{"id":23412,"date":"2025-02-22T22:13:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T05:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/over-100-turn-out-for-vallecito-annual-ice-fishing-tournament-on-saturday\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T22:35:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:35:30","slug":"over-100-turn-out-for-vallecito-annual-ice-fishing-tournament-on-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/over-100-turn-out-for-vallecito-annual-ice-fishing-tournament-on-saturday\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 100 turn out for Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament on Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"David
David Nau, left, has his rainbow trout weighed by judges. Tim O\u2019Connell, center, and organizer John Wilson ran the weighing tent at the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament on Saturday at Vallecito Reservoir. Nau released the fish with hopes of catching a bigger one. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Underneath a speckless sky, Durango, Bayfield and La Plata County residents gathered at Vallecito Reservoir for the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament.<\/p>\n

The tournament was sponsored by the Vallecito Conservation and Sporting Association.<\/p>\n

An estimated 150 people were on the frozen lake, with 112 adults and 38 children registered for the contest, according to organizers. Some people pitched tents and gathered around charcoal grills, while others were content to sit in folding chairs with their fishing rods and gear.<\/p>\n

Organizer John Wilson said the Vallecito Conservation and Sporting Association hosts a number of events in the Vallecito community, including trail maintenance, a kids fishing clinic and the ice fishing tournament, where the weights of catches determine the winners.<\/p>\n

About 10 volunteers helped Wilson run the event.<\/p>\n

\"Colleen
Colleen White sits back with dogs Shark and Dixie on Saturday waiting for a hungry fish to come by during the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament at Vallecito Reservoir. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cThis is by far my favorite event,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve lucked out; this is three years in a row that we\u2019ve had an absolutely beautiful day. It\u2019s gonna get warm next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said people travel from around Colorado and as far as Arizona, New Mexico and Texas for the annual ice fishing tournament. Cash prizes are up for grabs for adults and noncash prizes are available for children.<\/p>\n

\"Anglers
Anglers set up around Vallecito Reservoir on Saturday for the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The first place prize for adults was $750, followed by $500 for second place and $250 for third place. Another $200 was reserved for whoever caught the fish that weighed closest to the average weight of the heaviest and lightest fish, he said.<\/p>\n

Children\u2019s prizes included a T-shirt, ice fishing equipment such as rods, rod holders, tackle boxes, jigs and bait, and a free four-hour boat fishing expedition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wimenuche Wood Fire Grill was gracious enough to donate coupons for $5 off a large pizza to any paying adult,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a great community event. It\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Chris
Chris and Nikki Smith, from Texas, compete on Saturday in the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament at Vallecito Reservoir. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

He said Vallecito Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout and brown trout, and small mouth bass, northern pike, Kokanee salmon and perch also make the lake their home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing we\u2019ve seen brought in today is trout,\u201d he said. \u201cIf somebody brought in a 12-inch walleye, even if they\u2019re the only one to bring a walleye in, they\u2019re going to win 200 bucks. Trout is the most prevalent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Anglers
Anglers set up around Vallecito Reservoir on Saturday for the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Friends Chris Smith and Brandon Coster brought their families to the reservoir for the tournament, but as of midmorning they hadn\u2019t had any luck catching anything. Smith said they were one of two groups that first arrived around 7 a.m.<\/p>\n

This was Smith\u2019s first time participating in the ice fishing tournament. Coster said it was his fourth time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always good. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not as hot as it was yesterday or during the week, but maybe it\u2019ll start. Who knows? We\u2019ll see,\u201d he said. \u201cBeing outdoors, you know, we\u2019ve got Snowdown and this is my Snowdown. Even though we don\u2019t really have any snow, just getting outside of the house and coming out and fishing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Alex
Alex Doddoli pulls Gabe Doddoli, 18 months, on Saturday during the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament at Vallecito Reservoir. The first place prize for adults was $750, followed by $500 for second place and $250 for third place. Another $200 was reserved for whoever caught the fish that weighed closest to the average weight of the heaviest and lightest fish. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

He said he prefers ice fishing to other kinds of fishing. With the exception of tournaments, there aren\u2019t really crowds, and there\u2019s no hassle of waiting in line at a boat ramp and backing a boat into the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can just come out here, have a good time, and fish at any depth you want without having anything but your feet, really. It\u2019s awesome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Anglers
Anglers set up around Vallecito Reservoir on Saturday for the Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

He ranks ice fishing and turkey hunting as his top two favorite hobbies. And he enjoys spending time with his daughter and seeing other children having fun outdoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cSeeing the kids out here and having fun. Giggling like those little girls over there. My daughter\u2019s back there with my wife. It\u2019s a good way to get out away from the home and get her outside during the wintertime. Have her learn it (the outdoors) and respect it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith said he was fishing at a depth of about 13 feet.<\/p>\n

\"Vallecito
Vallecito Annual Ice Fishing Tournament judges Tim O\u2019Connell, left, and John Wilson weigh Austin Counts\u2019 rainbow trout on Saturday at Vallecito Reservoir. Counts kept the fish for dinner. The first place prize for adults was $750, followed by $500 for second place and $250 for third place. Another $200 was reserved for whoever caught the fish that weighed closest to the average weight of the heaviest and lightest fish. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>Jerry McBride<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Coster said several weeks ago his daughter caught a rainbow trout weighing in at 4.7 pounds. When they took the trout home and cleaned it, they discovered three crawfish in its belly.<\/p>\n

\u201cNever seen a trout eat crawdads. I\u2019ve seen bass, but never a trout. So it\u2019s always interesting. Learn something new every day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

cburney@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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