There will be no traditional Ice Fishing Derby in Sarnia for a fifth straight year.
Plans for the annual event, hosted by the Bluewater Anglers, were scrapped this month due to the abnormally warm winter weather.
Anglers Board Member Ron Allison said the club is definitely disappointed.
"We always look forward to a nice derby and it's been, oh, almost four or five years since we had one here. The kids just love it -- not only the kids but the families as well and it's a great day out. When we've got the ice, we'll come in the neigbourhood of two, maybe 300 people on the ice but we have to have safe ice."
The event was cancelled in 2019 and 2020 due to a lack of ice, it was cancelled in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and last year's event was held virtually.
Allison said they're hoping for cooler winters in the years ahead. He said they're not planning on making any changes.
"We always have it as a one-shot thing because it is hard because you have to get licences and such to make it all happen and you don't have rain-days on this. And normally at this point in time if you don't have ice, you probably will not have ice."
Allison said the event typically attracts fishers from all over the community and beyond.
"We'll have people come from Dresden, Wallaceburg, all of the surrounding area. It's quite a good event when it happens, but unfortunately, mother nature is a very fickle individual."
Allison said all of the money raised from the derby goes towards prizes for the kids that take part.
"We have all of prizes lined up for this year but it's not going to happen so we'll just save them for next year and go from there."
