By Staff Writer | May 17th, 2010
Boom Lake Crappie Love
Rhinelander, WI - The city of Rhinelander, WI is internationally known as the “Home of the Hodag”. Now, the mythical beast will get even more attention as the city is officially, “The Ice Fishing Capital of the World”.
The declaration, awarded this week to the city was filed by Mike Michalak on behalf of his company NorthPro Video, LLC. Michalak is also a consultant with the North American Ice Fishing Circuit (NAIFC). “The organization has held two national championships here the last couple years in addition to several qualifying events”, Michalak said. “They were also the main thrust in getting the World Championships to Rhinelander in March, the first time it’s ever been held in America.”
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By Christian Ward | March 20th, 2010
Greg "The Prowler" Wilczynski, Coach of the USA Ice Team
Thursday
It’s nearly midnight on Thursday, just two days before Round 1 of the 2010 World Ice Fishing Championship. I’m sitting at a makeshift work area in the basement of Big Pine Lodge at Holiday Acres Resort in Rhinelander, WI, the headquarters and temporary home of the USA Ice Team for championship week. Planted in front of my ancient laptop, I’m pounding the keys in an effort to put the finishing touches on the software that will run the giant overhead scoreboard during weigh-in, and I keep getting distracted. You see, I can hear, quite clearly, the team meeting taking place a floor above. Normally I can pretty much work through a hurricane, but something about this meeting has really piqued my interest. (more…)
By Staff Writer | March 14th, 2010
USA Ice Team Wins Gold at the World Ice Fishing Championship
By Paul A. Smith of the Journal Sentinel
Holding fast to its Day 1 lead, the USA Ice Team surprised a field of experienced international anglers and won the 2010 World Ice Fishing Championship in Rhinelander. “We thought we’d be happy with something in the middle of the pack,” said team captain Mike McNett of Lombard, Ill. “Tell me I’m not imagining it.” There it was, the crystal WIFC first place trophy, as brilliant as the ice of Boom Lake under a late winter sun and as solid as the congratulatory hugs of fellow competitors. Murmurs of “USA, USA” rose from the standing room-only crowd in the Hodag Park weigh-in tent as the result became apparent. (more…)
