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BIG BEAR TOURNAMENT FOR THE BASS -- matthews-ONS -- 09sep10
Tournament to help fund plant of largemouth bass in Big Bear Lake
By JIM MATTHEWS - Outdoor News Service
Big Bear Lake saw its bass population plummet four to five years ago, and theories abound about what caused the decline -- pelicans ate the baby bass, weed abatement and chemical spraying all but wiped them out, carp ate all the bass eggs, low water and oxygen levels almost destroyed the population.
Whatever the reasons, there has been a concerted effort by the Big Bear Municipal Water District to help restore this component of one of Southern California’s best fisheries. The BBMWD has planted largemouth each of the last three years and helped arrange for smallmouth bass from Shaver Lake in the Sierra Nevada to be caught and transported to Big Bear.
According to Big Bear Lake guide Aaron Armstrong, it’s all helping. Four years ago he caught just one bass during a whole season of fishing. This year, he’s caught “hundreds” of fish.
But he decided he’d like to see even more and better quality bass, so he’s arranging a completely non-profit bass tournament Sept. 18 where a percentage of the entry fee goes toward working with the BBMWD to buy quality three-pound bass before next spring’s bass spawn.
The idea is to get some instant quality and to add more spawning fish to those already in the lake.
The tournament will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, out of Halloway’s Marina. Cost is $200 per team with a $25 big fish option. A full 90 percent of the entry fees go toward cash prizes for the winners of the event, with the remaining 10 percent going to a fund to purchase three-pound bass for a plant just prior to the spawn next year.
Armstrong says Big Bear is the perfect lake for a “family” bass tournament because there is a lot “for momma and the kids” to do at Big Bear while dad is fishing the tournament. This is in stark contrast to other tournaments which are staged at lakes “out in the middle of nowhere.” Armstrong has also set up a couple of family “fund-raising” parties the night before the tournament at B’s Backyard Barbecue and the evening after the tournament at Halloways.
For more information or to enter, contact Aaron Armstrong at Big Bear Charter Fishing at 800-475-3166 or at 909-866-2240.
This is a bass fishing version of the May Trout Classic where all of the profits from the event are using to improve the Big Bear Lake fishery. In spite of the time and effort involved, Armstrong is hoping to have three non-profit bass events a year to keep the fund growing and the plants continuing.
Tournament to help fund plant of largemouth bass in Big Bear Lake
By JIM MATTHEWS - Outdoor News Service
Big Bear Lake saw its bass population plummet four to five years ago, and theories abound about what caused the decline -- pelicans ate the baby bass, weed abatement and chemical spraying all but wiped them out, carp ate all the bass eggs, low water and oxygen levels almost destroyed the population.
Whatever the reasons, there has been a concerted effort by the Big Bear Municipal Water District to help restore this component of one of Southern California’s best fisheries. The BBMWD has planted largemouth each of the last three years and helped arrange for smallmouth bass from Shaver Lake in the Sierra Nevada to be caught and transported to Big Bear.
According to Big Bear Lake guide Aaron Armstrong, it’s all helping. Four years ago he caught just one bass during a whole season of fishing. This year, he’s caught “hundreds” of fish.
But he decided he’d like to see even more and better quality bass, so he’s arranging a completely non-profit bass tournament Sept. 18 where a percentage of the entry fee goes toward working with the BBMWD to buy quality three-pound bass before next spring’s bass spawn.
The idea is to get some instant quality and to add more spawning fish to those already in the lake.
The tournament will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, out of Halloway’s Marina. Cost is $200 per team with a $25 big fish option. A full 90 percent of the entry fees go toward cash prizes for the winners of the event, with the remaining 10 percent going to a fund to purchase three-pound bass for a plant just prior to the spawn next year.
Armstrong says Big Bear is the perfect lake for a “family” bass tournament because there is a lot “for momma and the kids” to do at Big Bear while dad is fishing the tournament. This is in stark contrast to other tournaments which are staged at lakes “out in the middle of nowhere.” Armstrong has also set up a couple of family “fund-raising” parties the night before the tournament at B’s Backyard Barbecue and the evening after the tournament at Halloways.
For more information or to enter, contact Aaron Armstrong at Big Bear Charter Fishing at 800-475-3166 or at 909-866-2240.
This is a bass fishing version of the May Trout Classic where all of the profits from the event are using to improve the Big Bear Lake fishery. In spite of the time and effort involved, Armstrong is hoping to have three non-profit bass events a year to keep the fund growing and the plants continuing.
