At the conclusion of the XXI World Ice Fishing Championship (WIFC), as teams reminisce about the first-ever “no-kill” championship in the event’s history, we can only express our gratitude to all those who made this remarkable event a resounding success. Local Michigan resident Myron Gilbert, known as “Capt. Myron” to his team, orchestrated one of the most memorable WIFCs in recent history. His countless hours of dedication, supported by many friends and local volunteers from Lakeview—whom he now considers family—ensured an event like no other.

Humble by nature, Myron expressed his gratitude for the support he received and for the favorable weather conditions, stating, “I’m blessed to have so many friends and family who supported me and the team in this effort.”

Thank you, Myron, for your dedication to the sport as an ambassador of USAngling.

All went as planned—except for the USA Ice Fishing Team’s final placement. After day one, they were tied for first place and within striking distance of multiple medals, hoping to replicate their incredible finish in Mongolia the previous year. However, following the day two results, they slipped to a 6th place finish, knowing they had let a medal slip through their fingers. Day two was dominated by small bluegills—lots of them. The U.S. team, banking on finding larger fish, was ultimately outperformed by teams that prioritized catching a higher volume of smaller fish. While the fish were not as large, the sheer numbers paid off for the athletes who managed to locate and catch them consistently throughout the day.

Many Lakeview residents cheered for all nations, proudly flying their country’s flags. “It was incredible to see the local residents out on the ice watching the competition,” said Michael Brand, Vice President of USAngling. When the dust settled, Team Lithuania, who had swept the medals in Mongolia, once again stood atop the podium with team gold and individual gold medals, followed by Finland with silver and Norway, earning their first-ever medal, with bronze. The closing ceremony, led by event coordinator John Knight, marked the culmination of an extraordinary event as he announced the winners.

Now, all eyes turn to the 2026 World Championship, set to take place next year in Sweden. Following the XXI WIFC in Lakeview, the USA Ice Team National was held last weekend on lakes surrounding Grand Rapids—this time targeting larger fish. Marino Savincenti, Manager of Team Sweden, emphasized the focus on bigger fish for the next championship, stating, “The XXII WIFC will be held on the Baltic, and the target will be whitefish. Big whitefish!”

The top five anglers who made the team for Sweden are: Chad Schaub, Keith Kniffen, Kevin Kowalski, Nate Winters and Zach George, with Thomas Jessup as a reserve angler.

The team will be led by Captain Nick Schertz, while Myron Gilbert will remain as Coach. Spotters will be determined by Myron and Nick, taking anglers’ preferences into account. Team delegate will be Joe Martinez.

As we close this chapter on the final ice fishing event of the season, we also open the FIPSed 2026 annual season with its first competition of the year. We extend our deepest thanks to the people and sponsors who help make this dream a reality. USAngling proudly supports all teams, communities, and athletes in their pursuit of medals at their respective World Championships.