Seven years ago, Ed Wojtan came into work at the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation office with a simple idea — make a family-based competition out of the sport he loves, ice fishing.

And Saturday, he was on hand, racing around Independence Lake on a John Deere cart to check on excited fishers at the sixth annual Ice Fishing Derby. About 120 people participated, including 50 kids.

The derby involved hard work and planning in the beginning, but now that it’s an established, yearly event, Wotjan said it takes about a month to prepare. All the work he puts into the derby is volunteer.

“It’s just something fun for the public to do,” Wotjan said. “We like getting people out here.”

Until a few years ago, the Independence Lake Park was closed during the winter. Back then, people would just hop the fence and ice fish. Now, the park can monitor ice conditions and potentially close the lake if it's too dangerous.

Saturday was a chance to get people outdoors and introduce them to the park’s winter activities, which involve fishing, ice skating and cross country skiing.

“We really want to get people to the park in the winter,” Park Superintendent Brian Machemer said. “We can introduce them to what we have to offer, and then maybe they’ll come back and get a car pass in the summer.”

But why ice fishing?

“Because it’s the greatest sport ever invented!” Machemer, who admits he’s never actually been ice fishing, said with a laugh.

Machemer and Wotjan were excited about the turnout, which included an entire troupe of Cub Scouts and dozens of father-and-son pairs.

The park catered to those who may not be into ice fishing, too. They provided lunch and had raffles, and New Boston native Alex Woodring, 9, came out as the derby’s big winner.

Woodring bagged a 24-inch pike, the biggest fish he’s ever caught, to win the grand prize in the children’s division, a gift certificate to Dick’s Sporting Goods. He also won a fishing pole in the raffles.

It was a big day for Woodring, who was nervous to get his picture taken for the story, but eventually became excited that he had “gotten in the paper for the first time ever.”

This was the second year that Woodring came out to the Ice Fishing Derby with his father, Randy, who’s been a regular since the event’s inception.

“I don’t get out ice fishing as much as I’d like to,” Randy said. “But it’s great to get out here for the derby. Alex was really excited to fish with me. You know, I dropped the line and he pulled up the fish. It’s great.”