Sunday in the Country ice fishing tournament March 5

SHARON — On the theory that if you have lemons you might as well make lemonade, the Sunday in the Country Food Drive group has decided that, with all this ice around, they might as well host an ice fishing tournament.The competition will be held Saturday, March 5, at Mudge Pond in Sharon. It will be a fundraiser for the regional nonprofit, which helps provide food to families in need, especially during the holiday season.Everyone is invited. The cost is $25 for adults, $5 for children 15 and under. Breakfast and lunch will also be sold.Connecticut fishing regulations will apply for the tournament, which means that some out-of-state anglers will have to apply for a temporary three-day license to participate. More information on where to obtain a license can be found by visiting the state’s Department of Environmental Protection website at ct.gov/dep.Cash prizes will be awarded for the three biggest fish and the smallest fish, in two age categories: adults (16 and older) and children (15 and under). First prize for adults is $100; children will compete for a $100 savings bond.Everyone who enters the tournament is automatically entered in a raffle to win an 8-inch Jiffy propane ice auger, which event organizer Lisa Miller says is valued at $550. Augers are used to drill holes into the ice.“It was very hard for us to get that for the tournament. Apparently propane augers are the new thing,” said Miller, whose husband is an avid ice fisherman. Miller said she and her husband have been supporters of the Sunday in the Country Food Drive for some time. The inspiration for the tournament grew out of a brainstorming session they had with food drive founder NASCAR Dave MacMillan.“We think it’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’re just hoping Mother Nature will cooperate,” Miller said.In the event that the weather does not cooperate, there are two backup plans. If there is heavy snow, the snow date will be Sunday, March 6.If the weather gets too warm and the ice melts, there will be a corn toss at Millerton’s American Legion Post 178 on Route 44.The tournament will have a shotgun start at 8 a.m. at Mudge Pond. Registration begins at 7 a.m. For more information, contact Miller at 860-248-1331.