The cherished competition is hosted by the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club. New this year, the organizers measured trout, perch and salmon by weight instead of length as was done previously. Northern Pike were still measured by length and, unlike the other species, are not found in Lake Colby. Instead, anglers had the option to fish for pike in any waterbody within the boundaries of the Saranac Lake Central School District, according to organizers. The three other species had to be caught from Lake Colby in order to count in the derby.

The entry fee this year was $30 for adults and kids ages 15 and under fished for free, as the cost was covered by an anonymous donor who sponsored youth entry fees in memory of Joey Boyle, an avid fisherman from Saranac Lake who died unexpectedly in January at the age of 32.

Cash prizes were awarded for the three largest catches of each fish species, with separate divisions for adults and youth. Prizes for adults in each category were $200 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third. For the youth, the cash prizes were $100, $75 and $50, respectively.

This year presented tough luck for salmon fishing at the classic, with nobody — youth or adult — able to muster a catch on the leader board. Although at least one salmon was caught, it had to be released and did not count for the derby, as it did not meet the minimum length requirement stipulated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and derby rules, which adhere to all relevant DEC fish and game rules and laws. There were full podium finishes in both adult and youth divisions for all of the other species this year.

There were also 18 fish that were tagged with small plastic lines when they were stocked in Lake Colby ahead of the derby. The 18 fish were chosen for tagging as they were among the largest and most brilliant of the larger schools of stock released into the lake leading up to the derby.

Those tagged fish fell into a separate prize category: they were not eligible for normal derby prizes by weight, but instead had separate cash awards if caught — supported by a number of event sponsors — ranging from $100 to $500 each.

In the end, just one of the tagged fish — a Brown Trout weighing in at 6.41 lbs. — was caught this year. The fish was reeled in by Cedar Rivers and fetched a $200 prize, which was sponsored by Reynolds Group of Lake Placid and Say Real Estate, according to the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club. It was a lucky year for Rivers, as he also caught the largest trout in the derby’s normal pool, netting an additional $200 for that separate trout catch.

Tagged fish are gifts that keep on giving. If uncaught after the derby, they can be caught at anytime through the year. They carry a prize value of $50, which is paid by the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club. This is the case for tagged fish from all previous years, including the 17 uncaught from 2025. There is one exception: tagged fish from 2024. They are instead worth $100 — the extra value is in honor of that year being the derby’s 40th anniversary. To the club’s knowledge, there are still 14 tagged fish from 2024 swimming in the waters of Lake Colby.

Unlike during the Colby Classic, where the fish must be kept alive for weighing and tag verification — anglers just need to remove and hold on to the tag to present to the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club to prove their catch. The club can be reached at 518-637-4662 throughout the year for tag verification and prize collection.

Previous years’ tagged fish, if caught during future Colby Classic Ice Fishing derbies, can be entered at that time in the regular prize by weight categories, provided that the fish is kept alive and adheres to all other derby rules for the year it is eventually caught.

The final results from this year are below:

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Trout (adults)

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¯ First Place: Cedar Rivers — 2.07 lbs.

¯ Second Place: Steve Upham — 1.55 lbs.

¯ Third Place: Albert Bruso, Jr. — 1.25 lbs

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Trout (youth)

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¯ First Place: Tabitha Duprey — 0.79 lbs. (Rainbow Trout)

¯ Second Place: Nick Sartorini — 0.79 lbs.

¯ Third Place: Everett Gorgas — 0.39 lbs.

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Perch (adults)

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¯ First Place: Craig Reyell — 0.74 lbs.

¯ Second Place: Nick Concavage — 0.68 lbs.

¯ Third Place: Gary Ottavinia — 0.61 lbs.

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Perch (youth)

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¯ First Place: Owen Morehouse — 0.59 lbs

¯ Second Place: Alice Longo — 0.56 lbs.

¯ Third Place: Arlo Gorgas — 0.54 lbs.

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Northern Pike (adults)

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¯ First Place: Trevor Lundberg — 34 inches*

¯ Second Place: Henry Denis, Jr. — 34 inches

¯ Third Place: Ross Friend — 31.75 inches

*Lunderg’s catch was reported earlier in the Colby Classic than Denis’s. Per derby rules, when at least two fish are the same length or weight, prize placement is awarded in chronological order of the catches.

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Northern Pike (youth)

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¯ First Place: Easton Wimsatt — 32.75 inches

¯ Second Place: Skye Beaudoin — 25.75 inches

¯ Third Place: Elliot Burgess — 24.75 inches

Everyone on the results board was entered into a special drawing for the grand prize: a day-long fishing charter excursion this summer on Lake Champlain, courtesy of Irish Raider Outfitters. This year’s grand prize winner was Easton Wimsatt.

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Staff Writer Aaron Marbone contributed to this report.