September 20–25, 2026 | Shengzhong Lake, Nanbu County, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Some fishing trips are about catching fish. Others are about the journey, the people you meet, the places
you discover, and the opportunity to represent something bigger than yourself.
The 2026 China Shengzhong Lake International Kayak Fishing Tournament was all of those things.
For six days, I traveled with fellow Bone Fishing World Field Staff and Fishing Villa Pro Staff Alvin Altea, as we competed against some of the best anglers from different countries, explored the beautiful waters of Shengzhong Lake, and experienced the highs and lows that come with international tournament fishing.
This is the story of that six-dayadventure.
DAY 1— The Journey Begins
September 20, 2026: Travel Day
Our adventure started early.
At 2:30 AM, we departed from N.A.I.A. Terminal 3, beginning the long journey to China. By 6:45 AM, we had arrived at TFU Airport in Chengdu.
From the airport, there was still along road ahead. At around 4:00 PM, we boarded the bus bound for Shengzhong Lake Hotel.
After several hours on the road, we finally arrived at the hotel at approximately 9:30 PM.
It was already a long day of travel, so there wasn't much time for sight seeing or taking photos. As I mentioned in my Facebook post, "Did not take a lot of photos, just video..."😅
But the important thing was that we had finally arrived.
The tournament adventure had officially begun.
That evening, we joined the welcome dinner, where anglers and teams from different countries began getting acquainted.
For us representing the Philippines, it was exciting to finally be there, not just as anglers, but as competitors preparing to fish on an international stage.
Team Bone PH was ready. 🎣
DAY 2 — Opening Ceremony
September 21, 2026: Registration, Briefing and Opening
After the long travel day, Day 2 was our first full day at Shengzhong Lake.
The day started with breakfast at 7:00 AM, followed by angler registration at 9:00 AM.
By noon, we had lunch before attending the tournament briefing at 2:30 PM.
This was when things started to feel much more serious.
The tournament wasn't just another fishing trip anymore. We were now surrounded by anglers preparing for an international competition, each one bringing their own experience, equipment,
techniques and strategies.
At 4:30 PM, the official opening ceremony took place.
It was an impressive gathering of anglers and teams, and seeing everyone together made the scale of the competition sink in.
Later that evening, we attended the after-party, giving us another opportunity to meet fellow competitors and enjoy the camaraderie before the fishing began.
The fishing was still ahead of us, but the anticipation was already building.
DAY 3 — Trial Day
September 22, 2026: Finding the Fish
Finally, it was time to get on the water.
Our trial day ran from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, giving us an opportunity to explore Shengzhong Lake and understand the fishing conditions before the actual competition.
The morning started well.
We found a good spot that was holding fish, and we were able to get some action relatively early. The problem was that the fish we were finding were a little shorter than what we needed.
That meant we had a decision to make.
Rather than staying in one areahoping the fish would improve, we decided to explore a few additional spots nearby.
Unfortunately, those areas didn'tproduce the results we were looking for.
Still, the trial day was productive.
I managed to catch five Redfin Culters,although one wasn't photographed, something you'll understand when you watch the video. 😅
More importantly, we learned.
We were able to see how the lake was fishing, identify areas that were holding fish and begin developing a strategy for the competition days.
Overall, it was a good trial day, and significantly better than my first experience fishing the event the
previous year.
The real competition was coming.
DAY 4 — Tournament Day 1
September 23, 2026: Fishing in the Rain
Competition day.
The first official tournament dayran from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM.
And it was raining.
Our strategy was straight forward: try to get the six fish we had identified during the trial day and move between those productive areas.
The challenge was the weather.
The rain slowed down the kayak's movement, and the conditions made it difficult to cover water as efficiently as we wanted.
Still, we stayed with the plan.
I managed to land four fish.
But there were also the ones that got away.
I lost two fish near the kayak, and another fish was dropped right at the kayak gunwale. There were also multiple strikes throughout the day.
Those lost fish mattered.
Landing even one of those additional fish could have significantly changed my position among the international anglers.
But despite the missed opportunities, the first competition day gave me something special.
I managed to complete a "Hat Trick" - three different species inthe same competition day:
Mandarin Perch
Topmouth Culter (Skygazer)
Redfin Culter
That made the day particularly memorable.
Four fish landed, three species, plenty of strikes, and plenty of lessons.
The first competition day was over.
There was still another day tofight.
DAY 5 — Tournament Day 2
September 24, 2026: The Final Push
The second and final competition day started under much better conditions.
The weather was cloudy but there was no rain, which was a welcome change after the previous day's down pour.
The tournament ran from 8:15 AM to 2:15 PM.
And this time, the fish started cooperating early.
I managed to catch three fish inless than an hour.
That gave me a strong start.
Before 11:00 AM, I managed to catch a fourth fish as well.
But once again, tournament fishing is never that simple.
I lost two fish close to the kayak, had multiple strikes, and eventually the action slowed down completely.
Then, during the afternoon, another fish was lost while I was trying to lift it into the kayak.
It was frustrating because these were fish that could have added significantly to the final score.
In the end, I finished the second competition day with four fish landed, while losing two near the kayak and dropping another at the gunwale, almost a repeat of what happened on Day 1.
Those missed fish were definitely the ones that would stay in my mind.
But that is tournament fishing.
You can do everything right and still lose a fish in the final few seconds.
After the fishing ended, we attended the awarding ceremony, followed by our team dinner.
The competition was finished.
Now it was time to look back at what we had accomplished.
DAY 6 — Homebound
September 25, 2026: Going Home
Every fishing adventure eventuallyhas to end.
On Day 6, we left Shengzhong Lake at around 8:30 AM and traveled back toward TFU Airport.
By 1:00 PM, we had arrived at the airport, and our flight back to the Philippines was scheduled for 9:00PM.
The long journey home gave me plenty of time to reflect on the previous five days.
We didn't finish on the podium.
But that wasn't the only measure of what we accomplished.
We competed against some of the best anglers from around the world, and Team Philippines competed well and was not far from a podium finish in the International Category.
For me, that was something to be proud of.
More importantly, this was my second time representing the Philippines at the China Shengzhong Lake International Kayak Fishing Tournament.
Being able to raise the Philippine flag and represent my country, Fishing Villa Team, and BONE Fishing World was an experience that I will always remember.
More Than Just a Fishing Competition
Looking back, the six days at Shengzhong Lake were about much more than catching fish.
There were the long hours of travel.
The early mornings.
The preparation.
The trial day.
The excitement before competition.
The rain.
The missed fish.
The fish that made it into the kayak.
The laughs with teammates.
The friendships with anglers from different countries.
And, of course, the Philippine flag.
International fishing competitions have a unique way of bringing people together.
Different countries.
Different languages.
Different fishing styles.
But once everyone gets on the waterwith a rod in hand, there is a common language that everyone understands.
Fishing.
Representing the Philippines
One of the most meaningful parts of this trip was being able to represent the Philippines once again.
It is one thing to travel overseas for a fishing trip.
It is another thing to travel overseas carrying your country's flag and competing against anglers from around the world.
That opportunity is something I don't take for granted.
To be able to sit in a kayak on Shengzhong Lake, represent the Philippines and compete under an international field was an experience that I will carry with me long after the tournament is over.
And hopefully, this will not be the last time.
Thank You
A fishing adventure like this doesn't happen alone.
A huge thank you to everyone whosent their well wishes, followed the trip, supported the posts and engaged with the journey throughout the tournament.
Thank you to the entire BONE Fishing World International Team.
A special thank you to Bro Max Tan, your support and brotherhood mean a lot.
A very big thank you to Boss Bogs Villanueva for making this opportunity possible and for the continued support, not only for me and Alvin Altea, but for the Philippine fishing community in general.
Thank you as well to Fishing Villa Tackle and Outdoor for the tremendous support.
And finally, to my wife Ai Nucum, thank you for your unwavering and unconditional support. ❤️
To all the tournament participants whom we met along the way, thank you for the friendship and the memories.
Until we meet again.
Until Next Year, Shengzhong Lake
Six days.
Thousands of kilometers from home.
Countless casts.
Fish caught.
Fish lost.
Rain, clouds, sunshine and everything in between.
A few missed opportunities.
Some unforgettable catches.
And one very proud Philippine angler.
The 2026 China Shengzhong Lake International Kayak Fishing Tournament may be over, but the memories will stay.
See you next year, Shengzhong Lake. 🎣
— Chris Nucum
BONE Fishing World PH Field-Staff
Fishing Villa Tackle and Outdoor Pro-Staff