You've seen the photos. A solitary fisherman, sitting on a bucket on a windswept lake as the sun sets on the horizon.

That's not the Schroon Lake Ice Fishing Derby.

There's not too many buckets, and the sun is high in the sky. And you won't find much solitude. As the region's most popular ice fishing derby, the annual Schroon Lake fest, now in its 21st year, regularly pulls hundreds of ice anglers from near and far. And a couple of days on the ice can yield some impressive results.

You can pull these fish through the ice with a jig or  a tip-up, depending on the species you're targeting – usually jigging for the perch; tip-ups primarily for the lake trout, landlocked salmon and northern pike. As in past years, there will be prizes for trout, salmon, northern pike,perch and pickerel. You're limited to three salmon, which must be at least 15 inches; two lake trout, which must be at least 18 inches;five northern pike, which must be at least 18 inches; and five perch of any size. There are no limits on pickerel.

The weekend includes a pastadinner at the Schroon Lake Fish and Game Club clubhouse on Saturday night andhot dogs, chili and burgers on Sunday.

Certainly, you'll find those fishermen with their sights set on those fish too big to pull up through the hole, but it's a friendly group,looking as much to catch a fun day or two out on the ice as they are a monster pike. And given Schroon Lake's history, they could do that, too.

Last year, over 420 anglers took to the ice. The largest catchwas a 17.92-pound northern pike. The winning lake trout measured 9.16 pounds,followed by a 3.61-pound salmon, a 1.53-pound perch and a 3.74-pound pickerel.

There's still time to register for this year's Derby, set for Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3. Fishing begins at daylight on Saturday;all fish must be weighed in by 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Fish and Game Club's Clubhouse. For locals, just bring your gear and you're all set. If you're visiting the area and would like to head out on the ice, you don't need all that fancy stuff to enjoy the day. Check out one of the local guides (click here for more information). If you're just looking for information regarding the derby, you can call (518) 532-7953.