Gopher Bass Club Acitivities - Casting Kids, Lake Cleanup and more...

Gopher BassMasters
Special Club Activities

Home Page

Links:
General Bassin'
Bass Tackle Online
Clubs & Tournaments
Tackle & Gear
Bass Angler Websites

Casting Kids
Gopher Bassmasters is dedicated to America's youth and to the future of bass fishing and its resources. And since kids are the future of this great sport, B.A.S.S. developed the BASSMASTER CastingKids program in 1991 and eventually joined hands with other great sponsors to make it the most successful youth fishing program in the world. Open to young people in two age groups, 7-10 and 11-14, the goals of this competition are to involve America's youth in fishing and to foster in each participant an appreciation and concern for our outdoors.

BASSMASTER CastingKids competitions are similar to the old NFL punt, pass, and kick events, except the challenge is to flip, pitch and cast. These are three very important skills everyone needs to know in order to catch fish. Scoring is based on a point system so the young angler with the most points wins! In only ten years of existence, the BASSMASTER CastingKids has reached over one million children and given away over $2,000,000 in cash, prizes, and scholarships. Through the CastingKids program, B.A.S.S. is able to uphold its commitment and dedication to youth and the future of bass fishing and its resources.

Gopher Bassmasters has held at least one local CastingKids event every year since 1993. It has been a huge success on a local level and we take exceptional pride in the happiness and joy that the young competitors enjoy from these events. Gopher Bassmasters & B.A.S.S. is proud of the success of this program, and we know that you, too, will find it to be rewarding.

Boat Ramp Cleanup
We began this project as requirement of the MN Bass Federation several years ago. The amount of junk we amassed in just a few minutes from the weeds around the parking lot alone was mind boggling. From all appearances, in addition to being a boat launch and picnic area, it seems that it was a local dump. In addition to the standard trash, we gathered a sizable amount of empty booze and beer cans and came upon a lot of other disgusting and unmentionable things (some of which no one would touch). It also became immediately apparent that we were on to a good thing, because not only did it get all the club members involved in a much needed clean up of trash in the area, it also created quite a stir with the local citizens. They were impressed that we would drive to the lake, fish all day in their lake without taking anything home except for several large lawn bags of trash.

While we are not a large club, we always seem to draw a respectable crowd of spectators when we set up the tubs, scales, and tournament board for the official weigh-in of the fish. Following the weigh-in, we pass out garbage bags and fan out in all directions picking up the trash that the less sensitive users of the facility seem to always leave behind. The spectators hanging around always seem to be amazed that a bunch of bass fishermen will take the time to pick up their own trash, let alone someone else’s. From the comments we receive, they (the locals) are more used to tournament bass fishermen being less than courteous and often never giving anything back to the lake or the surrounding area.

Our experience with this phenomena carried through for reaming five club tournaments and was so successful that we have adopted it as standard practive. Not only are we doing our part in cleaning up the lake environment, we feel that this in one of the most positive things that we can ever do to repair and even improve the image of tournament bass fishermen. We will continue to support the other environmental projects that come along from time to time, but this will continue to be our "signature" project.

Gopher Bassmaster’s would like to invite all bass clubs to try this at on tournament. It only takes about 10 minutes with everyone participating and we can guarantee that the local folks will appreciate us all a whole lot more. Without a doubt, this is a win-win situation for everyone.

Larry Peterson Memorial Award
Larry Peterson was not only a member of the Minnesota State Bass Federation and Gopher BassMasters; he was outstanding citizen and representative of all of us as bass fisherman. On many occasions Larry put his club and the federation before his own needs and went out of his way to make both groups better for all of us. Larry Peterson lost his battle with cancer and we all lost a friend and a true sportsmen. In his honor, we would like to recognize other outstanding efforts and achievements.

Nominees can be any federation member who showed efforts above and beyond of that called upon him/her for either the federation or their club. Areas could include, but not limited to: exceptional sportsmanship, youth activities, environmental, or overall improvement of the MN bass federation or any federation club. To sum it up, this award has been awarded to an outstanding member, “Go – To Guy/Gal” of the federation. - Email with Nominations

LPMA has been brought to you by Mojo Custom Rods & Gander Mountain - Lakeville

Past Recipients: Al Valencour, Dale Richardson, Vern Wagner, Todd Saterbak, David Vogel & Jay Green

04/06/2012