News Photo by Julie Goldberg There were around 1,000 people at Grand Lake Saturday competing in the 11th Annual Reel Fun Ice Fishing Tournament. The ice was 22 inches thick.

GRAND LAKE — Around 1,000 people were at Grand Lake Saturday for the 11th Annual Reel Fun Ice Fishing Tournament.

The proceeds from the catch-and-release tournament went to the proposed Thunder Bay River Center. Roger Witherbee, chairman of the Thunder Bay River Center Board of Directors, said the event gets bigger each year and people from different states come to the event.

“A lot of people from downstate come and they have a good time,” Witherbee said. “Sometimes, people will bring a family and Mom and Dad will fish and the kids will have a good time.”

The ice was 22 inches thick, so the 1,200 holes pre-drilled by the Thunder Bay Walleye Club of Alpena took a while to dig. Witherbee said the warm weather that the area has got the past few days didn’t affect how thick the ice was.

“I think this is some of the thickest ice we’ve had,” he said.

Volunteer Julie Bartosh said it’s amazing to see so many people at the tournament. She said it doesn’t matter the temperature or weather because people will come out and fish.

“It’s a really great family event and we have quite a few kids out there,” Bartosh said. “It’s a lot of fun and it all goes to a great cause. We just have really great groups and some really great people that helped put this on and we have never had that I know of any issues with anything.”

The first 50 people who came in with a fish got a free T-shirt. There were also prizes for the top 30 finishers.

“Everybody has a great time,” Bartosh said. “People started showing up this morning at 5:30 to stand in line and the gate doesn’t open until 9 a.m. so those are dedicated ice fishermen. It’s just going to get bigger and better.”

Bartosh said the top sponsor for the event was Top O’ Michigan Insurance of Alpena.

Julie Goldberg can be reached at 989-358-5688 or jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jkgoldberg12.