NW Ice Fishing Fest draws nearly 100 anglers to Sidley Lake
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, January 18, 2023
MOLSON – The 19th Annual Northwest Ice Fishing Festival took place on Sidley Lake near Molson last Saturday with 85 adults and 12 youth angling for the top prizes.
Chris Marcolin took home the grand prize in the contest in the adult division with a weight of 6.5 pounds. He won a $500 check and a $500 gift certificate from the Oroville Country Store. Coming in second was Dick Larson with 6.1 pounds of fish. He received a $300 check and also won the prize for “Oldest Fisherman.” Third place went to Patrick Young with 4.13 pounds. Young was awarded $200 in prize money.
In the youth division, Douglas Vanslyke took top honors with 3.6 pounds, followed by Cody Hofman with 2.5 pounds and Barrett Gordon with 10 ounces. For first place, Vanslyke who also won the title of “Youngest Fisherman,” received a cork-handled ice fishing pole and an auto ladle. In second place, Hofman won a pole and a tackle box and Gordon in third place won a pole and fishing pole holder.
The tournament, first conceived as a fundraiser by Robin Stice nearly two decades ago, is sponsored by the Oroville Chamber of Commerce. Stice and her husband Pat own and operate the Eden Valley Guest Ranch. Stice announced the winners of the tournament following the fishing.
“We had 160 for the breakfast put on by the Molson Grange,” said Stice, adding that Penny Cole organized the vendors who lined the Grange Hall throughout the day.
Cole said there were 13 vendors who gave the non-fishermen something to do when they weren’t on the lake rooting on those fishing.
“The tournament went extremely well, I was very happy with the number of participants and the sponsors, as well as the volunteers who helped put the event together,” said Chamber President Rocky DeVon, adding “We had some great fishing, great sponsors and great prizes. Overall the tournament was a very good event.”
Larson won a weather station for “Oldest Fisherman” and Vanslyke a large pizza gift certificate from Tonasket Pizza Company for “Youngest Fisherman.” James Heskid got a gift card from Chevron for having Travelled Furthest to fish and the Best Fishing Shanti went to Brett and Bruce Pruitt who won an ice auger and a tailgate table.
Clay Warnstaff served as tournament judge and Andy Beardsley and David Herschlip weighted and measured the fish that were brought to the weigh-in tent by those fishing the tournament.
Gold Sponsors for the event were Country Store, Double A Logging, Dream Storage Store and Midway Building Supply. In addition to these and the other sponsors, many businesses and individuals in the Oroville and Tonasket area donated prizes for the raffle.
On the Ice
Weighing In
Lake Crew
The Raffle
Best Shanti
About Gary DeVon
Gary DeVon is the managing editor of the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune and celebrated his 25th year at the newspaper in August 2012. He graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Communications - Print Journalism, with an emphasis in photojournalism. He is a proud alumnus of Oroville High School. His family first settled in Okanogan County in the late 1800s. His parents are Judy DeVon and the late Larry DeVon and he has two younger brothers - Dante and Michael. Many family members still call Oroville home. He has a grown daughter, Segornae Douglas and a young granddaughter, Erin.
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