The 4-day Munuscong Bay Hardwater Classic wrapped up Jan. 26 with around 500 fishermen hitting the ice.
The tournament was held on Munuscong Bay, east of Pickford, on the St. Marys River.
The overall winner of the tournament was Pickford's Steve Hancock pulling in a 8.75 pound walleye to earn a total of $900.
The popular and successful event started back in the early 1980s and with the exception of a couple year hiatus in the middle 80s, the tournament remains a favorite for anglers across the Great Lakes and Midwest.
Tom Ball, co-owner of Wilderness Treasures in Pickford, has been organizing the tournament for three decades now and compares it to the excitement of opening day of deer season.
With the cold weather this season, ice thickness was around 12-18 inches on the bay supporting the anglers and equipment.
"The chances of catching fish are pretty good. But if you don't, you come up here to enjoy the solitude, the relaxation of being in the U.P., and the scenery and just relax and enjoy yourself. Munuscong Bay always has ice so we have never had to cancel this tournament before. Sometimes you can't go where you want to go, but it's almost a sure thing every year," Ball said.
15-year-old Jonas Rivers spent a good amount of time in his ice shack several hundred feet from shore.
"I started coming out here with my Dad when I was 7-years-old. It's super fun. It's so exhilarating. Right when you think you have that big fish, there is such a higher stake in bringing it in," Rivers said.
Two more tournaments are coming up including the 13th Annual Steve Tassier Memorial Ice Fishing Derby Feb. 28-March 2 and The Last Chance Hardwater Shoot-out on Cedarville Bay March 15. For more information on those, click here.
