Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby enjoys best ice conditions in 7 years

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 18, 2026

The Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby took place last weekend, with scores of ice fishers making their way onto the frozen shores of the lake in hopes of getting the biggest catch. The derby was run by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club. Cyndy Bell, a member of Rotary, said the mission of the derby, which has been taking place since 2001, was originally to remove invasive species such as togue and pike from the lake. Those fish, Bell said, compete for the same food sources as the lake’s native salmon population. This year’s derby had more than 1,000 participants.