Abbreviated Sebago Rotary Ice Fishing Derby remains fun for anglers

By Ed Pierce

Sebago Lake wasn’t completely frozen over but there was a great deal of excitement surrounding this year’s 24th Annual Ice Fishing Derby hosted by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club on Saturday, Feb. 15

Rob Stoodley of Rochester, New
Hampshire won first place in the
Togue category of the 24th Annual
Ice Fishing Derby by catching a
9.29-inch, 32 1/8-pound togue on
Saturday, Feb. 15.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Recent cold temperatures allowed portions of the lake to ice over for the first time in several years and although Sebago’s Big Bay was not considered completely safe, the Lower Bay and Jordan Bay were favorable for fisherman to enjoy a great day on the ice, said Cyndy Bell of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club.

Bell said you could hear excitement in the fishermen’s voices as they came to register or to weigh their fish that they were happy to be back out on Sebago Lake this year.

“It appeared that the fish just weren’t biting like they had in past years so fewer fish were brought to the weigh stations on Saturday,” Bell said. “The event had to cancel Sunday in anticipation of the incoming storm.”

The ice fishing contest proved once again to be more than just an excuse to get outside for time spent fishing. Proceeds from the Ice Fishing Derby benefit local charities and nonprofit organizations that the Rotary Club donates to, including “Feed the Need,” which assists with funding for 12 food pantries in the Lakes Region of Maine.

Anglers found that searching for suitable ice was fun and the event brought together people from all walks of life, helping forge new friendships among those fishing and left them with great stories to tell about their experiences that probably will be shared for a lifetime.

Participants also fished in the 20-plus remaining lakes and ponds in the weighing area that had adequate ice to ensure safety and found an abundance of perch and pickerel ready to be caught.

Bell said that as in years past, participating fishermen continued to donate their catches which were delivered to Nova Seafood and will be processed and delivered to assist in feeding the homeless and those facing food insecurity.

Tom Noonan, a Sebago Lake Rotary Club member, is credited with coming up with the concept for the Ice Fishing Derby in 2001 in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department.

Since then, the event has grown substantially to become the Sebago Lake Rotary Club’s largest annual fundraising initiative and has supported hundreds of charities over the past two decades, with more than $1 million donated to local causes since its inception.

“Under the leadership of Sebago Lake Rotarian Toby Pennels, the derby gained additional national notoriety as one of only four fishing derbies in the United States to be featured in a television program filmed for the National Geographic Channel that aired in June 2014,” Bell said.

Here are the 2025 Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby winners

Top Event Winners

Perch:

1. Travis Lawler, 1.53 length, 13 7/8 pounds

2. Jason Vassillion, 1.5 length, 13 1/2 pounds

3. Heidi Lawler, 1.48 length, 13 9/16 pounds

Pike:

1. Ben Carlin, 3 pounds

2. Mark Beatty, 1 pound

Togue:

1 Rob Stoodley, 9.29 length, 32 1/8 pounds

2. McKae Curran, 8.49 length, 29 1/2 pounds

3. James Guy, 8.22 length, 27 7/8 pounds

Pickerel:

1. Brian Keahon, 4.03 length, 26.5 pounds

2. Brian Rocray, 3.82 length, 25 1/8 pounds

3. Charlie McGee, 3.49 length, 24 1/8 pounds

Through this event, the Sebago Lake Rotary Club raises money for cash prizes and donates to “Feed the Need,” which supports food pantries at the Casco Village Church Food Pantry, Casco Alliance Church Food Pantry, Gray Community Food Pantry, Crosswalk Community Outreach, Naples Community Resource Council, First Congregational Church in New Gloucester, Raymond Food Pantry, Sebago Warming Hut, Standish Food Pantry, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry and Town of Windham Food Pantry. <

‘Greatest Show on Ice’ hooks 2021 Ice Fishing Derby participants

Greg MacIntosh of Nottingham, New Hampshire
displays his winning togue caught during the
2021 Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby.
It weighed 10.78 pounds and was 32 inches
long. SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

The ‘Greatest Show on Ice’ lived up to its reputation last weekend as more than a thousand fishing enthusiasts from across Maine and points beyond descended upon Sebago Lake and the Lakes Region to try their luck and possibly take home a prize in the 2021 Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby.

Participants braved chilly temperatures on the lake for a chance to take home the grand prize, a 2021 ATV from Windham PowerSports. This year’s derby welcomed a new Gold Sponsor, General Dynamics/BIW and official media sponsor, Channel 8 WMTW | Maine’s CW for 2021, according to Sebago Lakes Rotary Club member Cyndy Bell.

A total of 1,071 fishermen registered to compete in this year’s derby with 2,500 fish weighed and processed during the event. more than e Over 2500 fish were processed during the derby.

“Approximately 7,500 pounds of fish from the 2,500-plus collected was delivered to Nova Seafood to be processed, flash frozen and will be delivered to food pantries,” Bell said. 

Sebago Lake Rotary Club member Tom Noonan is credited with coming up with the idea to create the Ice Fishing Derby in 2001 in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department.  Since that time, the event has grown to become the rotary club’s biggest annual fundraising effort and has supported hundreds of charities over the past two decades, accumulating more than $1 million to donate to local causes during that timeframe. 

“Under the leadership of Sebago Lake Rotarian Toby Pennels, the derby gained additional national notoriety as one of only four fishing derbies in the United States to be featured in a television program filmed for the National Geographic Channel that aired in June 2014,” Bell said.

While many families embraced the annual derby as a chance to get outside during the long winter, participants this year also had to adapt to the reality of 2021 as derby requirements followed the CDC’s COVID-19 protocols, including mask wearing and social distancing to avoid spreading the coronavirus.

According to Bell, proceeds raised from the derby will benefit the Salvation Army, food pantries and other Rotary focused charities and this year the club added an ice shack contest and a 50/50 raffle to benefit wildlife conservation programs.

Here’s a list of winners from the 2021Sebago Lake Rotary Ice Fishing Derby:

Top Prize winners

Grand Prize winner, Chris Grant, ATV from Windham PowerSports

50/50 winner, Josh Sparks, $2,055

5HP Mercury Outboard winner, Dan Stanton

Togue

First place, Greg MacIntosh, 10.78 pounds, 32 inches

Second place, David Ferris, 8.36 pounds, 29.5 inches

Third place, Rick Laney, 8.35 pounds, 29 ¼ inches

Perch

First place, Jacob Burrows, 1.90 pounds, 14 ¼ inches

Second place, Randall Breton, 1.60 pounds, 14.25 inches

Third place, Christopher Cook, 1.56 pounds, 14 inches

Pickerel

First place, Fran Orcutt, 4.98 pounds, 25 ½ inches

Second place, Wayne Roma, 4.71 pounds, 25 7/8 inches

Third place, Glen Sparks, 4.1 pounds, 25 ½ inches

Pike

First place, Ben Carlin, 9.44 pounds, 34 ¾ inches

Second place, Ben Carlin 9.24 pounds, 33 inches

Third place, Billy Groton 8.44 pounds, 32 inches <