Staff photo by Fritz Busch Children ride in sleds at the 38th Annual New Ulm Area Sportfishermen Ice Fishing Contest at Clear Lake Sunday. Pictured from left, Adiynn Beckius of Hanska, Owen Anderson of St. James, Lisa Beckius of Hanska, Lydia Anderson, St. James, and Clare Beckius, Hanska. Forty perch and three bullheads were hooked by anglers at the contest.

CLEAR LAKE — Anglers hooked 40 perch and three bullheads at the New Ulm Sportfishermen 38th Annual Ice Fishing Contest at Clear Lake Sunday.

Colton Goettl’s one-pound bullhead was the largest fish caught. Ella Donald finished second with a .96 pound perch, followed by Dylan Schapekahm’s .88 pound bullhead.

“Lake oxygen levels are good. The perch were active. We were surprised to see that many perch caught. A one-pound perch is a very nice sized fish. Things are looking up for perch in the lake,” said New Ulm Sportfishermen Club member Jim Hulke who weighed fish at the contest.

He said the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) stocked the lake with sunfish, perch, and northern this fall.

Fishing contest participants included Tony Effenberger of Eagle Lake who landed his 1955 Cessna 170B airplane on the lake.

“It made things interesting,” said Hulke about Effenberger landing his airplane on the frozen lake.

A week earlier, Effenberger landed on Sleepy Eye Lake during the fishing derby.

He talked about why he enjoys winter flying.

“The air is more dense, so I can go faster, engines produce more thrust and wings generate more lift in the winter. There wasn’t much wind today, so flying was pretty smooth,” Effenberger said.

He plans to take part in a fly in at Lake Mille Lacs in March. Effenberger said he enjoys fly-ins and air shows, Montana, Osh Kosh, Wis. And Sarasota, Fla.

Since their inception in 1986, the New Ulm Area Sportfishermen’s Club has been committed to improving water quality and fish habitat within 50 miles of New Ulm.

Club accomplishments and involvement include community cleanups for water quality, owners, operators and maintenance of the Clear Lake aeration system, active participation in the Clear Lake fish management plan, purchasing sand at the Clear Lake County Park beach, buying and installing a handicapped walkway at the Clear Lake fishing pier, cooperating with other conservation organizations and organizing a storm drain stenciling project.

For more information, visit http://www.newulmsportfish.org/