Adrenaline rushes through the body while the big bass is being weighed wondering if it will be the heaviest catch of the day. The bass fishing club is a fairly new team at Lewis Cass officially organized during the end of the 2023-24 school year. Over the summer, the club has quickly become one of the fastest-growing and most successful clubs in recent years. There is a full team roster and everyone is definitely enjoying their experiences so far in this unique club.
A curious observer might ask, what happens at a bass tournament? Coach Temme explains the typical tournament day, “Starts with us meeting at the high school about 4:30 am.” There is much to be done on tournament days. Mr. Temme said, “We drive about an hour to the lake, launch our boats, prep gear, have a pre-tournament meeting, and start fishing at sunrise.” Temme continued, “At sunrise, we have the take-off, where boat numbers are called off and we take off in sequential order.” How long is a bass fishing tournament? According to Mr. Temme, “We then fish for eight hours to catch the largest five bass. At the end of the day, each team will weigh in their largest fish of the day. Total weight determines the tournament win.”
How did the team do in their early tournaments? So far, the bass fishing team has competed in three tournaments this year and each of them has been a success. At each tournament a Lewis Cass team of two has placed in the top three, allowing them to earn a reward. Their luck continues as Temme says there has been a prize giveaway at each event in which they have won something every time. Looks like the Kings have found their new passion.
Sophomore club member, Wyatt O’Neil, shared that he and other sophomore Kyland Magers placed second at Lake Freeman the first tournament they participated in. He mentioned the second-place finish pushed them both up to being ranked number seven in the Northern Indiana Youth Division. Landen Thorpe has also succeeded recently, receiving a fifteenth place in their division as well. Two more Kings are rising to the top with seventh graders, Jack Wood and Russell Townsend, earning the victory at Lake of the Woods. In the latest tournament at Lake Maxinkuckee, team members Levi Bell and Landen Adams killed the competition finishing third place overall.
When asked about the positives the new club offers, Thorpe and O’Niel give their input. Thorpe says he enjoys the experiences he gets from fishing with trained, seasoned anglers. O’Neil’s favorite part, on the other hand, is getting the opportunity to go out and fish and afterward get free stuff at the end of the day.
In conclusion, this young bass fishing team has grown and improved with each tournament’s success. Coach Temme is building an amazing program bringing many kids together to do what they love. The Kings look forward to new exciting tournaments to show off the skills they have acquired and the hard work they have put forward. Hats off to Mr. Temme and the Lewis Cass Bass Fishing team!
