The National Aeronautics and Space Administration would have seen the space shuttle lift off the launch pad years ahead of its time if only they had crawled inside the mind of an ice fisherman. Preferably one looking to construct an ice fishing shack.

These are minds that never sit idle, their wheel of success is constantly turning and searching for new ideas and materials to form the ultimate shack. In their quest for success, these anglers will turn over stones hiding ideas that haven’t yet been heard of, and which NASA personnel thought only existed in outer space. But to the ice fisherman, it’s nothing out of the ordinary, just another day of gathering information for a daunting task that demands strict guidelines and around-the-clock usage on that hard-drive between the ears.

These shelters need to be assembled by material light enough that the snowmobile won’t refuse to pull it, and strong enough to resist the forces of Mother Nature. Then comes the size factor, it has to be large enough to accommodate the entire fishing party, yet small enough that it can be wrestled off the truck for an occasional solo trip. That invention alone could wreak havoc on the mind of the most tested scientist, but to the ice fisherman, it’s just another bump in the journey to success.

Then comes the decision of whether to make this device collapsible. The ideal shack would be something so compact it slides in the back of the truck, and there’s still room left over for a snowmobile and gear for a three-day trip. But we all know that’s a tall order, and sometimes there comes a phase in the building process when we have to give a little in one area to have more in others. So as I traveled across Sebago Lake this past weekend, I kept that thought in mind as I took a few notes on the designs of a couple that stood out.

I spotted one shack shaped liked an igloo; it looked to be at least 12 feet in diameter, and possibly made of fiberglass. It definitely wasn’t collapsible and exceeded the standard weight limit considerably, but the ratings were high in the remaining areas. Just a few yards away stood one that looked fairly normal, until I looked over my shoulder in passing. There was a window in one end shaped like a large bubble which lent anglers views of the lake that surpassed anything Home Depot stocked. It turned out to be an item commonly seen in the playground at McDonald’s.

But the most unique one by far, I spotted on my journey from the lower bay to the main part of the lake. I couldn’t take my eyes off it because it looked so familiar, but definitely nothing I’d seen on a lake. So I put my sled into a sharp left-hand turn and circled in for a close-up. As the image closed in, the picture became clear. A fisherman had removed the cab from an excavator and placed it on skis. Without a doubt, it was the most unique ice shack I’d seen, and probably the most expensive.

It’s derby time

In southern Maine this past weekend, all eyes were focused on Sebago Lake as fishermen crowded the ice for the start of the Windham Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. Anglers arrived from all across the state, and even a few from outside our borders. It was definitely a sold-out show with about 2,300 fishermen registered for a shot at the cash prizes.

As the opening bell sounded, fishermen hit the lake Saturday morning and the sound of power augers echoed across the lake as anglers wasted no time sending their bait into action. Many kept moving by opening up new holes in hopes of catching hungry lakers directly beneath. Others kept their feet planted in a small area and worked a couple of holes steady with a jig pole.

The lake stayed busy as more than 2,000 fishermen put their skulls to the test on Saturday, along with any jig that carried a reputation, and Jordan’s General Store showed proof of it. By Sunday all that remained for jigs in the tackle section was one lonely Swedish Pimple hanging among a handsome number of empty hooks.

But these new jigs had some big shoes to fill. By Saturday afternoon a 13-year-old girl from Sebago name Kati Parker was holding a pretty good hand, and this youngster played it well. Parker battled her laker for close to 10 minutes and her fish answered back, constantly revealing the strength of a possible prize fish. But even as the fish tired and revealed his presence beneath the hole, the battle was still on, and wouldn’t end till he met the surface of the ice.

Well, that moment of truth arrived and Kati and her father Mike were up to the task. They were inches away from icing a possible trophy and there was no room for error as the duo worked to squeeze a large togue through a hole only six inches in diameter. But with a little luck and a couple grips of determination, the two managed to ice a 12.45-pound togue that carried more than a handsome weight. It carried the derby and rewarded Kati Parker with a first-place prize of $5,000.

Cash prizes were also awarded to second, third, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 100th places. Here’s a look at those winners.

The $1,000 second-place award went to Raymond Martin of Steuben as he iced a 12.09-pound togue.

Third place paid $1,000 to Russell McInnis of South Casco. He landed a togue that weighted 7.35 pounds.

Twenty-fifth place paid Tom Fay of Limington $500 for his 5.18-pound trophy togue.

Fiftieth place paid $500 as well, and this check was given to Kevin Minor of East Baldwin. He iced a togue that pushed the scales to 4.64 pounds.

Seventy-fifth place was another $500 payoff, this one to Tim Brown of Gray for his 4.44-pound togue.

Dane Brooks of Springvale won the hundredth-place payoff. He received $2,000 for landing a 4.23-pound togue.

Question of the week

What’s the weight of the state record landlocked salmon?

Answer to last week’s question: Beech Hill Pond holds the record for the state’s heaviest togue. It was caught in 1958 and weighted 31.8 pounds.

Outdoor calendar

Grand Lake Stream Snowmobile Club will be sponsoring a poker run Saturday. Registration will be from 10-11 a.m. The entry fee is $6 and prizes will be awarded at the end of the run.

Terry Farren’s Outdoor Report is published each Friday in the NEWS Sports section. He can be reached at 990-8067 or by e-mail: outdoor report@bangordailynews.net