Author Topic: Ice Fishing Derbies Are Disappearing (Read 2817 times)

Sebago Bait · « **on:** Oct 30, 2014, 03:26 PM »

I see that FFAC Derby has been discontinued per their facebook page. People really seemed to enjoy that one and was very popular. I have heard others that may not run either, for various reasons. I know that the Horne Pond Derby is back on, as the people that run the Boy Scout Derby in Standish have taken the derby over. I hope more of them continue on, as we have always enjoyed going to them and supporting the cause. I know these things are a ton of work and it can be overwhelming. I see the Moosehead Derby is scheduled and I have already received information for the Sebago Derby 2015.

BassinAssassin · « **Reply #1 on:** Oct 30, 2014, 04:27 PM »

Yeah that's a bummer. You going to do one again this year?

joefishmore · « **Reply #2 on:** Oct 30, 2014, 06:41 PM »

Hooray..... hope the Sebago riot goes too

mjgonehunting · « **Reply #3 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 06:08 AM »

Please keep us updated on the Horne Pond Derby!
Need to plan a couple of days off to make the trip up and get camp warmed up!

The Rusty Crab · « **Reply #4 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 08:13 AM »

I disagree, I'm glad to see them go, nothing worse than a derby IMO.

icewoman · « **Reply #5 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 10:50 AM »

It is sad to see that the FFAC derby isn't happening, Always had a good time there $:-\$

jacksmelt71 · « **Reply #6 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 11:51 AM »

Quote from: The Rusty Crab on Oct 31, 2014, 08:13 AM

I disagree, I'm glad to see them go, nothing worse than a derby IMO.

i agree esp. on cold water species lakes. too much pressure on a already strained resource. for bass and put and take fisheries, fine as they are replenished. or lakes like moosehead and sebago which are overrun w/ togue. shouldn't happen up north here as we don't have the numbers of fish. now if we had a perch or fallfish derby up here id be all for it!

thedirtydirtyfisherman · « **Reply #7 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 02:15 PM »

I agree that the derbies on some cold water salmon and trout fisheries does a number but lakes like Sabbatuss and other pike infested waters or heavily stocked waters I think they are a great thing to get people who arent fisherman involved and show others how fun this can be. Maybe someone else will come along and pick up the torch, but its sad to see it go.

The Rusty Crab · « **Reply #8 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 03:00 PM »

Yeah sorry I wrote a quick version of my true feelings but you all have summed it up.

bee · « **Reply #9 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 03:20 PM »

Quote from: icewoman on Oct 31, 2014, 10:50 AM

It is sad to see that the FFAC derby isn't happening, Always had a good time there $:-\$

Since I don,t partake what is FFAC?

nbourque · « **Reply #10 on:** Oct 31, 2014, 07:07 PM »

Quote from: bee on Oct 31, 2014, 03:20 PM

Since I don,t partake what is FFAC?

fish for a cure aka sabattus derby.

moosehunter · « **Reply #11 on:** Nov 01, 2014, 04:20 PM »

good. too much trash left behind after.

The Rusty Crab · « **Reply #12 on:** Nov 01, 2014, 08:49 PM »

The ole pike will be getting some unfortunate rest, I bet you will see a pig out of there this year.

bee · « **Reply #13 on:** Nov 02, 2014, 06:46 AM »

Quote from: moosehunter on Nov 01, 2014, 04:20 PM

good. too much trash left behind after.

Ditto on that.

BassinAssassin · « **Reply #14 on:** Nov 02, 2014, 07:02 AM »

Quote from: The Rusty Crab on Nov 01, 2014, 08:49 PM

The ole pike will be getting some unfortunate rest, I bet you will see a pig out of there this year.

Did you see the one that was caught last year?? 20+ lbs and the length of a 4 yr old!!

The Rusty Crab · « **Reply #15 on:** Nov 02, 2014, 09:24 AM »

Quote from: BassinAssassin on Nov 02, 2014, 07:02 AM

Did you see the one that was caught last year?? 20+ lbs and the length of a 4 yr old!!

Yeah "one" I say this year its multiple fish and if not this year next.

McIce · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 10:29 AM »

This is terribly unfortunate..., I have been trying to locate information for this year's event only to find here that it has been D/C'd. It was a very well run tournament that brought a lot of people together for a great cause. As someone that has run a charity event before, I understand just how MUCH work this was. I want the event organizer and volunteers to know that the hard work was appreciated by everyone I know, and we all have a bunch of great memories from the past FFAC derbies because of your efforts. Hopefully there can be a return in 2016 ( possibly a 2 day event? ).

joefishmore · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 11:32 AM »

A lot of people equate a derby as a terrorist attack on a lake.

lobsterman · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 11:47 AM »

maybe there should be a Sebago Bait derby???

JimmieDean · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 02:16 PM »

Quote from: lobsterman on Jan 07, 2015, 11:47 AM

maybe there should be a Sebago Bait derby???

I second that Lobsterman.

tipman14 · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 02:32 PM »

The only thing I see wrong with a bunch of derbies is not being able to make them all. This was a great event and very disappointed it has been cancelled.

chillywillie · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 03:22 PM »

I'm glad they're going away - too many fish killed. Some bodies of water are pretty small and shouldn't have any allowed. Supporting a good cause is one thing but hurting a fishery sucks. There do seem to be more county wide or statewide type derbys and those aren't bad because there's not targeted pressure.

Slammin_Brookies!! · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 04:34 PM »

All my buddies that use to fish Sabbattus before the Derby started said you would get a fish or several over 10 lbs every trip. Since the Derby started the size has gone way down. Don't know if it has to do with the amount of Juvenile pike killed or over populated. I guess next few years will tell if people start getting big ones again. If they wanted a pike derby it should be a 2 day state wife so people can fish the Belgrades. Androscroggin. Never chased the toothy critters and never entered a derby so I have no option really.

polarbear86 · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 05:07 PM »

They are fun for kids but I do agree with others I pick up a ton of trash and find a lot of dead fish

NickM · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 07, 2015, 05:09 PM »

Don't most derbies only run for a day or two? I've never done a derby, but I have to ask whether they really put that much extra pressure on a lake? It seems like only people with ice fishing equipment would be participating, and wouldn't a lot of them be fishing somewhere that weekend even if not for the derby? It seems like running a derby that includes multiple waters would reduce that problem somewhat.

I've heard the trash issue brought up many times. It seems like IF&W or the local PD could police that a bit. Littering is against the law isn't it? Maybe the participants need to self police.

I know the Ice Shanty derby is photo based with cards. It seems like you could do something like that with offline derbies so that C&R is an option. Maybe give a 1" bonus for C&R submissions.

I'd like to do one for the experience since I never have, although generally I'd prefer to fish for fun and food without a contest involved.

ICEMAINEiac · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 08, 2015, 06:20 AM »

Quote from: Slammin_Brookies!! on Jan 07, 2015, 04:34 PM

All my buddies that use to fish Sabbattus before the Derby started said you would get a fish or several over 10 lbs every trip. Since the Derby started the size has gone way down. Don't know if it has to do with the amount of Juvenile pike killed or over populated. I guess next few years will tell if people start getting big ones again. If they wanted a pike derby it should be a 2 day state wife so people can fish the Belgrades. Androscroggin. Never chased the toothy critters and never entered a derby so I have no option really.

First FFAC winner was 14.4
Five years later....
Winner over 20

The winning weight went up constantly every year !

Love to see how all the people who haven't supported derbies in the past have such specifically critical comments about fish and trash or want ever fabricated fact you spout ! It's sad to see the direction IS has gone. what happened to TEAM MAINE ?!?!?! I know some of you long time IS members are saying the same thing. If you're still here !

xphelanx · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 08, 2015, 06:25 AM »

Quote from: ICEMAINEiac on Jan 08, 2015, 06:20 AM

First FFAC winner was 14.4
Five years later....
Winner over 20

The winning weight went up constantly every year !

Love to see how all the people who haven't supported derbies in the past have such specifically critical comments about fish and trash or want ever fabricated fact you spout ! It's sad to see the direction IS has gone. what happened to TEAM MAINE ?!?!?! I know some of you long time IS members are saying the same thing. If you're still here !

chillywillie · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 08, 2015, 06:35 AM »

Quote from: ICEMAINEiac on Jan 08, 2015, 06:20 AM

First FFAC winner was 14.4
Five years later....
Winner over 20

The winning weight went up constantly every year !

Love to see how all the people who haven't supported derbies in the past have such specifically critical comments about fish and trash or want ever fabricated fact you spout ! It's sad to see the direction IS has gone. what happened to TEAM MAINE ?!?!?! I know some of you long time IS members are saying the same thing. If you're still here !

I've been fishing there on and off since around 2005. Nothing fabricated here, I speak from my my observations only - others may have seen different results. I've caught a 40 incher estimated over 20 pounds and the group I fish with have caught a bunch of mid-teen weight fish and a pile of 10-12 pounders over the years. When derbies started being more common there we noticed a dramatic change in the quality of fishing. We had consistent action with medium size fish with common big ones thrown in. After a heavy derby year we still caught lots of fish but generally nothing over 4-5 pounds. Then the next year we would see some larger ones. Pike grow quickly and there's tons of fish there for them to eat so the lake rebounds relatively quickly. There's a lot of big pike in there as well and just because the winning weights went up on consecutive years doesn't mean the place didn't get decimated from an overall quality standpoint.

It's not just pike waters, it's any water as far as I'm concerned. Most derbies aren't very species specific and everyone who catches anything average or above kills it to try to win some prize money.

fishingsurveyor · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 08, 2015, 06:39 AM »

I don't believe that FFAC has hurt, ruined, glorified the Sabattus Pond Fishery as much as this site has. I am sure more people have fished that pond because of the gazillion post on here than any other reason. There are a few more bodies of water that are getting their 10 mins of fame on here and I suspect in a couple of years we will blame the issue on something like global warming low oxygen invasive species bad smelt population etc

Slammin_Brookies!! · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 08, 2015, 06:42 AM »

Yeah.....you also have over 300 people fishing it in 1 day. Your chances of pulling 1 big one is high. Like I said I have never even chased a pike. I was giving a opinion based on statements from some fishing friends. I also held a Ice Fishing Derby 2 years ago. I got a lot of support and a few donations from Shanty members. Just because someone doesn't buy a ticket...that doesn't mean they don't support it. Hope you have a great season. Tight Lines. Mike

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Author Topic: Ice Fishing Derbies Are Disappearing (Read 2817 times)