Cedar Lake Ice Challenge is Saturday

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Anyone fishing in the Cedar Lake Challenge has the opportunity to win a vehicle from Bernard’s Northtown, Cox Motors or Johnson Motors of New Richmond. Pictured, representing some of the major sponsors for the tournament, are Chris Wheeler of Johnson Motors, Scott King of Sportsman’s Warehouse, Brian Cox of Cox Motors and Todd Nielsen of Bernard’s Northtown.

Talk about it

If you love ice fishing, or if you love the idea of winning any of $150,000 worth of prizes, you should attend the Cedar Lake Ice Challenge this Saturday.

The Cedar Lake Ice Challenge is a large new ice fishing tournament that is being brought to the area by the New Richmond Coaches Association.

The tournament will be held on Cedar Lake on Saturday. Hole selection and depth finding starts at 8 a.m., and the contest begins at 11 a.m. There is the potential for $150,000 in prizes to be won in the tournament.

Sportsman’s Warehouse is a major sponsor of the tournament, along with local sponsors Bernard’s Northtown, Cox Motors, Johnson Motors and Polfus Implement.

The coaches association decided to start the fishing tournament last summer after recognizing the increasing financial demands on families in the district.

“As an association, we want to have benefits like this and take the responsibility off the kids going door-to-door,” said Gabe Henk, one of the coaches organizing the fishing tournament.

Henk said businesses throughout the community have donated graciously to support the new tournament. Henk and Scott King of Sportsman’s Warehouse credited Marty Engel of the DNR for a huge amount of assistance in dealing with the regulations of starting a tournament.

The coaches viewed pressing needs as having an athletic trainer at events and uniforms and equipment. With money raised from the fishing tournament the coaches would also like to be able to start scholarships.

“The money will go to wherever the need is, from youth sports to high school,” said Travis Gibson, Coaches Association President and an event organizer.

There is $150,000 prize purse available in the tournament. Twenty-five tagged perch will be released as part of the tournament. Two of those tagged fish will carry special tags and anyone catching those will win one of two grand prizes. Each of the two grand prizes is a $30,000 package to purchase a vehicle at any of New Richmond’s three car dealerships: Bernard’s Northtown, Cox Motors or Johnson Motors.

Anyone catching one of the other 23 tagged fish will win $100.

The remaining $90,000 purse is guaranteed to be awarded for the top 50 fish that are caught and in raffle prizes. Contestants do not have to be present to win the raffle prizes. There were also be numerous door prizes that have been donated by many local businesses. Each person entering will receive a $25 book of coupons that local businesses donated.

Sportsman’s Warehouse is a sponsor of the tournament. Their goal is to make sure everyone leaves with a prize.

This is a catch-and-release tournament. There will be food and beverages available.

Tickets are $20 per hole for the tournament. There is a limit of 1,500 tickets available for the tournament. Because the tournament is on Valentine’s Day, there is a couple’s special of two tickets for $30 for husband and wives who enter the tournament together. There are also special prizes for couples who enter, led by two quarter-carat diamond rings.

Tickets are available at Russell’s Sport N’ Bike in Star Prairie, Fonda’s Bar in Star Prairie, Sportsman’s Warehouse in Woodbury, Lucky’s Bait in Amery and St. Croix Outfitters in St. Croix Falls. Tickets will be available at any of the four gates at the tournament. Bait will be available on the ice.

For more information on the tournament, including a complete prize list and regulations, check: www.nrhsonline.com/ice.

Tags: cedar lake ice challenge, northland, outdoors, fishing