The Meredith Rotary Club will host a free ice fishing panel discussion again this year on Friday, February 8, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Meredith Community Center on Route 3 in Meredith to kickoff the Great Ice Fishing Derby scheduled for the weekend of February 9-10.

"The panel discussion event we hosted in 2007 was such a great success, we've doing it again in 2008," according to Michael Pelczar, chairman of the 2008 Great Rotary Ice Fishing Derby. AJ Nute, owner of AJ's Bait and Tackle in Meredith; Mark Bouchaine, of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department; and Travis Williams, a licensed New Hampshire fishing guide, will discuss ice fishing tips, techniques and equipment.

The Ice Fishing Derby is one of the top fund-raising events in the state, bringing visitors to New Hampshire from all over the country. Fisherman, their families and friends come to New Hampshire in hopes of snagging the heaviest Meredith Rotary-tagged Rainbow Trout claiming the grand prize.

The Meredith Rotary Club, in consultation with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, as part of an ongoing fisheries management plan stocks tagged fish in several New Hampshire Lakes. This year's stocked lakes include: Bow, Moore Reservoir, Francis, Little Squam, Mascoma, Massabesic, Ossipee, Wentworth, Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam.

The Derby has enabled The Meredith Rotary Club to donate more than $1.3 million back into the community for charitable projects, area improvements, scholarships and people in need.

The top prizes for the 2008 Derby include a 17-foot Starcraft DC Starfire fishing boat and trailer for the grand prize; a Polaris 2007 Hawkeye 4x4 ATV for second prize; and a Deluxe Ice Fishing Package (including a Frabill 6170 Fortress GT portable Bob House) for third prize. Additionally, there will be ticket stub drawings each day, and a variety of cash drawings throughout the weekend.

Tickets and more information are available by calling The Meredith Rotary Club at 603-279-7600 or visiting their website at www.meredithrotary.org. Telephone and website orders will be held at Derby Headquarters at Hesky Park in Meredith for pick-up upon arrival. Derby Headquarters will be open from 8:00am to midnight on Friday, February 8 and will open again at 5:00am on Saturday, February 9.