Kim Fundingsland/MDN Fishing is only part of the fun of the annual Devils Lake Volunteer Fire Department ice fishing derby. Up to 6,000 fishermen are expected for the event this Saturday. This photograph was taken at the 2016 derby.

The two largest ice fishing tournaments in the United States will be held this Saturday, one of them in North Dakota.

The monstrous Devils Lake Volunteer Fire Department ice fishing derby is set for Devils Lake’s Six Mile Bay from 1-3:30 p.m. Saturday. On Saturday morning volunteers will drill 6,000 holes in preparation for the arrival of an onslaught of eager ice anglers.

“I believe we’re the biggest one in the United States,” said Jim Moe, derby director. “We’re talking about $325,000 in prizes.”

Moe is chief of the department and has chaired the event since its inception 34 years ago. Money raised from the derby goes to a good cause, the volunteer fire department.

“We do it with volunteers to raise money to purchase equipment,” said Moe. “It saves taxpayer money.”

While many enjoy being part of the spectacle of thousands of fishermen on the ice at one time, a big part of the fun for many is the impressive raffle held in conjunction with the derby. A total of 22,500 tickets priced at $25 each, a sellout, were sold this year for a chance at one of 160 prizes.

An additional 15 prizes, including a Jeep Wrangler for second place in the walleye division, have been set aside for those who will be actively fishing. Moe estimates the financial impact of the derby on the Devils Lake area to be $2.5 to $3 million.

“I don’t know where the limit is,” said Moe. “It’s crazy.”

The ice fishing tournament billed as the “Grandaddy of them all” will be held this Saturday at Hole in the Day Bay at Gull Lake near Brainerd, Minn. That event raises $150,000 for various charities and claims to have up to 10,000 fishermen on the ice. That’s more fishermen than usually fish the Devils Lake event. However, the prizes awarded at the Brainerd Jaycees are far less that what is awarded at Devils Lake.

Devils Lake will be a lively place for the next few days. Special entertainment arranged for the derby is scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights at the Memorial Building in downtown Devils Lake. A free soup and chili feed will be held tonight and Friday night and a Fisherman’s Supper is scheduled for Saturday.