area and we’ll be measuring the fish right at the ice fishing hole so there is no concerns about fish possession.”
Registration is full but people are welcome to come and watch the fun!
Visit the Healthy Lake Committee website for all the fishing results from both derbies as they are loaded and view the photos!
