NEGAUNEE - Eight-year-old Isaiah Wood sat in his ice shanty, bundled up against chilly temperatures with layers of winter clothing, waiting for the fish to bite.
Wood, from Green Bay, Wis., was out on Teal Lake with members of his family and roughly 150 other competitors in this year's 17th annual Heikki Lunta Fishing Derby.
Though the family had precious few bites this year, Wood's grandfather, Steve Paava of Marquette, said they come as a family to the derby every time their schedules allow it. Paava, himself, has been competing in the derby for 18 years.
"We never won any prizes," he said. "It's fun for the family. In order to enjoy the U.P., you've got to play in all the seasons."
Paava said he's an avid ice fisherman and travels across the U.P. and even down to Wisconsin to fish his favorite spots.
And though the group of about 11 hadn't caught any fish by 2 p.m. Saturday, they weren't ready to give up yet.
"We're always hoping," Paava said. "It's hard to fish with this big of a tribe."
Other folks on the ice spoke of similar troubles with getting the fish to bite.
Rich Lee of Marquette was on the lake with his friend Randy Trudeau of Harvey. Both men said they weren't getting many bites, probably, they said, because of the traffic out on the ice.
"It's usually better when there's not a tournament," Lee said.
The men started setting up at about 7:30 Saturday morning near the eastern shoreline of the lake, where they said they'd had success in the past.
"The depth is good. There's a sandbar out in this area," Lee said.
Trudeau said he usually spends more time fishing when lakes are frozen than otherwise, adding that he's got more time in the winter months to fish.
Back at Paisano's in Negaunee, where registration took place and where competitors could bring their fish to be weighed and measured, Jim Asikainen of Ishpeming rifled through a small cooler of perch, looking for the biggest one.
Asikainen said he'd been competing in the derby for the last 10 years and has won first and third place in the sucker and perch divisions.
"I like to fish Teal Lake because it's close to home," he said. "It's slow up on the North side. They were biting up until about 9, 9:30. Then it slowed. Those boys out in the middle are have been catching from 1 o'clock on. They're still biting."
Asikainen entered two perch into the competition, one measuring 13 and 5/8 inches and one measuring 13.5 inches.
"I love perch," he said. "I'm not much of a walleye fisher."
Finishing up the Heikki Lunta festivities was a pancake breakfast at the Negaunee Eagles which began at 9 a.m. today.
Jackie Stark can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is jstark@miningjournal.net.
