Invasive Species Control Coalition of Watersmeet to hold 2025 Musky Fishing Expo

The Invasive Species Control Coalition of Watersmeet (ISCCW) will hold their second annual Musky Fishing Expo from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, at the Northern Waters Casino Event Center in Watersmeet, Mich. The event doors open at 9 a.m.

The event will include presentations by fishing pros, vendors, information booths, silent auctions and door prizes. The event is free for those 12 years old and younger, and only $20 for those over 12 years old. 

The Northern Waters Casino also has special room rates for those coming to attend the event. 

Presentations will be given throughout the day. Presenters include names such as Steve Herbeck, Steve Heiting, Rob Manthei, Taylor Flannery and Bill Sherer.

ISCCW president Rachel Wheeler said the event was a fun way to bring more attention to invasive species and what anglers can do to help stop their spread. 

“What we want people to know is that we, ISCCW, are one of the leaders in the fight against aquatic invasive species,” she said. “That’s what we do. We partner with qualified biologists, lake associations, and also border lakes here in Wisconsin.” 

The group monitors and treats for invasive species where they are found.

ISCCW also has a fleet of boat washers. These individuals not only wash boats at landings in the township, but they also talk with boaters about invasive species, their dangers, and how to keep them from spreading. 

The group is involved in a wide array of activities. They do education and outreach with Watersmeet, Land O Lakes and Phelps townships at events held throughout the year. They also use their launch ramps activities to work with lake associations and other partner groups to help to educate the public.

Water quality in general is another concern for the organization. Working with their qualified biologists, water samples are taken annually and data is collected on dissolved oxygen, Chlorophyll-a, phosphorus, temperature and water clarity. This is all put into a database that allows the group to evaluate any trends or changes over time. 

This Musky Expo, Wheeler said, is a way to reach anglers, who are one of the first lines of defense against invasive species, and who are also concerned with lake health, vegetation diversity and a wealth of other ecological conditions of their favorite fishing lakes. She said the hope is to grow the event year after year and to get even more people involved in the fight against aquatic invasive species.

More information about the coalition, and the 2025 Musky Expo, can be found on the ISCCW’s website isccw.org.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].