Last year, the Jig It Ice Fishing Tournament attracted 100 participants with hundreds of fish caught. (Wood photo)
IRON MOUNTAIN—The second annual Jig It Ice Fishing Tournament in Dickinson County will take place on Saturday, Jan. 19, on Lake Antoine.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Dickinson-Iron Medical Care Access Coalition, which helps uninsured residents of the area with health care and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay area. Delta County will also host its annual tournament on Bay de Noc the following weekend, Jan. 26.

CASPIAN—Due to the lack of snow at the former Caspian Ski Jump Hill, the Mid America Snow and Terrain Extreme Racers (MASTERS) Racing Circuit has changed the date of the Mid America Championship Snowmobile Hillclimb. The event was planned for Saturday, Feb. 2. The new date is Saturday, Feb. 16.

HERMANSVILLE—If youths are interested in trapping, the place to take them is the 8th annual Midwinter Trappers Workshop, that is being held at the Community Center in Hermansville on Saturday, Feb. 2.

LANSING—The DNR’s Fisheries Division has released its draft five-year strategic plan, which will guide its future management activities for 2013-2017. “Charting the Course: Fisheries Division’s Framework for Managing Aquatic Resources” can be found online at www.michigan.gov/fishing. The DNR encourages readers to share input on the draft plan’s proposed strategies for managing Michigan’s aquatic resources.

Erich Ziegler of Crystal Falls MI. with a northern pike speared in an Iron County Lake. (Bill Ziegler photo)
By Bill Ziegler for the Iron County Reporter
IRON COUNTY—Fishing with a spear in the winter is a method of fishing that originated with Native Americans. This historical spearing was first documented in the mid 1700s in Eastern Upper Peninsula Great Lakes waters.

AMASA—A fishing contest for the Amasa 125th birthday party in 2016 is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 12.
Registration continues until Jan. 11 at Tall Pines in Amasa, Crystal Bait in Crystal Falls or the Iron County Chamber of Commerce office in Iron River.

IRON RIVER—    Iron River District Ranger Norman Nass announces a temporary, partial closure of the Ge-Che Trail near Lake Ottawa on the Iron River Ranger District.
“For public safety, the eastern half of the Ge-Che Hiking/Cross Country Ski Trail system will be closed for the 2012-2013 winter season,” states District Ranger Nass.

LANSING—Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation that would allow for the establishment of a hunting season for wolves in Michigan and provide fair indemnification payments for livestock killed by wolves, coyotes and cougars. 

Alex Nelson (left) and Jesse Thoreson, members of the Iron County 4-H Sharp Shooters, have been selected to represent Michigan as part of the air rifle team  in the 4-H Shooting Sports National Invitational in June in Nebraska. (Marvin Hill photo)
AMASA—Two Iron County competition shooters have been selected for the 4-H Shooting Sports National Invitational in Grand Island, Neb.

COVINGTON— The Ponnistus Athletic Club of Covington invites anglers to participate in their 28th annual ice fishing derby. The contest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 5 on Vermillac Lake in Covington.