another halfmoon pick-up bass fishing tournament!

ope has held the central wisconsin hmong bass fishing tournament for almost a decade now, but this here was just a pick-up tournament for some of the local guys in central wisconsin. like last year, it was held on the mosinee flowage... truly a hidden gem of a fishery.

it proved to be a tough day for everyone, and in the end ope and john took it with big fish... and their 1st place bag totalled 15+ lbs, while 2nd and 3rd came in at under 5 lbs each. nonetheless, the level of camaraderie and support is part of what this experience is all about and everyone had fun out on the water. overall another successful tournament. good job, guys!

halfmoon pick-up fishing tournament!

congratulations to lk and ope for taking 1st with 8 fish at 21.46#s. 2nd came in at 9.34#s with 4 fish. and big bass went to seng @ 4.3#s. great job out there, guys! tough bite all morning, but everyone did well.

hoping to see more of you out next time... during the 7th annual central wisconsin hmong fishing tournament, come may 11, 2013!

• tournament fishing waters include lake wausau, rib river and the wisconsin river - from below the wausau dam down to domtar paper mill and all the navigable waters in-between.
• tournament fishing hours are 7:00am to 3:00pm saturday, may 11th, 2013
• entry fee is $100.00 per boat: consisting of two (2) or three (3) man/woman teams. with an optional $20.00/boat for BIG FISH sign-up between NOW and may 12th, 2012.
• for more info call Yeng Thao @ 612.803.0064 or John Thao @ 715-370-5270
• eEase out #'s will be drawn the morning preceding the event.
• prize money for 1st through 3rd place will be determined by number of entries. 100% PAYOUT.
• the species of fish allowed are: smallmouth & largemouth bass - with a limit of 8 fish.
• ALL FISH MUST BE ALIVE AT WEIGH IN!
• winners will be determined by total weight acummulated. in the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by length of the largest fish. if still a tie, then length of 2nd largest and so on. 
• no live bait is allowed!
• every adult fishing the tournament must have a valid wisconsin fishing license.
• everyone fishing the tournament must be back at eagle's club boat landing by - no later than - 3:00pm. NO EXCEPTIONS!
• everyone fishing the tournament must obey all wisconsin rules and regulations.
• anyone caught cheating or any unsportsmanlike conduct will be grounds for immediate disqualification.
• we would like this to be a catch and release tournament, dead or kept fish will not count towards your overall tournament weight.
• tournament directors make final decisions!

good luck and have fun..! 'til then, big fish! 

central wisconsin hmong bass fishing tournament!

opi thao, an avid local tournament angler and fishing guide (www.wifishstalkers.com), who i'm also lucky to say is like my brother from another mother, recently hosted a central wisconsin hmong bass fishing tournament on lake wausau. within the last few years, there's been a boom within the hmong community throughout the country in regard to competitive fishing... and this was a great way to promote the sport and introduce a competitive environment for those interested in taking their fishing a step further than simply a leisure hobby, but may not yet be ready to fish a general tournament or circut.

i also think it was pretty dope he held it on our very own lake. personally, i feel like lake wausau is often overlooked because it's not as far north as the "trophy lakes," but being our home turf... i can vouch that there are some sizeable hogs residing in these parts; evident by the day's weigh-ins and moreso through my own experiences throughout the years!

sometimes, the best fisheries are those right at home; literally. and it was nice to draw in a small crowd. the turnout and support for this tournament was pretty awesome, and i really hope to see this event become an annual thing and grow! good job, boys!