Brice Prairie Conservation Association

60th Annual Brice Prairie Ice Fishing Derby

Saturday February 1, 2020

North Shore, Lake Onalaska

Winning "Big Fish" Board from the 2019 Derby
(Empty hooks represent fish that were released or retained by fisher)

(Click to Enlarge)

2 bass. Really? Perhaps the high and wildly fluctuating water levels that have plagued fishing all winter had something to with it - Mississippi River discharge at Dresbach on Derby Day was 54,000 cfs, down from 64,000 only 2 days earlier. Otherwise it was a pleasant derby day with temperatures reaching 40 degrees, with sunny afternoon skies and winds west and northwest at 8-10 mph. Ice cover has been relatively thin and patchy all winter (warm temperatures and high-water river currents are to blame), with only a small number of trucks and cars on the ice this year. Amazingly, there were no reports of vehicles going through the ice except one shallow-water dunking for an ATV. This year the tent was moved to the Mosey Landing upper parking lot, just above Schafer's bait shop. Fishing started at sunrise and ended at 3:00pm sharp. Cash prizes were offered for 1st thru 4th place for five fish species: bass, northern, bluegill, perch, and crappie.

All proceeds from the derby are reinvested in conservation projects around Brice Prairie and Lake Onalaska: Improved Boat Landings, River & Bike Trail Cleanups, Wood Duck & Bluebird Houses, Fish Cribs, Purple Loosestrife Control, Swamp White Oak Tree Planting, Emergency Shelters and more.