With the recent extreme cold temperatures, the ice condition is the best they have had in years for the event, Club President Tony Erickson said.

The forecast for Saturday’s tournament is cloudy with a high of 19 degrees.

“It will be a little cooler, but it will make the hot chocolate taste better,” Erickson said.

The fishing contest runs from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on either Edey Lake or Sawyer Lake in Sagola Township.

Mia Fedrizzi shows off the 25 2/3-inch northern pike she caught at the 2025 Tip-Up Town of the U.P. fishing tournament.(Alex Erickson photo)

Registration will begin at 7 a.m. at the clubhouse, W8470 Sawyer Lake Road about 4 miles north of Channing.

All taking part in the fishing tournament must purchase a button and register for the event. Buttons are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 17 and younger.

All measuring will be done at the clubhouse, with awards presented at 5 p.m.

Cash prizes will be give in the top three placements in adult class in each of the five species categories.

For children, prizes will be given through fifth place in the five fish categories. Each first-place winner will receive a trophy.

Each of the top five winners in each category will get a bucket filled with items from area businesses, sponsored by MJ Drilling, Erickson said.

“We have some really great prizes for the kids,” he said.

Erickson said a new addition to the clubhouse is a plaque that lists the youth winners from the past several years.

The clubhouse will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for participants to warm up or purchase lunch. They will offer a variety of food, including brats, hot dogs, burgers, their famous french fries, along with crab rangoons and egg rolls. A selection of beverages will be available for purchase.

Admission to the clubhouse is free.

Erickson noted they had 172 participants last year, 100 of them kids, adding they hope more parents will take part in the tournament this year.

After the activities at the clubhouse, everyone is encouraged to head to Cuculi’s Bar for live music by Melanie Rose from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Sponsors of the 2026 event include MJ Drilling; Cuculi’s Bar; Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home and Cremation Services; Minerick Logging; Johnson Potato Farm; Sagola Township Sportmen’s Club; Linda Atkinson, attorney, Channing; Northern Interstate Bank; Jake’s R&R Tires Inc.; PromoMax; and Nev’s Northstar Bar in Niagara, Wis.

Sportsmen’s Club members are selling raffle tickets as well for its drawing for a side-by-side, which will be on display Saturday.

The club’s annual Gun and Knife Show takes place the next week, set for 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at the clubhouse. Several vendors will be on site and food will be available. Admission is $5, with no charge for ages 12 and younger.

They will also draw the winner of the side-by-side raffle, Erickson said.

Erickson encourages the community to come out and enjoy the day.

For more information about the Sagola Township Sportsmen’s Club, go to https://stsportsmen.com.

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Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.