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August 24, 2016- Coordinator Needed for Kids Outdoor Event
A new coordinator is needed for the fishing activities at the annual South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day, held on the 3rd Saturday in August. Fred Lentz is retiring from those duties and needs a replacement. He's willing to assist whoever takes over the responsibilities. Contact Fred for more details.
| August
24, 2016- South Jersey
Youth Outdoor Day This annual event, co-hosted by the SJBCA, was held on August 20. 161 kids & their parents enjoyed a day of fishing, shooting-sports, kayaking/canoeing, archery, fly-casting & fly-tying, etc. This year the fish were biting exceptionally well for a change. As usual, the SJBCA gave away free event t-shirts and fishing tackle. Photos from the event are posted on the event's website www.sjyouthoutdoorday.org. |
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The South Jersey Bass Club Association will again be co-hosting the South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day on Saturday, August 20, at the Salem County Sportsmen's Club (Rt 40 in Carney's Point) from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. This is a free fishing & shooting-sports event for kids 7 to 17. We've been co-hosting this event since it was started in 2000. This year's registration began on July 1 and all 200 available spots have been filled. We're looking for volunteers to help make this event a success. We need guys to help out with the pond fishing, target casting and SJBCA booth. We also need some guys with nice bass boats to take kids out on the Salem Canal for half-hour fishing trips to give them a brief bass tournament fishing experience. If you're interested in helping out, please contact Fred Lentz. All volunteers earn a point towards an SJBCA fishing jacket. For more information on this event, check out the event website at www.sjyouthoutdoorday.org .
| July
20,
2016 - Scholarship Awards & Fishing Derby Presentation at
July Meeting In addition to a free barbecue featuring cheeseburgers, hot dogs, ribs, salads and beverages, our July member meeting held at Parvin State Park included scholarship presentations to both of our 2016 recipients -- Tahesia Reid and Christopher Sayers. We also had an informal presentation from Bob Morison (of Bass Blasters & Kickin Bass Fishing Club) on tips for holding a successful kids fishing derby. Photos from the meeting can be found here and here. |
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June 11, 2016 - Franzwa & Pohlig Take Union Open Buddy Tourney
On a very tough day of fishing, Joe Franzwa & Rick Pohlig managed to bring in a decent five bass limit that weighed 11.62 lbs to take the win at our annual Union Lake open buddy tournament (aka the "Steve Steinmetz Memorial"). Thirty-nine teams participated. Click here for full results & photos. The top ten finishing teams & lunker winners were:
| Pl
Team
#bass weight 1 Franzwa / Pohlig 5 11.62 2 Tarquino / Baer 5 9.82 (after penalty) 3 Leeds / Leeds 5 8.51 4 Stevens / Gilligan 5 8.41 5 Capizzi / Gerard 5 6.84 6 T. Burger / Potts 5 6.54 7 Weatherby / Weatherby 4 6.46 8 V. Pustizzi / N. Pustizzi 4 6.34 (after penalty) 9 Price / Allen 2 5.74 10 Mason / Keister 2 4.47 Morning Largemouth Lunker - Camp / Gomez - 4.34 lbs Smallmouth Lunker - Circone / Lloyd - 2.96 lbs Overall Lunker - Tarquino / Baer - 4.99 lbs |
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June 11, 2016 - Ike’s Celebrity Pro Am Bass Tournament Coming on Aug 6
The Ike Foundation has announced "Ike's Celebrity Pro Am Bass Tournament" on the Delaware River on Saturday, August 6. This is a charity event and all proceeds will go directly to benefit youth, cancer patients and disabled veterans fishing activities and conservation projects. This is an opportunity to form a three-person team that includes a pro angler, a celebrity and/or your buddies. For more details and contact information on this event, click here to see the event flyer.
June 1, 2016 - Scholarship Winners Announced
At our May member meeting, the members voted to award a second scholarship this year, due to the large number of very qualified applicants. The second scholarship will be funded in whole or part through donations (most of the required funds have already been donated by individual members). The Scholarship Committee has announced that the two winners of this year's scholarships are: Tahesia Reid of Lawrence High School (plans to study Marine Biology at Stockton University) and Christopher Sayers of Marine Academy of Technology & Science High School of Manahawkin (plans to study Environmental Science at Cornell University). Both winners will be formally presentated with their scholarship at our July member meeting.
| May
18,
2016 - DiPalma Speaks at May Meeting Local (very successful) bass angler Greg DiPalma was the featured speaker at our May member meeting. Greg focused most of his presentation on fishing the Susquehanna Flats area in the Upper Chesapeake (Md) and fishing Salem Canal. Greg also handed out free samples of one of his favorite soft plastic baits and discount coupons for Susquehanna Fishing Tackle. We thank Greg for coming out and sharing some very specific and useful information. More photos from Greg's presentation can be found in our Photo Gallery. |
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May 18, 2016 - Record Number of Scholarship Apps Received
A record thirty-six applications were received for our annual $500 Carmen Bersani Memorial College Scholarship. At the May member meeting, the membership discussed the possibility of awarding of a second $500 scholarship this year if two excellent recipients are identified. Funding for a second scholarship is in the process of being arranged via donations. A decision on the scholarship winner(s) is scheduled for June 1.
April 4, 2016 - Scholarship Applications Due By May 2
High school seniors who are interested in applying for the SJBCA's $500 college scholarship are reminded that the deadline for submission of applications & supporting materials is May 2. This scholarship is available to students in southern/central NJ, southeastern PA and northern DE who are entering a college degree program that may one day benefit fishermen (eg, fisheries management, marine biology, environmental science, etc). More details on this program are available on our Scholarship Information page.
April 4, 2016 - Flea Market Times Modified
It was decided that the times for our Fishermen's Flea Market should be adjusted to reflect the time of day that most fishermen and vendors prefer to be there. The new times will be 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. The date of next year's flea market is Saturday, March 4. We will again be at the Millville Elks Lodge.
March 7, 2016- Another Great Fishermen's Flea Market
Over 400 customers enjoyed a day of shopping and socializing at our annual Fishermen's Flea Market at Millville Elks Lodge on March 5. The winner of our fully stocked freshwater tackle box raffle was Ray Panaro (a previous winner of the same raffle!) and the saltwater tackle box was won by Robert Lilly. The SJBCA thanks all of the fishermen, vendors and volunteers who helped make this year's event another success. And thanks to those of you who made donations to our organization and to the Ike Foundation while attending the event. Photos from the event are posted in our Flea Market Photo Gallery.
Thanks to those clubs and businesses who donated toward the two tackle box raffles:
| Backwoods Bassers Bass Blasters Beavertail Bass Club Big Bass Fishing Club of Maple Shade Cumberland County Bassmasters 4th Ward Bass Anglers Jons n' Ponds Bass Club Kickin Bass Fishing Club |
South Jersey Hawg
Hunters South Jersey Hook This! South Jersey Kayak Bass Fishing Club South Jersey Rod Benders Swimming River Bassmasters Rick's Rigs VCL Baits Bass Pro Shops Outpost - Atl City |
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February 18, 2016 - Canal Voted as Bass Bowl Location
After a tie vote between Salem Canal and Beltzville Lake (Pa), a second round of voting resulted in the Canal being selected as the location of this year's Bass Bowl on October 16. This is pending issuance of a WMA tournament permit. (How we're going to be able to launch that many boats and park that many tow vehicles in the lot still need to be figured out.)
February 18, 2016 - Maryland DNR Proposes Tournament Off-Limits Areas
The Maryland Dept of Natural Resources announced a proposal to make six popular tournament fishing areas "catch & return" only. They'd be designated as fishing areas only for recreational fisherman and prohibit tournament fishermen. The proposed tidal tournament off-limits areas are (all of or portions of): Chickamuxen Creek, Piscataway Creek, upper Mattawoman Creek, Furnace Bay, lower Susquehanna River and Lloyd Creek. There is a comment period that ends March 10. If not enough opposition is expressed, the proposal will be implemented. For all of the details on the proposal click here and here.
Later, MD DNR announced a revision to their tournament permitting process whereby tournament directors will submit permit requests and DNR will review the requests and issue the permits within a certain amount of days (usually within 15 days). They also provided a list of "best management practices" for tournament organizers to consider implementing in order to maintain the health of their tidal fisheries. Those practices include not holding tournaments in July & August, having an off-limits area where the fish are released, and restricting the fishing area to within 20 miles of the launch site.
February 9, 2016 - Award Winners Announced
Our Angler Excellence Award winners for 2015 (based on club submissions) were announced at the January member meeting. They were:
Heaviest Lunker = Jim Cavanaugh, Gloucester County Bass Club
Heaviest 5-Bass Limit = Joe Franzwa, Tidewater Bassers
Heaviest 5-Bass Limit Buddy Format = Bill Jakymczuk & Bill Patton, 4th Ward Bass Anglers
Heaviest 6-Bass Limit Buddy Format at NJ Lunker Lake = Fred Lentz & Joe Nemeth, SJ Hawg Hunters
Heaviest 10-Bass Limit Buddy Format = Dan Fitzpatrick and Jackson Fu, Riverside Bass Club
Also Kickin' Bass Fishing Club won the Major Youth Activity Award.
These winners, plus the winning Bass Bowl team members and Bass Bowl lunker winner, will be presented award plaques at the February member meeting.
January 20, 2016 - Two Clubs & a Tournament Trail Admitted to Association
At our January member meeting the following clubs and tournament trail were admitted to the SJBCA... South Jersey Rod Benders, Stick Five Bassmasters and Delaware River Tournament Trail. Welcome to the group guys!
January 20, 2016 - 2016 Bass Bowl Locations Nominated
The locations nominated for the 2016 Bass Bowl on October 16 are: Beltzville Lake, Pa; Candlewood Lake, CT; Delaware River (Gloucester City ramp); Nanticoke River, MD; Salem Canal; and Union Lake. A final vote on the location will be taken at the February member meeting.
November 30, 2015 - Initial Conflict List Compiled
All of the tournament picks made at our November member meeting and all of the club schedules submitted since then have been combined into the initial version of the 2016 Conflict List. Clubs with conflicts or from whom we need additional information have been contacted. All additional tournaments and changes submitted for the list cannot conflict with anything already on the list. The initial list of 2016 open buddy tournaments will be posted on this website soon. Tournaments at NJ WMA lakes should not be considered final until permits have been confirmed. Contact Fred Lentz with any questions you have about the process.
November 30, 2015 - Fishermen's Flea Market Planning Underway
Planning has begun for the 2016 edition of our popular Fishermen's Flea Market. It will be held on Saturday, March 5 (always the first Saturday in March). The location will again be the Millville Elks Lodge on Broad Street in Millville. Registration forms will go out soon to vendors from previous years. Anyone else interested in being a vendor at this event should check out the details, registration form and contact information on our Flea Market page.
November 18, 2015 - Bass Bowl Limit Reduced
At the November member meeting, it was decided that the per-boat limit of bass for the Bass Bowl tournament would be reduced from ten to five. This was done to reduce the potential number of bass making a stressful ride around in livewells all day and the number of bass released at the weigh-in location. (Almost no other tournaments have a team limit as high as ten bass any more.)
November 18, 2015 - Another Club Joins Association
At our November member meeting, "Jons 'N Ponds Bass Club" joined the SJBCA. The SJBCA now has 32 member clubs. Welcome guys!
November 13, 2015 - Maryland DNR Holds Tidal Bass Stockpiling Meeting
On October 27, the Maryland Dept of Natural Resources held a meeting to discuss the topic of tidal bass "stockpiling" (bass lingering around the tournament fish release area for a period of time) after tournaments held at Anchor Marine and Smallwood State Park. Notes from the meeting are available here, but it seems tournament directors said they didn't see much evidence of a real problem and fishing guides felt that bass tournaments are devastating the fishery and should be restricted. A number of "solutions" were discussed, some of which may be implemented for next year.
November 10, 2015 - Tournament Picks to be Held at November Meeting
Our annual tournament date/location pick process will take place at the November 18 member meeting. At this meeting, clubs in good standing (4 or more meetings attended in 2015) will be able to chose dates & locations for their 2016 open buddy tournaments and club tournaments at NJ WMA lakes. This will also be the first date that member clubs can submit tournament schedules for 2016. All of this information will be incorporated into the initial version of the combined tournament schedule (aka "Conflict List") and any conflicts will subsequently be worked out by the clubs. Any questions on the process should be directed to Fred Lentz.
| October
18, 2015 - Tidewater Bassers Take Bass Bowl in Close Finish Tidewater Bassers won their second consecutive Bass Bowl tournament in a very close finish over Riverside Bass Club. Tidewater weighed in 22 bass for a grand total of 42.98 lbs while Riverside weighed in 25 bass for 42.71 lbs. Tidewater's total included Jim Cavanaugh's 5.56 lb lunker winner. Twelve clubs participated in the tournament, held at the North East River in Maryland. Click here for detailed results. If anyone has photos from the event they'd be willing to share for our website, please forward them to Fred Lentz. |
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Arrangements for the Bass Bowl on Sunday, October 18, are being finalized. This year's event will be held at the Susquehanna Flats area, launching from Anchor Marina on the North East River. Thirteen clubs have already qualified to participate in the event and five more can still qualify. Clubs that plan to enter the tournament must send a representative to the pre-tournament meeting on Wednesday, October 14, at 8:00 pm. They must submit the names of their six-man team (paired by boat) and their entry fee money. Team members will be verified against club rosters submitted to the SJBCA secretary, tournament information & rules will be reviewed, and boat starting numbers will be drawn.
August 15, 2015 - 176 Kids Enjoy Outdoor Day
This year's South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day, held at the Salem County Sportsmen's Club in Carney's Point, saw 176 kids and their parents enjoy a great day of outdoor activities. The SJBCA monitored the pond fishing, held a kids target casting activity, had bass boats on display, took kids out on fishing trips on the Salem Canal and gave away a variety of items including our famous event t-shirts. Thanks to the 15 volunteers who came out to make the day a good one for the participants. Photos from the event will be posted soon on the event website www.sjyouthoutdoorday.org .
July 5, 2015 - New "Friends of the Association" on Board
In order to keep our Association functioning, we rely on businesses to provide services to us and donate merchandise (for our raffles, etc.). Recently, a few new "friends of the Association" came on board. Franzwa's Marine on South 2nd Street in Millville donated prizes towards the raffle we held at our recent Union Lake open buddy tournament. They also coordinated needed repairs to our weigh-in trailer. Speaking of the trailer, the welding work it required was done by Quick Towing on Pearl Street in Bridgeton. Batteries Plus on Rt 73 in Mt.Laurel donated a nice battery tender as a prize for our tournament raffle. Earlier, Pitman Auto Repair & Services on Broadway in Pitman purchased five youth life vests for us, which we'll be using at our South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day in August. We thank these new sponsors and ask our members to patronize them whenever possible. Clickable advertising banners for these businesses can be found on our home page, favorite links page and open buddy tournament schedule page.
July 5, 2015 - Adopt-a-Lake Program Reminder
Club are reminded that the SJBCA established an "adopt-a-lake" program in conjunction with the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife's Bureau of Land Management. Under this program clubs can declare a NJ Wildlife Management Area lake as their adopted lake and, after approval by NJDFW, take some responsibility for its maintenance. It is expected that the club will perform two or three shoreline & parking area clean-ups per year. NJDFW can assist with bags & gloves and can pick up the bags of trash if necessary. WMA lakes already adopted by our member clubs are: Lake Audrey, Oak Pond, Rainbow Lake and Union Lake. Contact Fred Lentz or Joe Hoban for more information on this program.
| June
21,
2015 - Cram & Hares Take Open Buddy Bass
Tournament For several days leading up to our tourney, weather forecasters were predicting severe thunderstorms for the day of our tournament. They turned out to be wrong, but it kept the size of the field to a relatively small 26 teams. The fishing was tough for most, but Steve Cram & Nelson Hares managed to bring in a nice five-bass limit weighing 12.03 to take the win. Bill Duckardtt & Scott Bowen took second with a 10.91 lb limit. In third place were Troy Burger & Bob Potts with five for 9.97 lbs. The Sandpiper Motel morning largemouth lunker winners |
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June 16, 2015 - Final Preparations for annual Open Buddy Bass Tournament on June 21
Plans are being finalized for our annual open buddy tournament at Union Lake on Sunday, June 21 (Fathers Day). The tournament is now called the "Steve Steinmetz Memorial" in honor of our late tournament director. Sandpiper Motel (North Wildwood) and Vineland Roofing are still on board as the sponsors of our two morning lunker prizes. Free hot dogs & beverages are also planned, in addition to a raffle. For more details, click here to go to the flyer/entry form. We are in need of more raffle prizes. Anyone interested in donating something we can include in our raffle, in exchange for publicity on our website, should contact Fred Lentz.
| June
1,
2015 - Annual Scholarship Winner Announced Our scholarship committee has announced that this year's winner of the Carmen Bersani Memorial Scholarship is Margaret Ziemba of Lower Cape May Regional High School. Congratulations to Margaret and thanks to our scholarship committee (Rashawn Lewis, MaryAnne Franchetta & Mike Riordan). Margaret can't make the presentation at our July meeting (due to college obligations), but she'll receive a separate presentation on June 16. Click here for scholarship winner photos. |
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May 20, 2015 - New Club Joins Association
At our May member meeting, a new bass club named "Bass Blasters" joined the SJBCA. After losing a member club this month, our total membership remains at 30 clubs (with another new three clubs scheduled to join soon). Welcome guys!
March 17, 2015 - Scholarship Applications Due By May 1
High school seniors who are interested in applying for the SJBCA's $500 college scholarship are reminded that the deadline for submission of applications & supporting materials is May 1. This scholarship is available to students in southern/central NJ, southeastern PA and northern DE who are entering a college degree program that may one day benefit fishermen (eg, fisheries management, marine biology, environmental science, etc). More details on this program are available on our Scholarship Information page.
March 8, 2015- Fishermen's Flea Market
About 400 customers braved bitter cold temperatures outside to attend our annual Fishermen's Flea Market at Millville Elks Lodge on March 7. All of the vendor tables were rented and some real bargains were enjoyed by the attendees. The winner of our fully stocked freshwater tackle box raffle was Steve Pierce of Bridgeton and the saltwater tackle box was won by Vince Caltag of Wildwood. The SJBCA thanks all of the fishermen, vendors and volunteers who helped make this year's event another success. Click here for photos from the event.
Thanks to those clubs and individuals who donated to the two tackle box raffles:
Backwoods
Bassers
Beavertail Bass Club
Big Bass Fishing Club of Maple Shade Cumberland County Bassmasters
4th Ward Bass Anglers Gloucester County Bass Club
Kickin Bass Fishing Club Limits & Lunkers Bass Club
Sgt. Webre of Pine Cone Anglers South Jersey Bass Stalkers
South Jersey Hawg Hunters South Jersey Hook This!
South Jersey Kayak Bass Fishing Club South Jersey Reel Burners
Swimming River Bassmasters Tidewater Bassers
Bill Sleek of BRRC Delaware River Fishermen's Assoc.
Big Bass Fishing Club of Maple Shade Cumberland County Bassmasters
4th Ward Bass Anglers Gloucester County Bass Club
Kickin Bass Fishing Club Limits & Lunkers Bass Club
Sgt. Webre of Pine Cone Anglers South Jersey Bass Stalkers
South Jersey Hawg Hunters South Jersey Hook This!
South Jersey Kayak Bass Fishing Club South Jersey Reel Burners
Swimming River Bassmasters Tidewater Bassers
Bill Sleek of BRRC Delaware River Fishermen's Assoc.
February 18, 2015- Flea Market Preparations Being Finalized
Preparations for our annual Fishermen's Flea Market on Saturday, March 7, are being finalized. Vendor registrations are now being coordinated by Joe Hoban (assisted by Stu Cohen). Almost of the available vendor tables have been rented. Interested vendors can check with Joe Hoban in whether any remain. The event will be held at its usual location -- the Millville Elks Lodge. For more details, contact information and directions click here.
By a vote of the member clubs present at the February meeting, the Susquehanna Flats area (launching from Anchor Marina on the North East River) was selected as the site of this year's Bass Bowl tournament.
February 18, 2015- Youth Club Joins Association
At the February member meeting, the Rippin Lipz Youth Club (affiliated with Rippin Lipz Bass Club) was voted in as the newest member of the South Jersey Bass Club Association.
February 18, 2015- Vacant Officer Positions Filled
At our February member meeting, Joe Franzwa (running unopposed) assumed the position of Tournament Director, left vacant by the death of Steve Steinmetz. By a vote, Rashawn Lewis was elected to fill the position of Director 1 (board member), left vacant by the death of Carmen Bersani.
January 29, 2015- Updated Info on Noxontown Lake Rules
South Jersey Reel Burners member Joe Morgan obtained up-to-date information on the use of Noxontown Lake (Delaware) for fishing/boating/tournaments. The information includes photos of the two signs at the lake. Click here to go to our Noxontown Lake page.
January 26, 2015- Delaware Tournament Permits & Reporting
Clubs that fish tournaments in Delaware should be aware that a permit is required and results must be reported following the event (similar to NJ's WMA permit/reporting process). Tournament permit and reporting information is available here. Tournament permit application is here.
January 26, 2015- WMA Tournament Report Submission on Conflict List
Due to ongoing problems with some clubs neglecting to submit their required tournament reports for tourneys at NJ WMA lakes, we will now be recording on our Conflict List whether reports have been submitted. Please make sure you notify Fred Lentz when each of your reports is submitted. Your cooperation is appreciated.
January 21, 2015 - SJBCA Annual Member Dues Are Due Now
A number of clubs still owe their annual dues for the 2015 calendar year. Due to poor weather conditions on the evening of the January member meeting (at which dues would normally be paid), we are delaying the imposition of the late fee until after the February meeting. All dues must be paid by February 18 in order to avoid the late fee. Contact Fred Lentz if you need the mailing address of our new treasurer Stu Cohen.
January 21, 2015 - SJBCA Scholarship and Tournament Renamed
Our annual scholarship has been renamed the "Carmen Bersani Memorial Scholarhip" in his honor. The scholarship program was Carmen's idea and he had served on the selection committee since it was instituted. Our annual open buddy tournament at Union Lake has been renamed the "Steve Steinmetz Memorial" in his honor. Steve was a long-time tournament director for our Association.
January 21, 2015 - SJBCA Officer Election Update
At January member meeting, incumbents 1st Vice President Joe Hoban, Secretary Al Franchetta and Director 2 Mike Graham were re-elected. Stu Cohen was elected Treasurer. Joe Franzwa was nominated to fill the Tournament Director spot and Rashawn Lewis & Coty Camp were nominated to fill the Director 1 spot. An election will be held at the February member meeting for the Director 1 spot.
January 5, 2015 - SJBCA Officer Elections
At the December meeting, nominations were accepted for six officer positions up for election. The nominated persons for four of those offices will be elected (unopposed) as scheduled at the January meeting (1st VP = Joe Hoban, Secretary = Al Franchetta, Treasurer = Stu Cohen, Director 2 = Mike Graham). As our Tournament Director and Director 1 passed away recently, new nominations will be accepted for those offices at the January member meeting and a special election will be held for those positions at the February meeting.
December 30, 2014 - SJBCA Board Member Carmen Bersani Passes Away (UPDATED 1/1/15)
We are very saddened to report the passing of board member and past president Carmen Bersani on December 29. Viewing and Mass of Christian Burial are scheduled for Saturday, January 3, at Notre Dame de la Mer Parish at Assumption Church in Wildwood Crest.
Press of Atlantic City Obituary
December 28, 2014 - SJBCA Tournament Director Steve Steinmetz Passes Away (UPDATED 12/29/14)
It is with deepest regret that we report the passing of long-time tournament director Steve Steinmetz on December 28. A viewing and service are scheduled for Steve at Perinchief Chapels in Mt. Holly on Sunday, January 4. Viewing is noon until 2:00 pm; service is from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
http://www.perinchief.com/obituaries/Stephen-Steinmetz/#!/Obituary
December 21, 2014 - SJBCA Officers Suffer Serious Medical Issues
In the past week, two of the Association's board members suffered very serious medical issues. Long-time tournament director Steve Steinmetz suffered a stroke affecting the left side of his body. He's currently in Marlton Rehabilitation Hospital undergoing rehab. Long-time board member and past president Carmen Bersani is in Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadephia and on a ventilator due to congestive heart failure and pneumonia. Please keep both of them in your thoughts.
| October
21, 2014 - Kids Enjoy October Youth Fishing Events The annual kids fishing derby
held at the
Doyle Fishing Pier in Camden on October 4 was a big success with more
kids than ever attending. The fishing at this event is handled by
members of Delaware River Fishermen's Association. Click here
for more details and photos from this event.
The annual kids fishing activity at Pine Hill Scout Reservation in mid-October was also a great day. Members of Delaware River Fishermen's Association also coordinated the fishing at this one. Photos from the event are posted in our Pine Hill photos section. |
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October 20, 2014 - BASS BOWL CANCELLED
This year's Bass Bowl, scheduled
for the North East River on Sunday, October 19, was called off due to
predicted unsafe boating conditions. Winds of up to 30 mph were
predicted and actual wind speeds/gusts exceeded that on the scheduled
tournament day. Although some boaters may have been able to
tolerate the conditions, it was decided to not risk anyone's safety,
especially for a "bragging rights" tournament. We apologize for
the inconvenience to those who planned to attend and/or put time &
expense into pre-fishing. This event will not be rescheduled for
this year. Options for possibly rescheduling it for next spring
and for handling the Bass Bowl differently in the future will be
discussed at upcoming member meetings..
September 19, 2014 - Volunteers Needed for October Kids Events
The annual Camden Shipyard &
Maritime Museum fishing derby on the Michael Doyle
fishing pier in Camden on the Delaware River is scheduled for Saturday, October 4.
Guys from Delaware River Fishermen's Association always lead the effort
for this one, but they could use more help if you're interested.
Let Fred Lentz know if you
need more details and/or contact info.
The annual HarvestFest scout event
at Pine Hill Scout Reservation is scheduled for Saturday, October
18. The SJBCA has run the pond fishing activity here for the past
8 years and they'd like us to do it again. We may have trouble
recruiting volunteers for this event as it is the day before our Bass
Bowl tournament. But we still hope to have a team of
volunteers there so they don't have to cancel the most popular activity
at the event. Let Fred Lentz
know if you're interested in helping out or need more details
on this one.
September 19, 2014 - Bass Bowl Arrangements Being Finalized
Arrangements for the Bass Bowl on Sunday, October 19, are being finalized. This year's event is being held at the Susquehanna Flats area, launching from Anchor Marina on the North East River. Seventeen clubs have already qualified to participate in the event and two more can still qualify. Clubs that plan to enter the tournament must send a representative to the pre-tournament meeting on Wednesday, October 15, at 8:00 pm. They must submit the names of their six-man team (paired by boat) and their entry fee money. Team members will be verified against club rosters submitted to the SJBCA secretary, tournament information & rules will be reviewed and boat starting numbers will be drawn.
August 25, 2014 - Maryland Bass Tournament Permit Reminder
This is a reminder that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources requires that tournament hosts apply for a permit for all bass tournaments held in that state. You also need to submit a report of your tournament results (similar to NJ's WMA lake permit & reporting process). Technically the permit is only required for tourneys that have at least ten boats, but DNR would prefer that all hosts get the permit so that they can capture more complete tournament results. The permits are free and the details on permitting, reporting and a listing of scheduled tournaments are available at... http://dnr2.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/bass/ta.aspx .
August 16, 2014- SJ Youth Outdoor Day Enjoyed by 181 Kids plus Parents
Our annual South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day on August 16 was attended by 181 kids & their parents and the weather cooperated perfectly. Eighteen SJBCA volunteers helped the kids enjoy a variety of fishing activities in the sunshine. Thanks to those who took the time to come out and help. Photos from the event will be posted soon at www.sjyouthoutdoorday.org .
| June
22, 2014- Great Turnout at
Union Lake Buddy
Tournament This year's edition of our annual open buddy bass tournament at Union Lake saw fifty-one teams show up to try their luck. Howard Brown & Troy Polhamus took the win with a four-bass bag weighing 11.32 lbs. Troy took the Sandpiper Motel Morning Largemouth Lunker Award with a nice 4.90 lb bass. Nick Mascaintonio took the Vineland Roofing Morning Smallmouth Lunker Award with a 2.33 lb smallie. Overall Lunker for the day was taken by Dave Snedeker with a 4.94 lb largemouth. In addition to cash payouts to the top five teams and lunker winners, plaques were awarded to the top three teams and lunker winners. Free hot dogs & beverages were served to all participants. Click here for full results and photos from the event. The SJBCA would like to thank all of the participants, sponsors and volunteers who helped make this worthwhile fundraising event a big success. |
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June 5, 2014- Scholarship Committee Announces Winners
The SJBCA Scholarship Committee has announced the program's winners for this year. They are: Emily Levin of Lower Cape May Regional HS and Rachael Young of Ocean City HS. There were so many good qualified applicants for our scholarhip this year that we decided to award a second scholarship and the committee still had a difficult time narrowing down the choices to two. The winners and their parents have been invited to attend our July member meeting at Parvin State Park. Photos of the winners have been posted on our Scholarship Winners page. The Scholarhip Committee members are: Rashawn Lewis, Carmen Bersani and MaryAnne Franchetta.
May 21, 2014- Union Lake Buddy Tournament Preparations Being Finalized
SJBCA tournament director Steve Steinmetz reports that the planning for this year's edition of our open buddy tournament at Union Lake on June 22 is being finalized. We have a number of pre-registrations so far and are expecting more soon (at a discounted entry fee of $50). Some nice prizes are being donated for the raffle we'll be holding at the event. We are still in need of a few more volunteers for the morning and afternoon sessions at this event. All volunteers earn a participation point towards a nice SJBCA fishing jacket. Please contact Joe Hoban or Fred Lentz if you can help out.
| May
21, 2014- Chris Smith
Speaks at Member Meeting NJ Fish & Wildlife principal fisheries biologist (and local bass club angler) Chris Smith spoke to the attendees at our May member meeting. Chris provided updates on a number of projects completed in the recent past and a couple that are currently underway (including a thorough inventory of the fish population at Lake Hopatcong). |
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April 15, 2014 - Scholarship Applications Due By May 1
High school seniors who are interested in applying for the SJBCA's $500 college scholarship are reminded that the deadline for submission of applications & supporting materials is May 1. This scholarship is available to students in southern/central NJ, southeastern PA and northern DE who are entering a college degree program that may one day benefit fishermen (eg, fisheries management, marine biology, environmental science, etc). More details on this program are available on our Scholarship Information page.
March 24, 2014- How to Earn SJBCA Apparel
The Association has a couple of different ways you can earn free SJBCA apparel. The first way is by earning "participation points". If you volunteer to work at an event or as a member of a committee, you earn a point. If you serve as an Association officer you earn multiple points. After accumulating ten points, you'll receive a personalized light SJBCA fishing jacket. After another fifty points you receive a heavier-duty SJBCA fishing jacket. Other awards follow each additional fifty points accumulated. A second way you can earn apparel is by volunteering at our major events. (These same events also earn you participation points.) Working at two events will get you a nice SJBCA hat and volunteering at four events gets you an embroidered SJBCA staff shirt. Click here for photos of these items. If you have any questions about these program or want a current report on how many points you've accumulated, please contact Fred Lentz.
March 3, 2014- Another Club Joins SJBCA
At our March member meeting, Swimming River Junior Bassmasters joined the Association. They are a junior chapter affiliated with Swimming River Bassmasters and have members ages 11 to 18. As part of an arrangement approved by our members, this junior chapter had their SJBCA dues waived for the year. We'll also be supporting them with fishing equipment & tackle donations.
| March
3, 2014- Another
Successsful Flea
Market Despite some bitter cold temperatures to start off the day, about 400 customers passed through the doors at our annual Fishermen's Flea Market in Millville on March 1. We also had a record number of vendor tables. The winner of our fully stocked freshwater tackle box raffle was Ray Panaro and the saltwater tackle box was won by Natasha. The SJBCA sincerely thanks all of the fishermen, vendors and volunteers who helped make this year's event another success. Click here for some photos from the event. |
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February 27, 2014- Flea Market Preparations Finalized
Fishermen's Flea Market committee members Carmen Bersani and Joe Hoban have reported that preparations for this year's event on March 1 are being finalized. All available vendor tables have been rented. The event will be held at its usual location -- the Millville Elks Lodge. For more details click here.
February 20, 2014 - Flats Wins Bass Bowl Vote
Club delegates at the February member meeting voted for the Susquehanna Flats (launching from Anchor Marina on the North East River) as the site of this year's Bass Bowl on October 19.
February 20, 2014 - 33rd Club Joins SJBCA
At our February member meeting, Backwoods Bassers joined the Association. This new club was founded by Coty Camp, son of past SJBCA president Brian Camp. Welcome guys!
| February
20, 2014 - Follow-up on Scholarship Winner Ryan Risher, the 2008 recipient of our annual college scholarship, provided an update on his current whereabouts since graduating from Washington College. He reports "I'm currently in grad school in Arkansas and will be doing research on the Red River attempting to correlate near-shore fish densities to endangered birds' nesting success". A full-size photo of Ryan "on the job" in an earlier wildlife assignment in South Dakota is posted in our Scholarship Winners section. |
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February 5, 2014 - Reminder: Permits Required for Tourneys in Maryland
This is a reminder that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources requires that tournament hosts apply for a permit for all bass tournaments held in that state. Technically the permit is only required for tourneys that have at least ten boats, but DNR would prefer that all hosts get the permit so that they can capture more complete tournament results. The permits are free and can be obtained using an online registration form available at... http://dnrweb.dnr.state.md.us/fish/tournament/register2.asp .
February 4, 2014 - Formation of Youth Chapters Encouraged
As part of its objective to encourage youth involvement in fishing, the SJBCA encourages bass clubs to form youth chapters so that pre-teens & teens can get a taste of the bass tournament experience. The SJBCA member clubs approved a waiver of annual dues for any youth chapter that joins the Association this year. In addition, we have some donated equipment and tackle that can be passed along to any such chapters if needed. Interested clubs should contact Fred Lentz for more details.
February 4, 2014 - Annual Awards to be Presented on Feb 19
Recipients of our annual fishing excellence and youth activity awards will be presented with plaques at our February 19 meeting. The winners of the 2013 Bass Bowl and BB lunker winner will also be given their awards. In addition, five SJBCA jackets will be presented. The award winners' names have been posted in the Awards Photos section of this website.
January 17, 2014- Bass Bowl Locations Nominated
At our January member meeting, club delegates nominated several possible locations for this year's Bass Bowl tournament. Those locations are: Candlewood Lake, CT; Carnegie Lake, NJ; Nanticoke River, MD/DE; Susquehanna Flats/North East River, MD; and Union Lake, NJ. A vote on the location will take place at the February member meeting. This year's Bass Bowl is being held on Sunday, October 19.
January 17, 2014- Officers Re-elected
At the January member meeting, all SJBCA officer positions that were up for election were retained by the incumbents. Re-elected were: Fred Lentz, President; Rob Kunze, 2nd Vice President; Steve Steinmetz, Tournament Director; Gary Corliss, Treasurer; Carmen Bersani, Director; and Mike Graham, Director.
| December
18, 2013 - Food Spread at
December Meeting Our December member meeting featured our annual free food spread. The spread included cold cuts for sandwiches, salads, chips, pasta, ribs and beverages. Thanks to those who contributed. |
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December 18, 2013 - Two New Clubs Admitted to SJBCA
At the December member meeting, two new clubs joined the Association. We welcome South Jersey Pond Hoppers and New Breed Sportsman Club.
December 14, 2013 - Submissions for Annual Awards Needed
At the December and January member meetings, the SJBCA secretary will be accepting nominations for our fishing excellence and youth activity awards for 2013. Nomination forms are available from the secretary. Details on past winners are listed in the Annual Awards section of this website. Plaques will be presented to the winners at the February member meeting. As always, you can't win if your club doesn't submit its nomination form.
November 20, 2013 - Tournament Picks at November Meeting
Our annual tournament date/location pick process took place at the November member meeting. At this meeting, clubs in good standing (4 or more meetings attended in 2013) chose dates & locations for 2014 open buddy tournaments and club tournaments at NJ WMA lakes. This was also the first date that member clubs could submit tournament schedules for 2014. This information was incorporated into the initial version of the combined tournament schedule (aka "Conflict List") and conflicts are currently being worked out by the clubs.
October 13, 2013 - Tidewater Takes Bass Bowl
On a day when the bite was pretty tough for most anglers, all three boats for Tidewater Bassers brought in decent bags of fish and allowed them to win this year's Bass Bowl at the Potomac River by a wide margin. Click here for detailed results and photos. These were the final club standings:
1. Tidewater Bassers -- 17 bass / 28.64 lbs
2. Delaware River Fisherman's Assoc. -- 10 bass / 15.99 lbs
3. Kickin Bass Fishing Club -- 5 bass / 11.77 lbs
4. S.J. Hawg Hunters -- 3 bass / 6.37 lbs
5. Pine Cone Anglers -- 3 bass / 6.00 lbs
6. S.J. Reel Burners -- 2 bass / 5.58 lbs
Thanks to everyone who participated and especially to those who helped out with the event.
October 4, 2013 - Volunteers Needed for Youth Fishing Event
Volunteers are needed for an upcoming youth fishing event. The HarvestFest/Trailblazer scout event is being held on Saturday, October 19, at Pine Hill Scout Reservation. Anyone interested in helping out with the pond fishing activity at this event should contact Chick Bay of Delaware River Fishermen's Assoc (let Fred know if you need his contact info). Click here for details on the event. Click here for directions. [NOTE: This event was going to be moved to the Camden waterfront for 2013 but that is not going to happen.]
October 4, 2013 - Bass Bowl Planning Finalized
This year's Bass Bowl will take place at the Potomac River in Maryland on Sunday, October 13 (7 am to 3 pm). We'll be launching out of the free Marshall Hall boat ramp. (The Smallwood State Park ramp will be closed for a triathalon on the weekend of the Bass Bowl.) The address of Marshall Hall ramp is 1005 Marshall Hall Road, Bryans Road, MD 20616. Bass Bowl details, directions, rules, etc will be discussed at the pre-tournament meeting on October 9. Clubs that have qualified to participate in the Bass Bowl should send a representative to the pre-tournament meeting. They need to have the names of their six-person team*, paired by boat, and their entry fee money (cash). *All six members of a club's team must be listed on the latest roster submitted to the SJBCA secretary by the July meeting.
August 23, 2013 - Mirror Lake Boat Ramp Fee Imposed
We learned that Pemberton Township has imposed an annual boat launch ramp fee for township-owned lakes, including Mirror Lake. The fee is $25.00 per calendar year for NJ residents ($20.00 for seniors) and $50.00 per year for out-of-state boaters ($40.00 for seniors). The ramp is free for township residents. Click here for details and the ramp sticker application on their township website.
August 23, 2013 - Best Youth Outdoor Day Ever
This year's South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day on August 17 saw 194 kids & their parents enjoy great weather and a wide variety of outdoor sports. The SJBCA hosted several fishing-related activities including pond fishing, target casting and bass fishing trips on the Salem Canal. We also gave away t-shirts, fishing tackle and magazines. We had a record 18 fishing volunteers come out to help and three bass boats doing the trips on the Canal. Thanks to everyone who helped out. Photos from the event will be posted on the event website at www.sjyouthoutdoorday.org .
| July
17, 2013 - Barbecue Meeting
& Scholarship Presentation Our annual barbecue meeting was held at the Thundergust Picnic Area at Parvin State Park on July 17. Free hot dogs, burgers, ribs (thanks BN06) and cold beverages were served. One of our two college scholarship recipients, Samantha Zelinksi, was in attendance with her father Dave. Click here to see photos from the meeting. |
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| June
16, 2013 - Cannon &
Ludwick Take Union Tourney Ted Cannon & Van Ludwick took first place in the SJBCA's annual open buddy tournament at Union Lake on Fathers Day. Their five-bass limit weighed 11.73 lbs. Their 4.16 lb kicker fish also took the overall lunker prize. 45 teams participated. Detailed results & photos are available here. Thanks to everyone who showed up to fish and to those who helped out with the registration & weigh-in. Also, a big thanks to those sponsors who made donations towards the event: Sandpiper Motel, Vineland Roofing, |
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| June
14, 2013 - Union Lake
Clean-up A group of volunteers conducted a clean-up of the Union Lake parking lot, ramp area and entrance road on June 14. This was in advance of the SJBCA's open buddy tournament there the following Sunday. Despite steady rain throughout the project, we managed to complete the task. Thanks to all of the guys who showed up to help out! |
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June 3, 2013 - Scholarship Winners Announced
The SJBCA's scholarship committee is pleased to announce that we are awarding TWO scholarships this year. The winners are: Brandon Hudik of Bordentown High School and Samantha Zelinski of Ocean City High School. They each will be receiving $500 and an invitation to our July 17 meeting at Parvin State Park (Thundergust Picnic Area).
May 17, 2013 - Union Lake - Fathers Day Buddy Tournament Finalized
Plans have been finalized for our annual open buddy tournament at Union Lake on Sunday, June 16 (Fathers Day), from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. This has always been a well attended tournament. The entry fee is $60.00 per team. This tournament will again feature the special Sandpiper Motel morning largemouth lunker prize (entries submitted prior to 10 am) and the Vineland Roofing smallmouth lunker prize. There will also be a raffle held with prizes from Bait N' Hook tackle shop, Precision Tackle, Doc Irv Custom Baits and others. One change for this year's tournament is a reduction in the fish limit from 7 bass to 5 bass, allowing solo competitors to legally bring in a tournament limit. Click here for a printable copy of the front & back of the entry form. Volunteers are needed to help out with this tournament in the morning and/or afternoon. For more details on this tournament contact SJBCA tournament director Steve Steinmetz at 609-868-4216.
April 4, 2013 - Mid-Atlantic Youth Anglers Announces HS Championships
The Mid-Atlantic Youth Anglers & Outdoors Program announced that the FLW/TBF/Student Angler Federation high school bass fishing championship tournament for the states of NJ, PA, DE & MD will be held on Saturday, July 27. The location of the tournament is the Upper Chesapeake, launching from Elk Neck State Park. Any interested high school student can participate. Click here for more details on a flyer. Also check out www.highschoolfishing.com.
March 20, 2013 - Paperwork Needed to Fish Wilson
We received clarification that a "use agreement" needs to be signed and submitted prior to tournaments held at Wilson Lake in Scotland Run Park (Clayton area). The contact for scheduling your tournament and obtaining the paperwork is Terry Dalton, Recreation Supervisor, at 856-881-0845.
| March
15, 2013 - Fish Habitat
Project Completed at Audrey The South Jersey Kayak Bass Fishing Club held a club project on March 9 to place fish habitat structures in Lake Audrey. Approximately 100 Christmas trees were used. For photos from this project and general information about this lake check out our Lake Audrey page. |
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| March
2, 2013 - Fishermen's Flea Market a Success Our annual fishermen's flea market saw a record number of vendor tables and a pretty good crowd of over 350 paying adults (kids 14 & under get in free). The winners of our tackle box raffles were: freshwater = Mitch Smith; saltwater = Lenny Wagner. Thanks to all of the vendors, customers and volunteers who showed up to make this a great event. To continue supporting our flea market vendors in the future, check out the links to their websites on our Flea Market page. Photos from this year's flea market are posted on our Flea Market Photos page. |
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| February
20, 2013 - Annual Awards Presented Recipients of our annual fishing excellence and youth activity awards were presented with plaques at our February meeting. The winners of the 2012 Bass Bowl and BB lunker winner were also given their awards. Photos from the presentation ceremony have been posted in the Awards Photos section of this website. |
February 20, 2013 - Potomac Selected as Site of 2013 Bass Bowl
In a close vote, the Potomac River was selected by members as the location of this year's Bass Bowl on October 13. (Union Lake was a close second in the voting.) The launch site will likely be Smallwood State Park on Mattawoman Creek, unless a larger event forces us to use a different ramp. More details to come.
February 20, 2013 - Vendor Tables for Annual Flea Market Sold Out
Our Fishermen's Flea Market organizing committee announced at the February member meeting that all available vendor tables for this year's event have been rented and that we'll even need to reconfigure the floorplan a bit to fit all of the rented tables in. Sounds like a great event is in store for us.
February 20, 2013 - By-Laws Change Approved
At the February meeting the membership approved a by-laws change that requires regular members to be in "good standing" as of the November member meeting in order to participate in the tournament pick process. Updated copies of the complete by-laws and standing rules will be provided to all clubs in the near future.
| February
20, 2013 - Dave Golden Speaks at Member Meeting Dave Golden, Regional Superintendent for the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife's Bureau of Land Management spoke at our February member meeting. He gave updates on recent and planned projects at a variety of NJ Wildlife Management Area properties. He also answered questions from the audience. Among many topics, he mentioned that the State had acquired Stevens Lake in the Tuckahoe area and that they are scouting out South Jersey sand quarries to see if any may be suitable for acquiring & turning into productive fishing ponds. |
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January 16, 2013 - 2012 Fishing Excellence and Youth Activity Award Winners Announced
Final submissions were accepted at the January member meeting for our 2012 fishing excellence and youth activity awards. In order to win these awards a club has to have submitted a nomination form by the beginning of the January meeting. (Full details on the award rules are listed on the nomination form.) Plaques will be presented to the award winners, and the Bass Bowl winning team & lunker winner, at the February member meeting. The award winners for 2012 are:
Heaviest Lunker -- Mark Edmeads, South Jersey Hawg Hunters, Bargaintown Lake, 6.66 lbs.
Heaviest 3-Bass Limit (Lunker Lake) -- Jay Niessan, South Jersey Hook This, Lake Assunpink, 9.45 lbs.
Heaviest 5-Bass Limit -- Mike Pfancook, Swimming River Bassmasters, Lake Champlain (NY), 21.75 lbs.
Heaviest 6-Bass Limit (Lunker Lake) -- Zeke Zellman & Wade Schoonover, South Jersey Hawg Hunters, Lake Assunpink, 8.85lbs.
Heaviest 10-Bass Limit -- Reno Regalbuto & Joe Tobolski, 4th Ward Bass Anglers, North East River (MD), 28.80 lbs.
Major Youth Activity -- Kickin Bass Fishing Club, "Woodbury Heights, Glen Lake, Kids Fishing Derby".
January 16, 2013 - Bass Bowl Locations Nominated
Candidates for the location of the 2013 Bass Bowl were nominated at the January member meeting. The proposed locations are: Beltzville Lake (PA), Conowingo Lake (MD/PA), Marsh Creek Lake (PA), Nanticoke River (MD/DE), Potomac River (MD) and Union Lake (NJ). A vote on the official location will be conducted at the February member meeting. Each club with voting rights (regular members) will get one vote (by secret ballot).
January 16, 2013 - Standing Rules Changes Made & By-Laws Change Proposed
At our January member meeting, member clubs approved some changes to our Standing Rules and heard a "first reading" of a proposed By-Laws revision. The Standing Rules have been revised to require that regular member clubs be in good standing (at least four meetings attended during the award year) in order to participate in the annual Fishing Excellence and Youth Activity awards. Also, a new award category was added for 2013 for the Heaviest Five-Bass Limit Caught in a Buddy Tournament (club or open buddy). The complete lists of rules for the annual awards are available on the award nomination forms.
A first reading was conducted for a proposed revision to the Association's by-laws. This revision requires that regular member clubs be in good standing (have attended at least four member meetings in the current year) in order to participate in the tournament pick process at the November meeting. That November meeting will count towards the total number of meetings. A vote on this by-laws revision will be conducted at the February member meeting.
January 16, 2013 - Flea Market Preparation Underway
At our January member meeting the committee members reported that planning for our annual Fishermen's Flea Market (March 2) is well underway. Approximately 20 vendor tables have been rented so far. Anyone interested in renting a vendor table, or who needs more info on this event, can check out our Flea Market page. Volunteers will be needed to help out with the event that day.
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