This year’s $25,000 Winterfest Ice Fishing Derby, scheduled for Saturday, January 28 at Lake Manawa State Park, has been postponed due to unsafe ice conditions.

For the first time ever, the Winterfest Ice Fishing Derby Committee is going to try to use the “rain date” of February 4. Members of the committee checked the ice the end of last week, and found it to be unsafe to hold the derby this weekend.

If the ice remains unsafe to hold the tournament, ice houses will still be given away each Thursday in January by Crash on KFAB. Also, the raffle drawing for the 2/4 Arctic Cat 300 4-wheeler will still be held. Pre-registrant names will be drawn to win an ICE 55 Fishfinder and Humminbird sweatshirts, T-shirts, caps, handwarmers and caplights.

This year’s derby is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops in Council Bluffs and Hy-Vee. After four consecutive years of having safe ice and successful ice fishing derbies, this will be the first year of having to cancel in recent history.

Updated information about Winterfest Ice Fishing Derby can be found on the derby website at www.winterfestderby.com.