Thanks to DBusiness for this:
USAngling is hosting the 2025 XXI World Ice Fishing Championship (WIFC) Feb. 11-16 on the 330-acre Tamarack Lake in lovely Lakeview, Michigan northwest of Grand Rapids.
It’s the first time the event will take place in Michigan.
Conducted annually since 2004, most recently in Mongolia, the now 21st annual world championship returns to the United States for the first time since 2013.
According to USAngling, the national governing body for competitive angling in the United States, the competition attracts the best anglers from 10 countries:
United States, Estonia, Finland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden.
Team USA’s six angler spots were determined earlier this month at the U.S. National Ice Fishing Championship qualifying event on Tamarack Lake, with representation from four states: Michigan (three anglers, representing Sand Lake, Eaton Rapids, and Hastings, plus Coach Myron Gilbert from Brooklyn), Wisconsin (one angler, one reserve, and one captain) and Minnesota (one angler).
Participants will stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Grand Rapids Airport, the host hotel.
“We are proud to have such a prestigious fishing organization such as USAngling select the Grand Rapids area — and Michigan — for the World Ice Fishing Championship,” says Mike Guswiler, president of the West Michigan Sports Commission, which bid on and is co-hosting the event with USAngling.
“They could have chosen many places in the United States, but they chose our destination, and we look forward to hosting our first international fishing tournament.”
The WIFC includes three days of pre fishing on Tamarack Lake (Feb. 12-14), followed by two days of tournament competition (Feb. 15-16) for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
“As hosts, we are honored to welcome the world to our home waters,” says Mike McNett, freshwater fishing director at USAngling. “Hosting the Ice Fishing World Championship is not just about competition; it’s about creating a sense of unity, showcasing our nation’s natural beauty, and fostering connections through the shared love of angling.
“And some of the best ice anglers in the world are from Michigan, so what better place to have a world championship.”
Each country’s team consists of five anglers and a reserve, with one athlete from each country competing against all countries in one of five zones for the two competition days.
The anglers will target two fish species, crappie and bluegill, and will be judged on weight of the catches. For the first time in the event’s history, this will be a catch-and-release fishing event — necessary criteria for the Olympic Committee to consider the sport for the Olympics again (it was last an Olympic sport in 1900).
Tamarack Lake is a 330-acre all-sports lake in Lakeview in Montcalm County with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Lakeside Park borders the northeast shoreline.
USAngling states Tamarack Lake was selected for its mild lake effect snow and multiple fish species — Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sunfish, Walleye and Yellow Perch. The city of Lakeside borders the lake.
The event schedule includes:
- Tues., Feb. 11: Angler Arrival/Registration (host hotel) and Accreditation of Delegates
- Wed., Feb. 12: Official Training, Opening Ceremony (host hotel)
- Thursday, Feb. 13: Official Training
- Friday, Feb. 14: Official Training, Meet & Greet in Lakeview at 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Feb. 15: Competition Day 1
- Sunday, Feb. 16: Competition Day 2, Awards Gala (host hotel)
- Monday, Feb. 17: Departures
The tournament is free to watch, with parking throughout the town on side streets or by Byrne Electrical Specialists at 371 Pickle Dock Dr.
Also, a beer garden will be open to the public Fri., Feb. 14 through Sun., Feb. 16, noon to 7 p.m. at Lakeside Park.
The full program schedule with competition dates and times is available here.
Homepage
https://usangling.org/ice-fishing-worldchampionship-2025/
FB event
https://www.facebook.com/events/577400355181276
Address:
208 S. Lincoln Ave.
Lakeview, MI 48850
