(Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted by Becker Bass Team.)

Becker Bass Team makes an effort to concentrate on getting kids out fishing and utilizing advice fishing professsional Al Linder taught them: “People don’t like to fish, they like to catch!” The goal of Becker Bass Team is to teach children and parents how to catch and provide opportunities for children to get out and go fishing.

Becker Bass Team is having a “personal best” this year and the Becker Bass Team members are breaking many of their own records from previous years. On any local lake, on any given day you might see the blue Becker Bass Team jerseys out by the water. The team has grown to over 80 high school students this year and they have been busy! The team hosts a local tournament every month and all teammates are encouraged to attend. Some of the local lake locations are Clearwater Lake, Big Lake and Pleasant Lake. At the team tournament on Clearwater Lake in June, there were 25 boats and a lot of smiles. First place at 16.64 pounds was Brayden Graning and Braden Koenig. second place at 13.58 was Parker Meyer and Mason Doucette. The local tournaments are a great introduction to tourney fishing and learning the rules, safety, and fish care. Older students are running their own boats and volunteering to fish with less experienced kids.  

July’s tournament on Pleasant Lake was another big one with 25 boats and to place in the top five students needed over a 16 pound bag! First place at 17.29 lbs was Trevor Handshoe and Tori Christensen with coach Greg Bowles. Pleasant Lake was busy with students, parents and volunteers who helped run a great tournament. The team is proud to say that 100% of the Bass were caught and released. The season will wrap up with one more tournament followed by the team picnic in September. Through the Student Angler Organization any kids can participate with in the Lund Virtual Tournaments! These are catch, record, release virtual App based where students can pick their lakes to compete against a large field for the day. Kids can fish from shore, kayak, canoe, boat and parents can participate too. This is a great introduction, great for the bass, and great for kids’ opportunities to learn about competitive fishing without a lot of expense.

Some of the more experienced teams compete in state-wide tournaments on lakes such as Minnetonka, Mille Lacs, Whitefish Chair and Le Homme Dieu. Becker has been very well represented at all of these tournaments with multiple top placings. Becker had seven teams that have qualified for the “State” Tournament of Champions on Pokegama Lake August 15. Over $50,000 of scholarships were awarded to the field of 82 boats! 

Becker winners included first place winners Mason Doucette and Tristan Martin, who will be splitting the $10,000 scholarship prize. Mason Nevala and Tanner Paumen took seventh place and won a $2,000 scholarship prize to split.

It’s not all tournament fishing. They practice, as well. Over 25 volunteer coaches, boat captains, and student anglers take kids fishing any day of the week. The team also meets locally every Thursday night to just fish and learn. This usually ends with fun prizes ranging from free tackle to Fleet Farm gift cards. Besides fishing, the team has been busy volunteering at events like an ice cream social in Becker, Fleet Farm’s Kid’s Fishing Day in Monticello and flipping licorice in Becker’s Freedom Days parade.  

The team hosts monthly online contests for best stringer of seven biggest fish and, a group favorite, “The Ugly Fish”! Adults and students enter their fish (and occasionally other things caught) with pictures into the app. 

A huge accomplishment for any Bass team is to have a Team of the Year. Becker has done it twice! Last year Charlie Wright and Carter Heitela earned the title and this year Mason Doucette and Tristan Martin fished their way to the top. 

A quote from Jimmy Bell, President of the Student Angler Organization: “Mason and Tristan are tremendous young men that understand the importance of family and faith. Much of this comes from Eli and Jayme (their boat captains) and their amazing families that have instilled the values and integrity that will carry them the rest of their lives.” 

The Becker Bass Team is proud to have a community team which has fun fishing but also values hard work, sportsmanship, education and sharing the love for fishing with others. Check out the Becker High School Bass Team Facebook page and the BeckerBass.com website for pictures and stories from throughout the year. The team has been busy!  The team would like to thank past students Charlie (Biggtime) Wright and Jacob Novak for their hard work and dedication to building the successful Bass team and wish them luck in their future tournaments. 

Becker Bass Team is happy to have industry partners such as Lund, Fleet Farm, Blackfish, Big Bite Baits and Rapala, but even more proud to have the local community, volunteers, and sponsors who support the team.