By Brenda Erdahl
A closer to normal January and a couple cold fronts in the forecast means things are looking good for the 2025 Ice Fishing Derby.
This popular Maple Lake event that, at its largest in 2019 attracted more than 12,000 people, has had its struggles with the weather.
In 2023 it was cancelled when a record-breaking amount of snowfall deteriorated the ice and in 2024 there was just no ice to begin with.
On Friday, Jan. 10th Derby Chairman Greg Thomes and long-time derby committee member Brian Peterson measured areas of 14 and 15 inches of ice on Maple Lake off the Highway 55 boat landing. It takes 15 inches of ice to hold a walk on event, Thomes said, and 20 inches for a drive on.
It took a few minutes for Brian Peterson, a long-time member of the Maple Lake Ice Fishing Derby committee, to hit water on Maple Lake late last week. To have a drive-on event, the ice needs to be at least 20 inches thick.