.jpg) |
| Lake Delhi Champions: Jackson and Colton |
Ten years ago, Jackson Toale and Kegan Postel had an idea for a school project..."let's start a bass club". A week or so later after a few dead ends, they were sent to me for help. The rest is, as they say, history.
The 2026 Indee Bass Club began its tenth year of helping kids get out on the water to learn and practice bass fishing. We kicked off the tenth season on a cool, breezy morning at Lake Delhi this past Saturday. Eight captains and their boats awaited for the sixteen kids to blast off at 8am for a day of fishing. The goal for the day, catch five "keeper" bass that measured 12 inches or more. The event concluded at 1pm with a weigh-in and prize giveaways for all kids involved. The Indee Bass Club is a volunteer youth group that can only do what they do with the help of their great sponsors. These sponsors include: Colony Plumbing Heating/AC, Smith D&L Insurance, Buchanan County Wildlife Association, Rick Wendling Memorial, BankIowa, Time Reed State Farm, Shay's Minn Kota, Hilltop Motors, Cy&Charley's, Cedar Falls SCHEELS, The Rod Glove, FishRX, X-Zone Lures, Hot Rod Baits, Lew's Fishing, and Strike King Lures. Andrew Gissel of Gissel Custom Rods was present at this event to give away one of his custom casting rods, what a treat for a young angler to now own a custom rod from a local rod maker. The club is able to give away rods, reels and fishing gear totaling about $800 for each event, while keeping it free for all anglers.
The spring weather has been nothing but normal in the month of April. Storm front after front have graced the state of Iowa brining higher than normal water to Lake Delhi and more than usual runoff and current. Students and adult captains were greeted with temperatures in low forties with winds whipping around 25mph at times. Water clarity was a little dirty for Lake Delhi in April due to the recent weather. If you add all these variables up, it made for a tough day on the water for the student anglers. Eight boats were entered into the event, but only four could catch a keeper to weigh-in at the scales. In forth place was Even Hoyle and Clinton Junk, they had one keeper that weighed 0.96 pounds. Coming in third was Ranger Reed and Cal Sweeney, they had one keeper bass that weighed 1.03 pounds. Ranger reported catching the keeper on a Hot Rod Baits tube rigged "stupid style". Coming in second was the team of Aiden Svoboda and Will Clark. They caught 3 keepers that weighed 4.74 pounds. Aiden also caught the Strike King Big Bass of the tournament, a 2.53 pound largemouth. This young duo caught their keepers on Spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits. In first place was the team of Colton Cameron and Jackson Beatty, they also won this event in 2025. They had a limit of 5 keeper bass that weighed 8.25 pounds. They reported catching their winning fish on crankbaits and a Ned Rig. Overall the bites were few but spirits were high at the weigh-in. It is early April and conditions can vary from day to day. I special thank you goes out to the eight adult captains for taking these kids out on the water today; Andrew Gissel, Todd Reed, Dan Sweeney, Jeff Heinze, Joel Hoyle, Cyrus Butters, Bo Peyton, and Dalton Beau. The next event is at Lake MacBride in May for the club, you can find them on the web, Instagram and Facebook for more details, or contact Coach Todd Reed on how to get involved.
.jpg) |
| 2nd Place and BIG BASS: Aiden and Will |
