BATH, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Redneck Fishing Tournament on the Illinois River in downstate Bath, Illinois, is back on Friday and Saturday after a two-year break due to the pandemic and flooding.
“We’re back and the fish had better look out,” said event organizer Betty DeFord. “People have been waiting two years to get back out there. It’s going to be a great event.”
The Redneck Fishing Tournament takes place Friday and Saturday, and features bands, food vendors, a beer garden and charity raffles benefiting veterans organizations. But what makes this event unique is the fact that no fishing rods allowed. Teams pile into small boats and use nets to catch Asian Carp, as they jump out of the water. Some wear helmets with face-guards and pads.
Betty DeFord started the event to cut down the population of the invasive species.
"They jump out of the water just like torpedos and the ones that we are taking out are the silver ones, silver Asian Carp, that jump out of the water. These things are just voracious eaters, they will eat anything that there is; so they are moving north and it's a big, big, big problem, because if you get them in your waters, you're not going to get rid of them," DeFord said.
Past tournaments have taken more than 10,000 fish and participants have come from as far away as Japan and Australia.
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