Eleven Mile State Park in Colorado to Host Ice Fishing Tournaments
OutdoorHub 12.12.11
Lake George, CO – Eleven Mile State Park and the 11 Mile Marina will host the 2012 Denver Sports Column Colorado Classic Ice Fishing Tournament, starting with the Grand Slam on Jan. 7, followed by the South Park Ice Masters on Feb. 11 and ending with Marina March Madness on March 10.
This will be the tenth anniversary of the Colorado Classic. In the last decade, the event has become one of Colorado’s premier ice fishing contests. In addition to Colorado fishermen, the tournament draws hard water anglers from Wyoming, New Mexico, Kansas and Nebraska.
“When the cash payouts get as big as they do, anglers from all over make the trip to Eleven Mile State Park,” said tournament director Larry Falk. The tournament series is an annual rite of winter for ice fishermen who want to test their skills against others in friendly competition.
All tournament contests are team events and each team consists of two anglers, one of whom must be at least 18 years old. Each event stands alone as a separate contest. If a team competes in all three events, there is a point system that yields additional prize money.
All contests start at 7 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. Thousands of dollars in cash prizes, determined by the number of participating teams, are up for grabs. In addition, there are numerous door prizes provided by participating sponsors that are given away at each contest’s award ceremony. This year, numerous pairs of Avalanche and Nuggets tickets provided by the Sports Column will be awarded as prizes. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Park County RE-2 Winter Sports Program.
A valid daily or annual Colorado State Park pass is required for all vehicles entering the park. A valid Colorado fishing license is also required for all participants.
Park officials remind ice fishermen that ice thicknesses may vary considerably within relatively short walking distances. Anyone venturing out onto the ice should always go with a partner, drill test holes to determine ice thickness, wear a life jacket and carry ice picks, 50 feet of rope and a cell phone. Park rangers also recommend that anglers stay away from pressure ridges, open water and ice that are porous, soft or have granulated crystals.
For more information on the tournament, go to www.11milesports.com or call 1 (877) 725-3172. For Eleven Mile State Park information, call the office at 719-748-3401 or visit www.parks.state.co.us.
