Hundreds Compete for Crown of King of the Ice, Sullivan County’s Ice Fishing Tournament

Hundreds gathered on the icy White Lake to compete for the title of King of the Ice, Sullivan County’s annual ice fishing tournament, on Feb. 15. Parked cars lined both sides of Route 17B stretching for about a mile throughout the day.

Equipped with tents, snowmobiles, and orange flag tip-ups, anglers spent their Sunday fishing for walleye, trout, and pickerel, among other fish species. Radio Catskill’s Jason Dole joined ice fishers to hear what brought them to the waters.

King of the Ice has been organized by the Sullivan County Conservation Club for the past 35 years as an annual staple celebrating freshwater fishing. Jay Mendels, board member of the Sullivan County Conservation Club, said the community event also doubles as the main fundraiser for the club.

“A lot of families, a lot of kids, a lot of fish,” said Mendels. “It’s a great fun community event, and we’re glad to be a part of it.”

While crowds have declined in recent years, Mendels is hopeful that King of the Ice can encourage more families to get their kids involved at an early age. He says this winter’s colder months have helped boost enthusiasm amongst ice fishing enthusiasts.

Jason Wright took home the crown of this year’s “King of the Ice” as the first-ever junior winner. He landed an 8.6-pound walleye measuring 27.5 inches.

Will Riley, one of the contestants, said he arrived on the lake around 5:30 a.m. and made bacon and eggs on the ice. For those interested in ice fishing, Riley says to just get started.

“Just go out and buy a bunch of tip-ups, and all you really need to do is buy bait every time you wanna go out and an auger,” said Riley. “It’s not that hard at all. It’s just being out in the cold and being up real early.”

Images: Scenes from the 2026 King of the Ice Tournament in White Lake, N.Y. (Photo Credit: Jason Dole)