High school Bass tourney

[Pyrex]

I just read in Field and Stream Illinois is approving high school bass fishing tourneys. I've always said this would be a great extra curricular activity for high schoolers. Why should this be any different from golfing or football? I think its a great way to introduce kids into the outdoors. It would be great to have this in MN for walleyes, I'm not sure who to contact or if it would even be possible but isn't this a great idea?

[jhanks50]

That is an excellent Idea. I would lvoe to see this happen someday!

[Burnham]

i have talked to friends tryin to get a fishin club or somethin together..if other schools were involved we could have high school fishin league!

[walleyeking19]

i would try to talk to the minnesota state high school league and see what they say. you can find contact info at mshsl.org

[GRH]

I would have definetly done that in school. That or trap, skeet, sporting clays.

[frogtosser]

why just walleyes?

[Pyrex]

No, not just walleyes, I was just using that as an example cuz there isn't alot of lakes with bass in.

GRH: Trap or skeet would also be a great idea!!

[bimbo]

there bass everywhere in minnesota. its the land of 10,000 lakes, hello?

[walleyeking19]

but bimbo we want one for high schoolers so they have something to do everyday after school.

[MidCoast]

That is a good idea, but not all highschoolers have access to a boat.. Even if they do, not all have a drivers license.. If they have all 3, not all may have the experience to haul a boat around and back it up at the ramp.

[bimbo]

oh no im all for that! im in highschool! that would be awesome!

i know i would do that, and a lot of my buddys would be into that too.

[Burnham]

most high schools(including mine, anoka) around my area have their own canoes for outdoor classes

[walleyefisher0990]

Midcoast im sure if this were to ever happen there would be some sort of teacher involvement or (coaches)... And i know that at the high school i went to, the teachers would have loved to have been involved in something like this. I dont know if they would just line up to lend out their boats to high schoolers but im sure they would be happy to drive and back in boats.

[frogtosser]

I think its alot easier to catch bass from shore then walleye if they didnt have boats. Bass are in a ton of lakes in the state.

[Pyrex]

Ok boys, we can have bass tourneys as well, lol I didn't think there was that many bass fishermen in Minnesota, I would think there would have to be some parent involvement in the fishing, I couldnt see the high school in our area going out and buying a 18' Lund just for fishing, but there are other options, like seized boats from the dnr, or something like that. I know one thing is for sure, I would be willing to "Coach" that sport! Does anyone know anybody other than the mshsl that would be willing to throw this idea around?

[Fish Head]

I have a son who is a Freshman at Lakeville South and I've thought about this too. Actually more of a fishing club than tournaments was my thought. A group of dads like myself who have a boat could each take 2 or 3 kids and have group fishing outings/tournaments. Getting more kids exposed to the sport of fishing is a great idea.

[frogtosser]

I dont think the schools would fork over any money for something like this, so it would have to be an after school club or something like that.

[Fish Head]

I think something like this could easily be self funded. Fundraisers.... parents paying their kids way..... and sponsors like Gander Mtn, Berkley, Lund, Cabela's or whoever should jump aboard if they know what’s good for them as these are their customers of the future.

[cribbageboy]

A couple buddies and I tried to fire up a Clay shooting Club at our HS in New Prague. It never got anywhere, and being that im a senior now, I wouldn't be included anyway, but it would have been fun, and I think the participation would have been pretty high as well. If you went the clay route, the school wouldn't fund it because of the guns, but I still think it would have been awesome.

[primetime49]

The only way a payout is done is to put scholarship moneys on the line

The reason BASS is fished is that it qualifys a State to enter team for National events.

Many colleges are having tournaments and this would be a trickle down to have high schools do same. I am all for it

As a person interested in fishing I would support a set up that has leagues ,tournaments or any form of fishing used in schools.

The area we live in boasts of some of the highest academic grade levels in its athletes in Minnesota,and guess that fishing students would follow the high levels put out for them.

Our family would support any start up of this and would like to invite any other region to put together a team for first tournament or league fish off.

If something should be started lets start it here.Say June 15th 2008 for first get together.Green Lake Spicer.$25.00 per team payable in scholarship checks.Paybacks to first few teams depending on how many enter.

If anybody wants to do it lets get going on it as water is soon to open.I will check to see if any other state would be interested in having say a fish off later in season.

Put your ideas together and lets go with it.

[Pyrex]

Primetime: I would be more than willing to help out, I dont have much experience in a tourney, but I will do anything I can. I would love to see this go. You can email me with any info or other ideas on this THANKS!!!

[jholland]

I'd absolutely love to see this as well as another high schooler chiming in here.

I've thought it was a good idea, and as Burnham has said, my school has a few boats that could be used (Wayzata). Plus, the need for a boat and how to move it around is all the same as the need for gear in other sports. Knowing how to take care of your clubs is a part of golfing, so knowing how to take care of your boat is just as fair of a part of fishing. I'd also assume it'd be pretty safe to say that if a kid in high school is joining a club like this, he/she has some experience, and probably has access to some boat.

[primetime49]

if some of you are worried about boats dont get to worried ,two places here rent out 14 and 16 foot boats and we are talking to them about this and it looks good

of course some of you have a dad or freind who has a boat but we can accomadate those who dont.

keep ideas coming here as we are working on this and need your input