Local boy turned global champion returns home to grow roots.
Before I realized I was spoiled I had already attained adult status. As a child and into my 20s I grew up surrounded by manicured farmland teeming with wildlife and fishing opportunities in Cream Ridge, NJ. Within a hundred steps from the house I had the world’s best bass pond on our own property. I never gave much thought to how good I had it. It was the world I was born into and I had parents who held the door to this outdoor oasis wide open!
There was a little willow tree that grew on the opposite side of the pond. It didn’t take me long to figure out it attracted bass. My only dilemma was the casting distance it took to reach it. It wasn’t all that far, maybe 25 yards or so. However, the old pole I toted had about half-a-spool of old line that didn’t allow for a long cast.
Since this era predated YouTube, I could only experiment with different casting techniques, line diameter and lure weights. It was a learning curve I believe should be mandatory for every up-and-coming fisherman. Through trial and error I became a precise casting machine. I took great pride in dropping a rubber worm into every nook and cranny of that old willow tree.
Those days spent with my fishing buddies firing Mann’s Jelly worms at the old willow tree are long-gone. I miss them dearly. To be honest, I get a bit emotional thinking about those long summer days surrounded by close friends. Thank goodness each is still a part of my life, and we continue to enjoy fishing and the outdoors. Though all of us will agree, we get more delight out of introducing those of the new generation to our passion.
I’m not exactly sure when it hit me but there was a point in my life when I realized I had taken enough and it was time to start giving back. I work with at-risk youth every day of my life in my career as a school teacher. I see disconnect from the outdoors first-hand every day in my classroom. For a fisherman like me, it’s frustrating to hear they have never been given an opportunity to experience a day of fishing.
Luckily, the upcoming generation has some fantastic role models who see the need to get kids involved in fishing and the outdoors. They feel it is their duty to do whatever it takes to bring awareness to this need.
2nd Annual “Ike” Classic
Michael Iaconelli, one of professional bass fishing’s brightest stars, knows first-hand how important it is to get youth involved in fishing. His uncle and grandfather introduced him to fishing and it not only became his passion, it became a successful professional bass fishing career. He and his wife Becky have created a foundation called the Ike Foundation (www.theikefoundation.org) which was established with a main goal of getting more kids involved in fishing.
This year was the second year for the Ike Celebrity ProAm Bass Tournament, which kicked off July 7 with a dinner and silent auction on the Battleship New Jersey. Professional bass fishermen and local sports legends like former Philadelphia Eagles players Trent Cole and John Ritchie donated their time for this youth fishing benefit.
This year’s event was a bit different than last year’s event. Iaconelli added a kayak division to the tournament that brought added awareness and a more affordable platform to consider for those new to fishing. Their tournament boundaries were different than those of the high powered bass boat division. Kayakers were confined to the non-tidal sections of the tributaries of the Delaware River. In addition they used the iAnglertournament.com app to log their catches. The grand prize winner of that division was Nicholas Wedel, who qualified to fish the Hobie Worlds 7 kayak fishing tournament.
The bass boat division used a more standard method of deciding the final places of the anglers. The team of anglers bringing in the heaviest five-fish limit took first place and a brand new BassCat Margay boat plus The Fisherman Magazine subscriptions. That prize went to the father and son team of Randy Baran for their five-fish limit of 14.24 pounds!
However, the big picture and goal of this event was to bring awareness to youth fishing. Our children are becoming more disconnected with the outdoors each and every day. It is probably safe to say more children know how to catch a Pokémon than a bass. If this trend continues there will be fewer ambassadors to protect our fishing and its resources.
“Fishing Makes Great People”
I had a chance to sit with a few of the competitors in this year’s event to discuss the issue of getting youths involved in fishing. One of those competing this year was Cole, the longtime Eagles linebacker and outdoorsman. He was introduced to fishing and the outdoors at a very early age. The outdoors and the respect for it are cemented in his DNA. Our conversations regarding all aspects of the outdoors flowed as smoothly as the Delaware River that served as our backdrop. Ushering in the new generation is so important to him that he stated, “It’s my duty to show all kids the path to fishing and the outdoors, not just my own.”
Nonetheless, it wasn’t the statement regarding “his duty” that stopped me in my tracks. He went on to say, “The outdoors and fishing makes great people.” It was a powerful statement from a powerful and influential man. During my drive home from the event, it was all I could think about. I realized I was replaying his words because he was right!
My fishing mentors were great people and instilled in me the need to protect our fishing resources. They didn’t just teach me to leave the outdoors and water better than I found it, they showed me how. My father led by example and never let me walk by a piece of trash in the outdoors without picking it up. In addition to teaching me how to fish, he gave me the reasons we need to practice catch and release. I will be forever grateful and pass on those teachings.
Fishing is a powerful platform similar to a bass boat or kayak. From the deck of a bass boat or the seat of a kayak you can accomplish a goal. The goal may be catching a bass and possibly enough to win a tournament. However, through fishing you can achieve a multitude of objectives. It could be you simply want to get away from the stresses of life for a while. Fishing is extremely therapeutic and will definitely ease the bumps-in-the-road.
On the other hand, if you aspire to make others great, introduce a youngster to fishing. Open their eyes to a world that sits on the other side of a computer or television screen. Lead them down the path that creates upstanding individuals like those who volunteer their time to the Ike Foundation and its mission to get kids fishing. Your efforts are much needed.
| MORE INFO: IKE FOUNDATION |
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| The Ike Foundation was established in July 2014 by professional bass fishing tournament angler Michael “Ike” Iaconelli and his wife, Becky, to get kids involved with the sport of fishing. Born in South Philly and now living in South Jersey, Ike’s been fishing competitively since high school and most notably scored the 2003 Bassmaster Classic and 2006 Angler-of-the-Year awards.
The Ike Foundation assists civic organizations, existing youth fishing organizations, and other charitable organizations in sponsoring events and functions to promote fishing to both inner city and rural youth. These events and functions will teach young people the sport of fishing, the ecology of the outdoors and the responsibility each person has in order to maintain our planet’s natural resources. The Ike Foundation is an IRS registered 501(c)3, non-profit foundation. Gifts to the Ike Foundation are fully tax deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. Learn more at www.theikefoundation.org. |
