by Carmen Faulkner
At sunrise, the serious contenders went out. They walked or snowshoed or rode snowmobiles. Some carried ice shanties, others stuck true to what I would consider to be the ‘old school, torturous’ tradition of sitting on buckets in the wind and cold. They drilled holes with ice augers, they baited their hooks, and they waited.
By the time I arrived around 11, the ice on both sides of Croton Pond was peppered with attendees. Hundreds of them sat alone, or huddled in groups. The wind was strong, but not enough to be a deterrent, and the sun was hidden behind a thick line of grey clouds. The ice was a gleaming sheen from two days of thawing and freezing in quick succession. The smart ones wore cramp-ons on their boots, the rest of us shuffled, penguin-like, uncertainly around the ice.
Music was blasting from the Croton campground, beer was flowing at the beer tent, and the few food vendors were seeing lots of traffic from those seeking shelter from the wind rolling it’s way across the ice. All in all, it was a festive scene. The serious fishermen and women had their spots all around the ice, and groups of social seekers set up tents, cooked breakfasts, rode snowmobiles. Kids in fluffy snowsuits wrestled on the slippery ice, a few brave ice skaters made bumpy loops around their parents, dogs ran after frisbees. I may not be a lover of all things winter, but seeing the hundreds of people; families and sports-enthusiasts, children, small town-socialites, all waddling their way around a giant chunk of ice, it was hard to not be converted.
At 3:30, people made their way back across the ice to the Croton campground for the weigh in of pike, bluegill, crappie, and perch. They came in droves, filling the campground and surrounding the stage, spilling out onto the ice. As the numbers rolled in, awards were given to the longest fish in each category for adults and children. Of the 764 registered, the winning pike caught by Dan Videtich stole the show, coming in at 39 and 3/8 inches. Orlando Vandyke in the children’s category followed up shortly behind with a 34 inch monster, practically as tall as him. Awards were also given for the ‘best hat on the ice,’ won by Rick Oldenkamp, who wore a full wolf skin; black fur covered his head, spilled down his back, almost dragged the ground.
As the awards came to an end, and a long day on the ice was coming to a close, the skies began to open; bits of blue and sunshine flickered out across the frozen lake. Though many were wet, cold, and tired, it was a welcome bit of warmth that ended the festivities on a high note. Many weren’t done here though, and the campground stayed full throughout the evening and into Sunday. Snowpant-clad participants walked back to the Driftwood to celebrate, eat, and dance the night away.
Winter lover or hater, whichever side of the line you fall on, I can’t recommend visiting this event enough. Next year will be the 13th annual Dam to Dam, and even if fishing isn’t your game, seeing our community come together, all of which raises money for local nonprofit, TrueMentors, is a reason to get out and get involved.
To see a full lineup of the award winners, visit the Dam to Dam facebook page below: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Dam-to-Dam-Ice-Fishing-Tournament-148509468585124/posts/?ref=page_internal
To learn more about TrueMentors, the nonprofit that this event benefits, see here: http://truementors.org
Thank you to all the sponsors that make this great event happen. We can’t thank you enough for a wonderful day on the ice!
Sponsored by:
Leinenkugels, WLAV, TrueNorth Community Services, Croton Bay Trading Post, American Legion, Driftwood Bar and Grill, M&J Hardware, Hilltop Community Stores
Fresh From the Farm
Agriculture has long been a staple of the NewayGo County economy. One reason why Gerber Baby Food put the area on the map was because of its relationship with local farmers. You’ll see the same focus on agriculture and locally produced fruits and vegetables at...
Local Golf Course Wins National Award
Waters Edge Golf Course in Fremont, MI has initiated substantial changes. The entire staff at Waters Edge is excited to announce their Grand Opening of Holes #5 and #6. Ray Hearn, a nationally recognized Golf Course Architect, was hired by Waters Edge to design and...
Studio37 Arts and Culture Center: A Grassroots Underground for Community Creativity
Being new to Newaygo County, I am loving discovering all the secret treasures this area holds. My husband and I chose to move to the area because of the bountiful wilderness and outdoor activities. However, we’re beginning to find that this natural gem has even more...
Flowers are Popping at Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary
This darn crazy spring and summer weather we are having is making it frustrating for photographers. I went to Loda Lake this week on the only day it hadn’t rained and was surprised by how I was joined by other photographers and hikers doing the same thing. School is...
Coolbough Natural Area Offers Birds, Bugs and Boot Prints
The Coolbough Natural Area is one of my favorite places to hike. Why? There are many reasons such as easy parking, looping paths, lots of wildlife and points of interest, a porta-john, and many more, but I will save my favorite for last.Coolbough has many options for...
The Wetland Trail – A Unique Ecosystem
I’ve mentioned before in a previous blog that I work for TrueNorth Community Services, the parent company of Camp Newaygo. Unless people attend one of Camp Newaygo’s public events such as their “Dinners on the Ridge” series this summer (July 20 or August 10) most...
Exploring Newaygo’s Past
Growing up, in an area, we often become familiar with local history. It is taught in schools, on field trips, family members talk about "back when...", and traditions are born in recognition of the history. When you're raised in a community, you often become tired of...
Entertaining a Small Town Part 1: River Float
A newly printed license securely tucked into an otherwise empty camo poly-velcro wallet, casually tossed onto the dash of late model modified 4x4. Bro-country blasting from a partially blown speaker as the fresh faced country boy drives from one end of town to the...
Agritourism
I recently heard the term Agricultural Tourism or Agritourism for short, and was immediately intrigued by the idea, that individuals go out of their way to visit areas because of the agriculture. After a little bit of research, I realized that the idea of visiting an...
Hunt for Karner Blue Butterflies at Sanctuary
Sometimes you want to do something different than follow a path through the woods. Maybe you want to create an adventure or a bit of a scavenger hunt for an endangered species. One of the good things about the late spring/summer season is the endangered Karner Blue...
A Branstrom Park Day
I had just bought myself a new pair of waterproof low hiking boots and I needed to try them out. If you live or work in Fremont, or if you’re vacationing in the area and stop there for supplies or to grab something to eat, do yourself a favor and do not overlook...
Our First Hike
Kelley and I had always dreamed on having a home near water when we retired. A place where we could sink down solid roots and flourish after many years of working and building a life for our family in the Detroit and the Grand Rapids areas. So, on weekends we’d go...
Camp Newaygo: A Special Day, a Special Place
It was a chilly Saturday morning for late April but I knew the Tai Chi would warm me up. It was the second in a series of free classes offered through the AmeriCorps Safe Routes to Health initiative at Camp Newaygo. The class, like the first one, was to be held in...
Discover Newaygo County – Part 1 – Veterans Memorial Park
As the spring weather breaks, I feel the sudden urge to get out and adventure. This time of the year usually stirs up my adventurous nature. This year I want to step out and discover Newaygo County. There are many wonderful places that we can enjoy, right here in our...
Newaygo: A Truly Magical Place
This truly is a magical place.Nestled on the banks of the Muskegon River in Newaygo County rests the nostalgic town ofNewaygo, MI. The historic district of this town still features all of the old world charm and design;restored vintage buildings, bustling...
Early Spring Hike Reveals Surprises
Spring fever had struck. I needed to hike and thought Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary would be a good place to explore and get my walking legs broken in. I didn’t think I would see many wildflowers, because even the daffodils weren’t up yet, but it was sunny and...
Time to Fish? Always in Newaygo County..
Having grown up in Newaygo County I never really thought about how blessed we are with all the rivers, lakes and streams we have around us for fun, and recreation. After moving to Indiana I was shocked and missed this great natural treasure of Newaygo County. ...
Learning to Love Running on a Ga-zillion Newaygo County Trails
The trees are heavy with the afternoon’s rain. Sagging evergreen branches hang over me; drip, drip, dripping onto the leafy floor. The sky is wrapped with clouds; dark blues and greys seeming to hold the sky closer to the Earth. The path is damp, rain...