Togue caught during the 2021 derby and donated to Preble Street food pantry in Portland. Contributed / Sebago Lake Rotary Club

Online registration is open at www.icefishingderby.com for the Sebago Lake and Cumberland County derby, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19 and 20.

Proceeds benefit Feed the Need, serving 11 local food pantries and other Sebago Lake Rotary Club charities.

All registrants (whether they fish or not) will be entered for the grand prize of a 2022 5 Linhai Woodsman 300 4×4 All Terrain Vehicle from Windham Power Sports in Windham and a 4 horsepower Mercury outboard motor donated by Panther Run Marina in Raymond. There are cash prizes for the top three caught of each species – togue, pike, pickerel and perch – plus a drawing from prize pools for fish caught during the event.

The derby was created in 2001 to help cull togue from Sebago Lake. Togue is considered an invasive species in Sebago Lake and Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife promotes their removal to help landlocked salmon, which compete for the same food source. Each year derby organizers have asked registered fishermen to donate their extra togue caught during the derby to be delivered to Nova Seafood in Portland for processing and delivery to Preble Street food pantry in Portland. More than 3,000 pounds of fish have been donated over the last few years. A special drawing is held for those who donate togue.