High school teams compete in La Crosse at state ice fishing championship

While the weather might be cold out, the competition is heating up this weekend with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association ice fishing state championship here in La Crosse. 

High school teams from around the state are on the ice from Stoddard to Trempealeau on Friday and Saturday trying for the state title. Luther High School in Onalaska and Holmen High School are two of the newest teams involved in the tournament. 

In all, about 1,200 students, coaches, parents, and supporters are in town for the event, said Ted Bonde with the WIFA.  

He explained that it’s a catch and release tournament. All the fish caught by the students are photographed, verified, and returned to the water.  

The challenge for the teams is that their scores are based on catching multiples of five different species of fish including perch, bluegill, crappies, bass, and northerns-40 fish in all.   

The results are added up and the winners named at an awards ceremony starting at 2:30 p.m. in the north lot of the La Crosse Regional Airport.   

Organized fishing competitions at the high school level have taken off in the last few years. 

Students on each team are like any other athletes-they’re required to have good grades and no discipline problems in school.  

For some, the opportunity to be a part of a team has had an impact on their lives.  

“The administration in schools are finding that there are so many kinds finding a home with the fishing club when they feel like they didn’t belong anywhere else. I talked to over 10-15 kids who said, “I’d have never graduated high school if it wasn’t for fishing club,” said Bonde. 

He adds the competition, while exciting for the students, positively affects the school and community as a whole. Many of the teams do community service work as a part of their involvement in the sport.