OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Walleye season is in full swing on Lake Winnebago, and organizers in Oshkosh were busy Friday, getting set for one of the biggest events in walleye fishing, the Battle on 'Bago.
John Nourse is one of the tournament's directors, and said 343 boats are registered for the walleye fishing tournament, making it "[the] biggest in the country...I believe."
He says each boat will have a team of two anglers, meaning roughly 700 will be descending on Oshkosh to take their shot at a $20,000 top prize, and the chance to get their name on the Walleye Cup.
Nourse explains that the tournament operates under a catch-and-release format, where teams of two take pictures to document their fish, before releasing them back into the water. Those pictures are then used to determine the weight of the fish, with the team with the biggest total weight among their top five catches becoming the winner.
According to Nourse, this format helps keeps the lake's walleye population healthy.
“We go out of our way to make sure there’s always fish out there to catch," he said.
The tournament also has a lot of fun for people staying on shore, with food, drinks, and big-screen TVs to watch the action on.
Chris Anderson is on the tournament's board and was among those helping set up Friday. He says the service of the organizers is one factor that makes the tournament so successful.
“We kinda pride ourselves on giving a great service to the anglers," said Anderson, "it’s basically a tournament that’s put on by anglers for anglers.”
He adds that the quality of the lake helps the tournament too.
“This Winnebago system is an incredible fishery for Walleyes and for other species," Anderson added.
Nourse says the tournament also provides a great opportunity for family bonding.
“It’s Fathers Day weekend," he said, "All the families will be down here, father-son will be pulling in, or father-daughter will be pulling in to the boats. [It's] just a great thing to spend time on Father’s Day weekend with your family.”
The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 5:30 Saturday morning and ends Sunday afternoon.
