ROXBURY – More than 400 anglers from around the state braved subzero wind chills Saturday to compete for cash prizes in the Roxbury Pond Ice Fishing Derby.

The 30th annual event netted the Mexico Lions Club about $5,000, of which profits will go toward eye care in the River Valley, according to club President Jim Theriault of Roxbury.

It was the most money ever raised at the event, Theriault said an hour before the event was to end. The average take in previous years has been $1,200 to $1,500.

“But where we had bigger prizes, more people came out and we had also doubled the registration fee (to $10),” he said. “I know we sold out of our food in the lunch wagon. It was wonderful.”

Last year, 224 anglers registered in the event. Saturday’s Larry Mercier Memorial event drew 412, Theriault said.

“Despite the cold weather, I think most of the 412 who registered stayed. The cold was awful,” he said.

Ice on the pond, which is also called Ellis Pond and Silver Lake, measured between 2 and 3 feet thick.

Once again, no one caught the specially-tagged 22- to 23-inch brook trout donated by Swift River Guides. It would have been worth $2,000.

However, people who caught the top bass, brook trout, perch and pickerel won cash prizes totaling $1,150.

In the bass category, Scott Babbe took first place and $200 at 19 inches, 3 pounds; Brooke Carrier took second place and $150 with an 18-inch bass weighing 3 pounds; and Tom Cox took third, with an 18-incher weighing 3 pounds.

For pickerel, Joe Blanchard Jr. of Roxbury took first place and $200 with a 24-inch fish weighing 3 pounds. Second place and $150 was won by Penny Lemay with a 23-inch fish that weighed 3 pounds, while Kurt Howard of South Portland won third place and $100 with a 23-inch pickerel weighing 3 pounds.

Largest trout bragging rights and $150 went to Don Kennedy of Roxbury for his 15-inch, 1-pound brook trout. Joe Kennedy won $100 for catching the largest perch at 12 inches and a weight of of a pound.

Elliot Knox of Mexico won the event’s ice auger and Roger Boucher of Byron won the dog sled.

Theriault said participating anglers came from all over the state. Additionally, there was one from Kentucky and even a couple from South Africa, who are the new owners of the former Hale Mill on Route 120 in Mexico, Theriault said.

Normally, the Roxbury Pond Ice Fishing Derby is held on the last Saturday in February, but it was bumped up to Valentine’s Day to celebrate the fundraising event’s 30th year.