NORTH CHANNEL—The waters around Little Current are about to ripple with excitement as the Huron Bass Tour launches its biggest event yet—the 2025 SCB Haweater Open—right here on Manitoulin Island. Presented in partnership with Sheppard Custom Building, the Township of NEMI and the Little Current Lions Club, this year marks the first official SCB Haweater Open and the fourth overall tournament hosted by the Huron Bass Tour. What began with just eight boats has grown into a flagship event for anglers from around Canada, now attracting 60 teams, with room for up to 75.
“This is the biggest event we’ve ever put on,” said organizer Laszlo Feher. “It’s shaping up to be a marquee tournament for Ontario, and we’re proud to be doing it right here in Little Current.”
The SCB Haweater Open is an open event, meaning anyone can register, provided they meet the eligibility criteria listed on the tournament’s website—including having a boat with a livewell to keep fish healthy between catch and weigh-in. As of now, the main prize pot is around $30,000, with an additional $600 side pot up for grabs for the angler who lands the biggest bass. There are also prize packs and other paraphernalia that would appeal to local sportsmen.
Mr. Feher added, “We also have a bunch of contingency rewards from various companies. One of those is Ranger Boats. If you win the tournament in one of their boats that is newer than four years old, you can win an additional $8,000 USD. Other sponsors like this are Nitro, Triton, Icon, and Basscat. Their payouts are all a bit different, as are their conditions, but that’s all on our website.”
While the stakes are high and competition fierce, organizers emphasize that this is more than a sportsman’s event—it’s a community gathering to support one and other, grounded in respect for the land, water and wildlife. To that end, the tournament has placed a strong focus on conservation and ethical angling practices. One key technique being highlighted is how to “fizz” a bass—a procedure used to relieve pressure from a fish’s swim bladder so it can properly swim and recover after being caught. Deep water fish can sometimes develop and over-inflated bladder because of the atmospheric changes. The reduced pressure at surface level can cause the air in the bladder to expand several times its regular size which can put pressure on the heart and prevent the fish from swimming, thus preventing it from breathing. A step-by-step instructional video is available on the Huron Bass Tour website, and all anglers—especially new participants—are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with this method.
In keeping with that spirit of care and inclusion, the Huron Bass Tour formally acknowledges that this event is being held on the ancestral and unceded territories of Aundeck Omni Kaning, M’Chigeeng, Sheguiandah, Sheshegwaning, Whitefish River, Wiikwemkoong, and Zhiibaahaasing First Nations. Their logos appear on the tournament’s promotional materials—a sign of unity, shared purpose and respect.
“We’re so grateful to the First Nations for their support and their blessing to host this event on their homeland,” Mr. Feher said. “It really shows that we’re all coming together to support the Island as a community.”
The public is also invited to be a part of the excitement. Mr. Feher told The Expositor, “It’s going to be a fun time. We are encouraging people to come down to the lighthouse docks to cheer on the anglers as they bring in their catches for weigh-in. It’s pretty fun and them being there makes it even more exciting.”
The event owes much of its success to a deep bench of supporters and sponsors. A special thanks goes out to Sheppard Custom Building Ltd., the tournament’s diamond sponsor, for their generosity and belief in the event. Additional thanks go to the platinum sponsors: Signs and Designs Ltd., Freelandt Caldwell Reilly LLP, Bear Repair Powersport and Marine, and Route 6 Gas and Variety, along with many more whose support is listed on the tournament website.
“There are also so many volunteers who are working behind the scenes,” Mr. Feher added. “A lot of them go unthanked, but none of this could happen without them. We all appreciate everything you do and did to make this happen.”
Excitement continues to build with the news that legendary angler Bob Izumi is slated to attend, alongside other special guests, all of whom will be announced on the Huron Bass Tour’s social media channels and website. An information session will also be hosted via Microsoft Teams following the Tour’s STAGE 2 event, with date and time to be shared soon on Facebook and Instagram.
Whether you’re casting a line or clapping from the shoreline, the 2025 SCB Haweater Open promises to be a community celebration, a conservation effort and one of the most exciting events of the summer.
