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. <

Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby anglers overcome challenge to assist charities

By Ed Pierce

For the second consecutive year, a lack of ice on Sebago Lake couldn’t ruin the fun for participants in the annual Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18.

Travis Sparks of Bowdoin, left, finished in first place in the
Pickerel competition during the Cumberland County Ice
Fishing Derby sponsored by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club
on Feb. 17-18. Shanna Hudgin of Poland, right, was the
winner of the Perch competition. SUBMITTED PHOTOS
   

Moving to some of the 20-plus remaining lakes and ponds in the outlying area with adequate ice to ensure for their safety, participants fishing in the annual Cumberland County contest sponsored by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club found an abundance of perch and pickerel readily available and waiting to be caught.

This was the 23rd year for the Ice Fishing Derby and despite warmer temperatures preventing the buildup of ice on Sebago Lake again this year, the popular contest proved yet again to be more than just an excuse to get outside for time spent fishing. Proceeds from the Cumberland County 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 different food pantries throughout the Lakes Region of Maine.

Participants found that searching for suitable ice was challenging but the event brought together people from all walks of life, helping forge new friendships among those fishing and leaving them with great stories to tell about their experiences that probably will be shared over the course of their lifetimes.

The warm temperatures and subsequent cancelation of contest fishing on Sebago Lake held down the overall number of registered participants compared to numbers registered in previous colder years, but many dedicated fishermen did sign up for the event, said Cyndy Bell of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club.

Bell said in keeping with tradition from years past, many participating fishermen donated their catches which were then delivered to Nova Seafood to be processed and delivered to assist in feeding the homeless and those facing food insecurity in the Lakes Region.

The Ice Fishing Derby concept itself is credited to Tom Noonan, a Sebago Lake Rotary Club member, who came up with the idea 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.

“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.

An Otter Ice Shelter for the event was donated by Sebago Bait’s Rick Boutot. An Ice sled was donated by Sebago Bait’s Shannon Hallgren and a shelter for Ice Fishing Derby participants was donated by Cabela's Sam Eckle.

Here are the 2024 Cumberland County Ice Fishing Derby winners –

Top Prize Winners

The winner of the $5,000 cash grand prize was John Godbout.

Stephen Tufts won the 50/50 raffle drawing of $640.

Pickerel

First place: Travis Sparks of Bowdoin, 3.9 pounds, 25 1/4 inches

Second place: Adam Bryant, 3.86 pounds, 27 inches

Third place: Peter Reinhard, 3.66 pounds, 24 1/2 inches

Perch

First place: Shanna Hudgin of Poland, 1.74 pounds, 15 3/4 inches

Second place: Mark Plowman, 1.57 pounds, 14 inches

Third place: Greg LaChance, 1.56 pounds, 13.75 inches <