ICE FISHING FESTIVAL : 25,000 Will Brave Cold to Compete on a Michigan Lake

More than 25,000 fishermen are braving probable zero or subzero weather this weekend in the biggest ice-fishing derby in the nation. And there will be about that many here next weekend, too.

It’s the 39th annual Tip-Up Town, USA, Ice-Fishing Festival here on Houghton Lake, Michigan’s biggest of more than 11,000 inland lakes.

Tip-Ups are rigs that hold a reel and line set in a hole in the ice. They pop up a tiny red flag when a fish takes the bait, giving fishermen a signal that he has a bite.

When the flag suddenly goes up, the action is on. Ice fishing is a skill sport. The fisherman has to have his line set at the proper distance beneath the ice. When the fish hits the bait and the spool stops, then starts again, it is time to set the hook and reel in the reluctant fish.

Houghton Lake, 8 miles across and 16 miles long in the northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, looks like a sieve, what with all those fishing holes.

This tribute to the sport of ice fishing will also feature contests for the biggest fish, snowmobile races, ice sculpture competition, softball on ice, golf on ice and other esoteric activities.

Fishing is the main attraction, though, and the fishermen take it seriously. Last year, the biggest northern pike caught during the Tip-Up Town contest was 3 feet long and weighed 12 pounds 12 ounces. The biggest Walleye weighed 6-2 and measured 23 1/2 inches.

On Saturday, there was a big parade from Pinky’s Plaza Shopping Center onto the lake with several elaborate floats made of crepe paper--no Rose Parade floats with flowers in this icebox. Many floats were in the shape of huge walleyes, northerns, bluegills, perch and other lake fish.

A carnival with a Ferris wheel is going on and there was a big dance inside a heated tent. Concession stands are strategically located on the ice, offering refreshments and souvenirs to those who come to fish and to those who come to watch those who fish.

Houghton Lake Postmaster Ruth Coons is operating a portable post office on the ice and all letters posted here are canceled with a special Tip-Up Town, USA, Ice Festival postmark.

Houghton Lake is the heart of winter recreation country in Michigan, the hub of a network of 5,400 miles of groomed snowmobile trails.

Thousands have brought their snowmobiles to the ice-fishing festival from all corners of the state. Michigan has 205,000 registered snowmobiles, more than any other state.

Michigan recently spent $2.5 million on 42 new snow grooming machines for the trails. This year, the state will spend another $2.5 million for trail grooming--$1.5 million from gasoline taxes, $1 million from registration fees. There are five times more miles of groomed snowmobile trails than freeways for cars in this state.

In Houghton Lake, population 7,000, there are 16 sporting goods stores catering to the needs of ice fishermen, selling live bait--minnows and suckers--canvas shelters ($180) with room enough to protect two fishermen from the elements, tip-ups, weights, line, hooks, jigging lures and other equipment.

At shops such as Linda and Dave Perkins’ Edgewater Beach Marina, fishermen can rent the tiny ice-fishing houses, called shanties, for $12 a day, including a propane heater and fuel. Hand warmers, at $3 a pop, are also a popular item.

“The ice is nice and thick--10 inches thick clear across the lake now,” informs Linda Perkins. “It should hold a car or pickup with no trouble, unless the vehicle falls through a pressure crack.”

She quickly adds: “If your car goes through the ice, we’ll gladly haul it out of the drink for $2,500. That’s as cheap as anybody on the lake.”

A winter doesn’t pass without at least a dozen cars sinking to the bottom. The lake is 18 feet at its deepest. Ice-fishing season here generally runs from about mid-December until the end of March.

It was 10 above zero, the wind-chill factor making it 10 below, a few days before the ice festival when 45 members of the Lansing Police Dept. were at Houghton Lake for their 12th-annual one-day ice-fishing contest. They drove 120 miles to get here.

“We come up ahead of the mob. It’s too crowded for us during the Tip-Up Town, USA, Ice Festival weekends,” explained Bob Delamarter, 34, traffic officer for the department.

Capt. Jim Heyden, 50, said he has been ice fishing every winter of his life that he can remember.

“I don’t like fishing out of a boat,” he said. “I like walking on water.”

Sgt. Joe Rodriguez, one of three Latinos on the Lansing PD--he came north from San Benito, Tex.--said it was a pleasure to join the troops on Houghton Lake for the camaraderie, the great ice fishing and to get away from the pressures of the big city.

Big city? Lansing’s population is 130,000. All things are relative, of course.

The Lansing officers kept warm by ducking into their shanties and by wolfing down bowls of steaming hot chili. They wore “water snake” logos showing a tip-up and an ice fisherman embraced by a snake coiled around his body.

“Ice fishermen call the (immature) northern pike snakes,” said officer John Hunnell, who recalled the big controversy that occurred in one of the recent annual outings:

“A fish took my line and reel under the ice. Officer Don Dunham was fishing nearby. It was moments before the 5 p.m. deadline to stop fishing. Dunham’s hook caught my reel. He pulled in my line and the biggest fish of the day which I, not Dunham, originally caught.

“I claimed the fish. I was overruled. Dunham walked away with the giant fish and all the money.”

Brandon Temple, 16-year-old son of detective Deane Temple, was the ice auger man, spudding new holes for the officers with his 7-foot-long auger.

When a reporter’s four pens all froze and note-taking became impossible, Lansing’s finest roared.

“Now you know what we go through in the cold,” Sgt. Daryl Zuk said, laughing. “Many a time an officer starts writing a ticket and can’t go on. His pen is frozen. Sometimes he lets the guy go.”

Detective Charlie Shawnee and others mentioned Magic Johnson, whose hometown is Lansing.

“Tell our friend Magic to come join us next year. We’ll teach him how to dribble snowballs,” laughed Shawnee.

“Some of the guys from LAPD ought to join us, too. They would never believe this. Never believe we would rather be doing this than sitting at home beside a fire, watching TV.”

By midday, Deane Battley, Mike Foster, Tim Heyden, Charlie Shawnee, Daryl Zuk and Paul Wilkins had reeled in the biggest “snakes,” northern pike 20 inches to 2 feet long.

A short distance away, dairy farmer Keith De Ruiter, 38, and his three sons, Wes, 8, Todd, 10, and Matt, 15, stood near their pickup truck, a half-mile out in the ice, waiting for a nibble.

“We ice-fish as often as we can get away,” said De Ruiter. “There is no better eating in the world than walleye and northern pike. The fish is firmer and tastes better, caught through the ice in winter than in summer.”

Thirty below zero isn’t uncommon in this part of the country. Yet, the cold and miserable weather do not discourage the hearty ice fishermen.

Braving the elements is part of the sport they say. The catch is well worth the trouble they insist.