Ice-fishing contest scheduled

It’s that time of year when nature’s beauty turns white, but many people have a hard time finding ways to enjoy it. Well, the Winnebago County Conservation Board has the answer. On Saturday, Jan. 29, they will be hosting the Rice Lake Ice-Fishing Contest at Rice Lake State Park, beginning at 1 p.m. and running until 3 p.m. Rice Lake State Park is located at 43000 235th Ave., south of Lake Mills.     
During the contest, both experienced and novice ice-fishers will have the opportunity to enjoy a day of ice-fishing with other ice-fishing enthusiasts on Rice Lake. For those people that have never ice-fished before, the Conservation Board will have equipment available to borrow, will offer basic instruction on how to ice-fish, and will drill holes in the ice. Prizes will be awarded in various classes, handouts will be available for everyone to take home, and warm refreshments will also be provided.
In addition, there will be a door prize drawing for people that aren’t able to reel in a winning fish. Families are welcome, but any children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Rice Lake Ice-Fishing Contest will be free of charge. Although preregistration is not required, it is recommended so that the Conservation Board can have an estimate of how many people to expect. People wishing to borrow ice-fishing equipment should also call ahead to reserve some.
For more information about the Rice Lake Ice-Fishing Contest, or to reserve equipment, people can contact the Winnebago County Conservation Board at 641-565-3390 or Winnebago County Naturalist Lisa Ralls at lralls@winnebagoccb.com.
In case of inclement weather, cancellation notices will run on KIOW Radio, the WCCB website (www.winnebagoccb.com), the Winnebago County Facebook page, and the WCCB Twitter feed.