Cool as ice

After a cold, snowy Saturday of fishing yielded just one 11-inch yellow perch, Tom Brueggeman was ready to get back on the ice Sunday at the 14th annual Rifle Gap Ice Fishing tournament to defend his title as the overall winner.

Brueggeman caught the biggest fish of the tourney the last time the event was held, two years ago. And it would take more than a day of unfavorable weather and reeling in a single fish to deter him from hitting the ice on Sunday.

“I had a rough time, Saturday,” he admitted.

Then it all turned around on Sunday.

“The sun came out, the weather turned nice, and we got into some really nice fishing,” Brueggeman said. “Everyone was catching them.”

According to Rifle Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Frank Ladd, the weather seemed to have a real affect on the fishing.

“The weather on Saturday created some challenges but we got through it,” Ladd said. “After all, it was an outdoor event in January.”

Brueggeman said that the competition heated up Sunday — along with the weather — especially in the brown trout category. He entered the day not even on the leader board for browns. Throughout the day Brueggeman would see his name at the top of the list, and then get knocked off again.

“I was thinking that we are finally catching some fish, but then everyone was catching some fish,” Brueggeman said.

Noon crept up on the anglers as the end of the tournament neared. And then, just as quickly as a snowstorm can roll in from the west, Brueggeman's pole began to dance and he reeled in what would ultimately be the biggest fish of this year's tournament. He landed a brown trout measuring in at 22 5/8 inches at 12:15 p.m., with less than an hour to go in the competition.

“I think I just recorded the winner in the brown trout category,” said tournament volunteer judge Al King, who measured and recorded Brueggeman's winning catch.

Brueggeman's winning fish in 2010 was just a little bigger at 22 3/4 inches. He again walked off the ice with $500 for his first place catch in the brown trout category, and also won the opportunity to choose one envelope out of 100 for a chance to win $20,000. And while he didn't win the $20,000 grand prize, he did walk away with an additional $100 gift certificate, too.

Despite not picking the grand prize envelope, Brueggeman had an enjoyable weekend on the frozen Gap.

“It was a good day on the ice,” he said. “It's just a family contest with kids and people out there having fun.”

After the tournament was canceled in 2011, and ice conditions were poor just two weeks ago, people were skeptical that the tournament would even happen, Ladd said. However, that didn't stop them from entering and making the contest a great event.

Ladd said that despite the snowy conditions on Saturday, there were more anglers on the ice Saturday compared to Sunday. Overall, the tournament had approximately 320 adults entered with an additional 115 to 120 kids participating. Participants came from as far as New Mexico and Utah, and all over Colorado to participate, according to Ladd.

“We were very pleased with the turnout,” he said.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the Rifle Area Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Sportsmen Wildlife Fund. The event is organized in coordination with the Chamber, the City of Rifle, Colorado State Parks and was sponsored by Rifle Comfort Inn and Suites, Rocky Mountain Liquors, and Well Master Corp.

There is a possibility that the City of Rifle Parks Department may head up the event next year, Ladd said. That decision will be made at a later date through conversations between the Chamber Board of Directors and city staff. However, Ladd said that the tournament will return next year, ice conditions allowing.

And you can bet that Brueggeman will be there, ready to fish. In the 14 years of the tournament, Brueggeman says that he's only missed two. And in all of them he's participated in, he's managed to walk away with some money. The key to ice fishing is to never give up.

“I think you just have to hang tough and fish hard,” he said.