Youth ice fishing derby Saturday at Red Rock

Registration is still open for Saturday’s youth ice fishing derby at Red Rock.

Kids 13 and under are invited to sign up for a fun, hands-on day of learning on Lake Superior.

Weigh-ins for caught trout, whitefish and perch starts at 1pm. Everyone will get a prize, but the closest fish to the mystery weight target will be crowned the winner.

“We’re putting the effort,” said Andrew Brown, President of the Red Rock Fishing and Game Club. “Ever since COVID, it’s sort of been hit-or-miss with the activities. We’re just trying to get the kids involved and keep them outside.”

Brown says excessive screen time is a big problem for this generation of kids, and the derby is a good way for them to learn valuable skills and reconnect with nature.

“It makes them independent. They need to figure things out on their own. We teach them about cleaning fish and how to take everything we need. We don’t waste anything, we’re eating the meat and utilizing everything that we take from the land,” he said.

“ID’ing fish is a big thing too. Some kids haven’t seen many different kinds of fish, right? They just think a fish is a fish. So it gives us an opportunity to educate there as well.”

There are currently 30 kids registered out of the club’s goal of 50. Prizes include lifejackets, tackle boxes and rods. The grand prize is an ice auger drill attachment for cutting holes in the lake ice. The club will accept registrants until 11 a.m. on Saturday at its clubhouse on Park Road near the local marina.

The Red Rock Fishing and Game Club is a nonprofit that relies entirely on volunteer help. It will host another fishing derby for all ages this June.