Bass fishing team looks to the future

Coach Cory Dorsey and Southwestern Community College have worked together to build upon the launch of the competitive bass fishing team, and are looking for ways to raise funds for the team.

“It’s all new. Getting a program up and going off the ground is a lot of work,” Dorsey said. “It makes getting that support more difficult because you’re brand new and people don’t really know what you’re about.”

In just their first competitive year, the team has put together a local bass fishing tournament to serve as a fundraiser for area youth fishing camps, scholarship funds and conservation efforts.

The tournament is from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 26 at 12 Mile Lake east of Creston.

“You can fish by yourself or with a partner,” Dorsey explained. “It’s your biggest five fish limit. They have to be at least 12 inches to keep. As you fish throughout the day, you can upgrade. So if you catch a bigger fish, you can toss back the little fish.”

The cost to fish is $100 with a 60% payout going to the top finishers. In addition, a side pot will be available for $20 to reward the biggest fish of the day. “100% of that is paid out and F&M Towing of Creston is pitching in an extra $250 for the biggest fish,” Dorsey said. “The school will make $40 per boat that shows up to fish. It just depends how many boats show up will determine how many spots get paid out.”

With the August heat, Dorsey said taking care of the fish is important before the weigh-in. “A lot of times people put ice or there’s some chemicals you can put in your live well that help keep the fish healthy when they’re in there,” he said. “We should have a trailer with a scale readout screen so everyone can watch and see how much everybody’s fish weigh. People like to be able to see what other people’s fish weigh so there are no concerns, so to speak. It should be kind of an elaborate deal.”

If the tournament does well, Dorsey said he hopes they can do this event annually or even twice a year.

“I’ve had father-son, some father-daughter type teams that are interested. I think more are going to show up the morning of that maybe haven’t been ready to commit so far in advance. If we had 15 boats I’d be happy,” Dorsey said. “It’s the first event; it’s a fundraising event. A lot of times, people fish tournaments for the opportunity to make money. A 60% payoff can turn people off sometimes if they’re chasing the money.”

As a sport recognized through SWCC, the college funds some of the team’s expenses. The money raised from their apparel sale, fishing tournament and future fundraising attempts will help with additional expenses including maintenance.

“We’d like to fund youth fishing camps to have local area youth come out to fish with some of the college anglers,” Dorsey explained. “Eventually, we’d like to have scholarships. Once we’ve raised enough money we’ll be able to give out scholarships.”

In addition, being able to construct artificial structures like PVC pipe trees to sink into local lakes will last longer than natural brush piles. Largemouth bass seek protective cover such as logs, rock ledges and vegetation in clear, slow-moving water, but can be found in other habitats as well.

Though the team works with fishing sponsors for discounts on product, Dorsey said he wants to grow their local business sponsors.

“We’ll put their logo on our jersey. Some tournaments have 20 boats, some have 250. There’s a ton of potential for a lot of exposure for the businesses,” he said. “Some of the events like the tournament we are going to have, they could be sponsored by a company, so they would gain a ton of exposure that way.”

The team’s first season has a few events left. Sept. 16 and 17, they will compete in the Iowa College Bass Nation Championship on the Mississippi River in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin. Sept. 30 they will be in Missouri, and the season will round out Oct 15 in Detroit.

So far, four anglers have committed to the team for the upcoming season. Though ideally, Dorsey would like a dozen on the team, he said those years are fast approaching.

“The junior and high school fishing grew like 700% during COVID,” Dorsey said. “It absolutely exploded, so in the next couple years, that’s going to make its way up to college.”

In-Fisherman reports competitive bass fishing is at its highest participation level yet. The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation reported a 15% increase in participation from 2015 to 2021, including a surge in female and youth anglers.

“In a few years I think we’ll easily carry a dozen kids on the team,” Dorsey said. “I think we’re going to get to the point where you’re going to be recruited and have to have a good high school fishing resume to make the team.”