Park Falls Ice Fishing Contest Honors Beloved Community Volunteers

When 35 ice anglers drilled through the frozen surface of the Pike Lake chain this January, they weren’t just chasing panfish and northerns—they were honoring three Park Falls residents who embodied the Northwoods spirit of community and service. The Big Dipper’s second annual ice fishing contest took on deeper meaning this year as it was renamed the Birchell Family Memorial Ice Fishing Competition, remembering Tom, Carol, and Stephanie Birchell, who tragically lost their lives in a house fire last summer.

For those of us who’ve spent winters up north, ice fishing contests represent more than just a chance at bragging rights or a cash prize. They’re gatherings that pull us together during the coldest months, reminding us why we choose to live where the lakes freeze solid and the snow banks reach the rooflines. This year’s event, organized by Caitie Gunderson at The Big Dipper, proved that sometimes the most meaningful tournaments aren’t about the biggest catch—they’re about the people we remember and the community bonds we strengthen.

A Family Woven Into Park Falls Community Fabric

The Birchells weren’t just residents of Park Falls—they were the kind of neighbors who showed up when help was needed. Tom, Carol, and Stephanie ran Birchell Property Management, serving clients across northern Wisconsin, but their impact extended far beyond their business. According to Gunderson, they were regular volunteers at The Big Dipper during busy times and active with the local fire department, the kind of steady presence that rural communities depend on.

Tom was an avid ice fisherman himself, having participated in last year’s inaugural tournament. “They were very, very good friends of ours,” Gunderson shared, explaining why this year’s contest carries their name. The family’s connection to the water and the outdoors made an ice fishing memorial particularly fitting—a celebration that would have brought Tom right out onto the ice with his auger and tip-ups.

The tragedy that took the Birchells came suddenly on June 29, 2025, when a lightning strike during a summer storm ignited their Park Falls home. Carol and Stephanie, along with their beloved dogs Moose and Max, died at the scene. Tom fought for nearly a month before succumbing to his injuries in Minneapolis on July 27. The community gathered for funeral services in mid-August, but the grief lingered—as it does in small towns where everyone knows everyone, and losses cut deep.

Ice Fishing as Northwoods Winter Tradition

The Pike Lake chain has long been a destination for anglers year-round, but when December ice finally thickens to safe levels, a transformation happens. Permanent shacks appear like a temporary village, tip-ups dot the white landscape, and the quiet solitude of winter fishing draws folks from across the region. “We do get a lot of ice fisherman here on the chain,” Gunderson noted, highlighting the area’s reputation for quality panfish, walleye, and northern pike.

The Big Dipper launched this contest two years ago partly out of necessity—when Mother Nature hasn’t cooperated with snowfall for snowmobiling, the frozen lakes offer an alternative way to enjoy winter. “We weren’t blessed with snow the last couple of years, and so last year we decided well, if mother nature doesn’t want to cooperate with letting us open the trails, we figured we could at least use the lakes a little bit,” Gunderson explained. It’s that classic Northwoods adaptability: work with what you’ve got.

Participants paid a $20 entry fee, with cash prizes awarded to winners based on their catches in three categories. But the real prize might be the camaraderie—the shared thermoses of coffee, the fish tales told in warming shacks, and the knowledge that you’re supporting something bigger than yourself.

Raising Funds for Community Safety

Beyond the fishing competition itself, this year’s event included raffles with a critical purpose: purchasing an automated external defibrillator (AED) for The Big Dipper. A 50-50 raffle and additional drawings aimed to raise funds for the life-saving device, which will be installed with a plaque memorializing the Birchell family.

The choice to fundraise for an AED carries particular weight given the Birchells’ volunteer work with the fire department and emergency services. It’s the kind of memorial that does more than remember—it potentially saves lives, extending the family’s legacy of community service into the future. In rural areas where emergency response times can stretch longer than in cities, having AEDs in public gathering places like The Big Dipper could make the difference when seconds count.

This approach to memorialization reflects something fundamental about Northwoods culture: we honor people by doing practical things that help others. No fancy monuments or abstract tributes—just tangible tools that serve the community the Birchells loved.

Looking Ahead on the Ice

As Park Falls continues this ice fishing tradition, the Birchell Family Memorial Competition stands as a reminder that our winter gatherings carry deeper meaning than the fishing itself. They’re touchstones for community connection, chances to support one another through loss, and celebrations of the outdoor lifestyle that defines life up north.

The contest will likely grow in coming years, drawing more anglers to the Pike Lake chain each January. With any luck, the ice will be thick, the fish will be biting, and the stories shared in warming shacks will include memories of Tom, Carol, and Stephanie—three people who made Park Falls a little bit better simply by being the kind of neighbors who showed up when needed. That’s the real catch we’re all hoping to land: a community that looks after its own, remembers its losses, and keeps moving forward together across the frozen water.