.E-mail This Article

Looking for the big one

Fishing derby a hit despite weather

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (May 30/01) - More than 200 people tried their luck at the annual Rankin Inlet Fishing Derby earlier this month.

Prizes were awarded in both the cod and trout categories of this year's event.

The 2001 Fishing Derby was organized by the eight- member of Rankin Inlet Radio Society.

Society member Ishmael Naulalik says the committee worked hard leading up to the event, soliciting cash and prizes from Rankin's business community and organizations.

"The businesses and various organizations in Rankin have been very generous in their support of the fishing derby and we owe them a big thank you," says Naulalik.

"We were pleased with the way the derby went overall, but there are a lot of people who would rather see it held in late April when there's still lots of snow on the land."

Indeed, weather played havoc with this year's derby when an unexpected warm front moved into the region, rapidly melting ice and producing snow conditions which made land travel extremely difficult.

Eight families were reported as possibly stranded on the land during the derby.

Shawn Maley of the Department of Community Government and Transportation says weather problems have plagued the derby for the past five years.

"Back then, the derby was held on the same holiday long weekend and we ran into problems with it getting warm," says Maley. "The derby has been moved around a couple of times since then looking for ideal weather conditions."

Nunavut Emergency Management Services in conjunction with the Rankin Inlet Search and Rescue Committee chartered a helicopter to locate the missing persons.

One woman was picked up at Peter Lake and returned to Rankin Inlet in good health.

"On average, you burn twice as much gas in those conditions. Some people were running low on fuel, so we had to use local members of the SAR to bring some to them by snowmobile," says Maley.

"Some of the families are quite comfortable out there and are heading back to Rankin under their own steam when they're ready. Everyone's accounted for and we're not worried about anyone."