On the Ice

It was slow-going early on Saturday morning at Nelson Reservoir as the 10th Murph's Annual Memorial Ice Fishing Tournament as the fish just weren't biting.

With the temperatures shooting to the mid-40's, Malta's Pete Dalby -- one of more than a dozen volunteers at the tournament -- agreed that it was nice out, but added that it wasn't helping land any monsters two hours into the event.

“There has only been seven fish brought in so far," said Dalby while manning the weigh station. "It has kind of been slow out here all winter. I haven’t been out here a lot, but just talking to people, it has been slow."

The warm weather and a recent restriction placed on the tournament by Montana FWP limiting the tourney to 200 this year didn’t slow anglers from showing up to take their poles to the ice while at the same time supporting Murph’s Annual and the man it is dedicated to.

“Even though we could only have 200 entries, people just kept showing up and it is going great,” said Cindy Murphy, Robert "Murph" Murphy’s widow and event organizer. “Even a lot of people who can’t participate in the tournament are here and are supporting us anyway.”

Saco’s Levi Plouffe showed up at the weigh station with a Perch and said he has participated in each of the 10 Murph's Annual Memorial Ice Fishing Tournaments. He said he has landed some decent sized fish at the event, but admitted that fishing isn’t the only reason he comes to Nelson Reservoir each year for the tourney.

“I come out here to think about Murph,” said Plouffe. “I miss the guy. He always had a story and if I was ever in a pickle, he would pick me up and come help me out.”

Besides the fun and excitement Murph’s Annual brings each year, Cindy had a little bit of unexpected excitement prior to the event getting under way as her granddaughter gave birth to a new great grand-daughter late Friday night in Billings.

“Mom’s good, baby’s good so now we don’t have to worry about that,” Cindy said. “Now it is time for fishing.”

On Saturday the official weighing in of fish started at 8 a.m. and ran until 6 p.m. Prizes were determined by the largest fish of three species: Northern Pike, Walleye and Perch -- there is also a prize awarded to the “Biggest Liar.”

Brad Huber and Jesson LaFond tied for first with a 1-lb, 12-inch perch. Lindsey Boreson won Biggest Northern with a 22.5-lbs 44-inch fish. Tim Marsh won the Biggest Walleye with a 7.7-lbs, 29-inch fish. The Biggest Liar trophy, for the second year in a row, was awarded to Laney Simpson.