Seeing the ice huts south of County Road Two on Hoople Creek is a normal part of winter, and this year the ice conditions have made things even better. It is a large expanse, but even so, the social aspect of the sport draws people together. Tinkess Photo
INGLESIDE – Mother Nature smiled upon the organizers of the Hoople Creek 3rd Annual Ice Fishing Fun Tournament, holding off on the largest dumping of snow in recent history until long after the last fish was measured.
The tournament, hosted by the Friends of Hoople Creek Society took place at Hoople Bay, Ingleside on Sat., Feb. 15, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Admission to the tournament was $50 and tickets were sold through Relic Outfitters in Ingleside. Children under 12 were allowed to fish with an adult at no charge, which was a great way to enjoy the Family Day weekend.
With over $5,000 in cash prizes, interest was high and those hardy souls who look forward each winter for a chance to enjoy some fine fishing and fellowship were eager to see who would land the longest northern pike, longest walleye, longest yellow perch, or maybe even win a prize for the most species caught, or “the mystery length.”
There was a lot of competition, and when all the measuring had been completed, the winners in the two main categories were announced on Facebook.
In the Pike category, first prize of $1,000 went to Jessie Merkley with a length of 78.7 cm. Second prize of $500 went to Mike Casselman with a length of 74.4 cm, while third prize of $100 went to Beau Buiting with a length of 73.6 cm.
In the Perch category, first prize of $1,000 went to Austin Espinosa with a length of 31.4 cm, second prize of $500 went to Chase Berube with a length of 30.3 cm, and third prize of $100 went to Ben McCullough with a length of 30.1 cm.
Unfortunately, in the Walleye category, no fish were recorded, which resulted in prizes being awarded through a draw.
Prize presentations were made at O’Neill’s Pub in Long Sault, as well as free chili for participants.
The Friends of Hoople Creek Society has a mission to resurrect the Walleye of years gone by, and proceeds of the tournament go towards that goal. Conservancy efforts such as this do produce results, but it will take time. In the meantime, spending time on the ice and contributing to a worthy cause is a great way to play a part while giving nature a hand.
To find out more about The Friends of Hoople Creek, you can visit their website at friendsofhooplecreek.ca.
Terry Tinkess is a professional photographer, educator and journalist. He has been making a living with a camera and keyboard since 1999 and has been featured in such publications as The Ottawa Citizen, Cornwall Standard Freeholder, The Globe and Mail, The Miami Herald, Ottawa Construction News, The Ontario Construction Report, Ontario Home Builder Magazine, Reed Construction Data, Canadian Potato Business and most recently, The Record and Eastern Ontario AgriNews. Terry lives in Ingleside, Ontario with his wife Brenda, Mia the anxious Pittie and cats Wally and Chubbers.
