2021-2022 Club Requirements

The way the club will be structured will be changing in 2021-2022. Please read the information below.

1) Students will join the club with a partner. They will be tournament partners that form a "Tournament Team." They will fish together during all tournaments for the school year in which they join together. If one partner cannot make an event, the other partner will not be able to participate, unless we have an extra student that can fill in. If a partner is ineligible, their partner will not fish until that student becomes eligible again, unless we have an extra student that can fill in. If a partner has to miss due to another commitment, their partner will also miss, unless we have an extra student that can fill in. Please understand that your behavior and ability to make grades in class will have an effect on whether someone else is able to fish.

2) We will do our best to provide boat captains for each Tournament Team for every tournament. If there are not enough boat captains, the coaches will determine which Tournament Teams will participate and who will not participate. Preference will be given to anglers who have performed best at other events. This will not be a fair system in which everyone gets a turn sitting out. Our most accomplished anglers will be chasing points for state awards and will be prioritized over others. If you work hard and perform well, you will always fish. Hard work pays off.

3) We need boat captains. Without them we don't fish. They are the lifeline of this club. It is the responsibility of the students and their families to help us recruit people that will help us take kids fishing on tournament days. If you know of anyone willing to help, please let Coach Perkins know. All boat captains must be fingerprinted by the district, pass a background check, and get approved by the Board of Education before they can take kids fishing.

4) There will be a google form sign up for fall tournaments and spring tournaments. Tournament Teams must sign up for tournaments. Coaches will try to obtain a boat captain for you from the list of board approved list. ALL Tournaments are optional. You are not required to fish every tournament.

5) We will be participating in TWO state series and attempting to earn spots in their State Tournaments.

6) Students MUST be current members of B.A.S.S. and Bass Nation. In order to sign up for B.A.S.S., you will need to go to the following link: https://secure.palmcoastd.com/pcd/eSv?iMagId=57000&i6Ky=COLLEG&iOrderType=ORD&iMemberType=H&iPromo=I31BCS01

To enroll in Bass Nation, you will need to pay Coach Perkins $10. He will get your membership paid.

IHSA will have a sectional tournament in which we can send two teams. We will send the two teams who we feel will give us the best chance to go to the state tournament. This will be decided by many factors. Performance in other tournaments, attitude, willingness to help your teammates get better, and grades all factor in these decisions.

ICASSTT holds many tournaments during the school year. We will ONLY be participating in select ICASSTT tournaments in our region. This will only be 3-4 tournaments. Some of these tournaments are in the fall. If you would like to earn a spot in the ICASSTT State Championship, you MUST fish in at least 3 ICASSTT tournaments to be eligible. IF you cannot attend one of the tournaments in our region, you may not be eligible to qualify for the ICASSTT state tournament.

What you will need to participate

For those interested in participating in the bass fishing club, below is a list of items you will need in order to participate. You may want to start collecting these items ahead of time.

Student anglers will need to provide:

-Your own rods and reels (preferably baitcasting reels and/or spinning reels)

-Your own tackle (lures and soft plastic baits)

-A PFD (lifejacket) IHSA Mandated

-Safety glasses (preferably polarized glasses) IHSA Mandated

-Tackle organization (preferably a backpack style organizer for ease of carry)

-Rain Gear (cold April days that are rainy can be brutal)

-Entry fees for tournaments. (Most are $10) (ICASSTT tournaments are $26)

I know this seems like a lot of stuff, but if you are an experienced angler and have been fishing for a while you probably have a lot of this stuff already.

If you are interested in learning about bass fishing but you do not have the required items, you may still attend the winter meetings. However, you will be unable to participate in tournaments.

If there is a lot of interest in the club, it is possible that everyone will not be able to participate in tournaments.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, students MUST maintain academic eligibility AND have a current physical on file to be able to participate in club events.

What to Bring on Tournament Day

The items listed below are things that anglers should bring for a tournament day of fishing. Organization will be very important when fishing at the high school level. Anglers will need to be mobile because they will more than likely be fishing from someone else's boat. You will need to be able to transfer your things quickly and efficiently. Below are a list of items that you should have for each tournament, practice session, etc.

NOT ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE MANDATORY, BUT EACH OF THESE ITEMS WILL SERVE AN IMPORTANT PURPOSE ON THE WATER.

1. Rods and Reels- I would recommend 4-5 rods that will serve various purposes.

2. Tackle - It is important that you have tackle that can cover the entire water column (topwater, shallow, mid-depth, deep, bottom) You should carry a combination of hard baits and soft plastics. It is critical that your tackle is organized in a way that you can find what you need quickly and efficiently.

3. ​Packable Rainsuit (Mandatory) Trust me, you don't want to get caught in the rain on a cold day.

4. Hat (IHSA Requirement) Anglers must wear AT ALL TIMES on the water.

5. Polarized sunglasses (IHSA Requirement) Anglers must wear AT ALL TIMES on the water.

6. PFD / Lifejacket (IHSA Requirement) Anglers must wear AT ALL TIMES on the water.

7. Scissors

8. Needle nosed-pliers

9. Hook Sharpener

10. Sunscreen

11. Fishing gloves

12. Fishing buff

13. Lure dyes

14. Bait scent

15. Super glue

16. Bug Spray

17. Fish Scale

18. Water / Drinks

19. Food

20. On cold days, make sure you wear multiple layers of warm clothing! There is nothing worse than being cold on the water!