Phone: (509) 826-0100
1-800-725-KOMW
Email: info@komw.net
Event Chair Robin Stice of Eden Valley Guest Ranch
The 13th Annual 2017 NW Ice Fishing Festival held on January 14, 2017 was well attended with the day dawning at about 0ºF and warming up to the high teens. We had 106 registered to compete and of those ten were youth 14 and under. Eighteen fish were caught in Sidley and Molson Lakes with a total of 36.3 pounds. When the RV to be used as the lake side office burned the night before the tournament, Judge Dan Lepley did not let his misfortune impact the event. He arranged to borrow one from Oroville Chamber President Clyde Andrews of the Camaray Motel. They managed to have the lake side office ready to go a few minutes after 8:00 am. The first fish came in seconds later.
The Oroville Sportsman Club maintains an aerator on the 20 acre Molson Lake every winter. More air will be available for other fish after Pete Valentine from Oroville, WA pulled out a five pound and 3 ounce rainbow to go with a brook trout of 9.9 ounces to win the 2017 Grand Prize at the NW Ice Fishing Festival. Pete's limit of 5-pounds 13-ounces won Grand Prize, which had a $1000 value with a $500 gift certificate from Country Store in Oroville and $500 from an anonymous donor. Pete Valentine actually had the very largest fish and the very smallest fish.
All other places in the tournament were for the weight of a single fish. Only one major place was allowed for each contestant. These were all caught on the 107 acre Sidley Lake where Pat Stice of Eden Valley Guest Ranch has been maintaining the aerator. The other Gold level sponsor was Oroville/Midway Building Supply. Silver Sponsors were Akins Harvest Foods in Oroville and OK Chevrolet in Tonasket. These and other sponsors provided some great prizes. The places with their awards were as follows:
Place and Award |
Participant |
Fish Weight Or Information |
1st Place, $100, OK Chevrolet (Tonasket), a Oroville Pharmacy $40 Gift Cert. & Big & Reds $10 Cert. |
Roy Thompson, Everson, WA |
2 lb & 12 oz |
2nd Place, $75 Akins Harvest Foods & $40 Gift Certificate from Oroville Pharmacy. |
Michael Bauman, Tonasket, WA
|
2 lb & 7 oz, length= 18 1/4in. |
3rd Place, $50 by Ok Chevrolet in Tonasket |
Shane Davis, Colbert, WA |
2 lb & 7 oz, length= 18 1/8in. |
Mystery Wt., $50 Coupon from Hideway Grill in Oroville |
Blake Thompson, Everson, WA |
17.2 ounces closest to 21. |
Smallest Fish, $50 Akins Foods Certificate |
Chris Marcolin, Omak, WA |
12.7 ounces |
2nd Smallest Fish, a $50 North 40 (Omak) Certificate |
Joel Nesper, Molson, WA |
16 ounces |
Eldest Fisherman, $10 Cert. Big & Reds in Oroville |
Bud Forthun, Oroville |
70+ |
Farthest Traveled $10 Cert. Big & Reds in Oroville |
Roy Thompson from Michigan traveled the farthest. He won 1st |
so with 433 miles Brenda from Portland won this. |
Best Hut 1st Place People's Choice $30 from Oroville/ Midway Building Supply. |
# 34 Buchanan from Stanwood, WA for Hawk Shack |
Sea Hawk Colors and flag |
Best Hut #2nd Place People's Choice $20 from Oroville/ Midway Building Supply.
|
# 35 Wilkinson from Spokane for Patriotic Party Hut |
Black double hut, warm, multiple holes, seating for six, red, white and blue party accents. |
No Youth caught any fish. The committee decided to draw their names for places. The results are as follows:
Youth
The festival had many other activities in the warm Grange Hall including:
Thank you to Judge Dan Lepley and Crew and Registrars: Vicki Hart, Peggy Shaw and Ryan Saam. Thank you to Sponsor Coordinator and Face Book page administrator Karen Frisbie. This large event is put on by all volunteers from many organizations. It is sponsored by the Oroville Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the Molson Grange.