Thin ice for this year's Meredith fishing derby

MEREDITH — The Great Meredith Rotary Fishing Derby hits 45 years this winter season, but the ice conditions on Lake Winnipesaukee become more unpredictable each year. After the New England Pond Hockey Classic was moved to Lake Waukewan after Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee wasn't frozen just last weekend, there was little hope the lake would be ready for ice fishing.

During the 40th anniversary, there was a big celebration. Michael Pelczar, chair of the Meredith Rotary Club’s derby committee, said this year is much more lowkey, as they can’t host a big event on Meredith Bay. The committee was hoping for an icy revival after last year’s lack of ice on the bay, but if anything the ice got worse.

“I think the ice was in better condition last year than it was this year,” Pelczar said. “It just froze later and later.”

Pelczar expects there will be a similar number of registrants this year for the derby as last year, despite not being able to use Meredith Bay. All public bodies of water in New Hampshire are available for ice fishing, so people have a lot of options as to where they set up camp. Lake Waukewan is a popular option, as the smaller lake has completely frozen over. Conservation Officer Chris Brison of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department had some advice about choosing a place to fish.

“There’s plenty of places to fish so they can bring fish from anywhere. Any smaller water bodies where they've got 6 to 8 inches ice, they're gonna be able to fish on it and bring fish to the board and and register those fish,” he said. “I think it's going to be just as good a year this as any. It’s just fishing the bigger lakes is going to be a challenge, getting out to those spots they used to be able to get to historically. They just can't reach them this year.”

Regardless of issues with the ice, participants are excited to be part of this year’s derby. Bob Peterson of Moultonborough has been fishing in the derby for 10 years. He hasn’t been very lucky in placing on the board, but this year, he joked he was optimistic, as each new year presents another opportunity to be the best.

“Oh, I’m going to have the largest one over there on the board, man, that's my expectation,” Peterson teased. “The actual reality is going to be like every other year. I get zero. ... The competition of fishing, it's fun.”

The event is also good bonding time for families. Bob King from Ashburnham, Massachusetts, has been coming up for the derby for the past 30 years. He grew up ice fishing, and when his son was growing up, King taught him to ice fish. His son’s first derby was when he was 9; he’s 42 now. This year, King has set up on Lake Waukewan inside the remnants of a rink from the Pond Hockey Classic. He is happy to spend this time with family.

“When you have family that you love, how can you not be out here?” King wondered. “Everybody wants to be together, and that's the most important thing."

The derby is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club. The club donates 100% of the money made from the fishing derby, whether that be back into the community or to other organizations like Make-A-Wish. The Rotary Club averages about $70,000 a year in donations.

“Most Rotary Clubs are thrilled that they can raise $15,000 a year,” Pelczar said. “We're very fortunate.”

No matter the conditions, Pelczar will always be excited for the derby, as he, like many other locals, grew up with ice fishing.

“This area has changed dramatically since I was growing up in the '70s,” he said. “[But] growing up with it, it's all I did when I was a kid.”