|
Tupelo Bass Club
The Tupelo Bass Club (TBC) was originally formed in 1967 and
maintained a membership of 50-60 members throughout the 1970s.
Because of normal ups and downs in participation, the current
officers decided to give the club a “facelift” in 2006. Changes
included:
- Affiliation with the Mississippi Bass
Federation. Not only did we want to send a team to represent
the TBC at the State Championship, but we also wanted to be
active with youth and conservation projects.
- A full tournament schedule. We currently
fish 10 tournaments plus a two-day classic that is limited
to the Top 12 finishers. We draw two lakes that were fished
during our tournament season and fish one each day of the
classic.
- Open membership. We welcome both boat
owners and non-boaters or “co-anglers” to fish with TBC.
- Low cost, big return. The entry fee is
$25 per tournament with an optional big fish pot. Payback
for each tourney is 90 percent of entry fees with first,
second and third place awards.
Feedback has been good so far. Membership is up from an
all-time low a few years ago to 26 avid anglers. TBC sent a team
to last year’s state tournament at Moss Point, Miss. We recently
hosted a youth tournament with the Tupelo Police Athletic League
that paired each child with a Tupelo Bass club member. Tupelo
Bass Club members also partnered with the Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to construct fish attractors
for northeast Mississippi fishing lakes.
The club’s 10-tournament schedule begins in February and
concludes in November with the two-day classic. Tournaments are
primarily held on Pickwick Lake and lakes of the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, but have also included trips to
Sardis and Enid. The variety of lakes that we visit during the
year presents a true test to any angler, which we believe
attracts prospective members to our club. One month may find you
fishing ledges at Pickwick Lake with deep cranks or
Carolina-rigged plastic, and the next month you might be
flipping shallow brush and vegetation on Columbus Lake.
We try to limit most tournament waters within a reasonable
drive of Tupelo. Currently, our farthest destination during the
season is a 90-mile trip to Aliceville Lake in Alabama.
The club meets the Monday night prior to each tournament at
Vanelli’s restaurant in Tupelo. For more information about
Tupelo Bass Club, call Larry Pugh at (662) 680-4984 or e-mail at
larry.pugh@mdwfp.state.ms.us.
|
