Indee Bass Club July Bass Scramble

Will Clark and Colton Cameron

    The annual Indee Bass Club Scramble took place on the Wapsi River here in Independence on July 8th. This event is unique as anglers and adult boat captains are randomly drawn just minutes before the start of the tournament. It provides anglers a chance to fish with different students and different adults. This allows for additional learning for students as they all work together to catch a three bass limit. After four hours of fishing everyone makes their way back to the boat ramp to weigh in their fish to see who has caught the biggest fish of the night.

    Seventeen kids from around the area signed up for the event ranging from 7th graders to Seniors in High School. It was a beautiful afternoon as we launched the boats at 4:30pm, but storms were in the forecast. Anglers found out soon that the fish were hungry on the front of the impending storm. Of the eight boats, seven brought in fish to the scales. Of those seven, five boats brought in their limit of three bass. Coming in with one bass was Antonio Moore, Tate Brown, Ty Hansen and their captain Bo Peyton, it weighed 2.53 pounds. In 6th place was Captain Tony Delgado, Baren Alexander and Cal Sweeney. They had two bass that weighed 3.49pounds. Captain Todd Ristvedt, and anglers Aiden Svoboda and Memphis Peyton brought in three keeper bass that weighed 3.94 pounds, good enough for 5th place. In fourth place was Jackson Beatty, Mason Ristvedt and Captain Dave Wilson, they had three bass for 4.97 pounds. Third place was secured by Captain John Malek, Ranger Reed and Keegan King. They had a limit of three bass that weighed 5.93 pounds. This group reported catching their keepers on Texas Rigged Rage Craws, Hot Rod Baits Tubes and spinnerbaits. In second place was Brayton Kuhse, Andrew Lewin and their Captain Jackson Toale. This group used white spinnerbaits to get a 3 bass limit that weighed 6.84 pounds. This events top prize went to anglers Will Clark and Colton Cameron, with Captain Todd Reed. They caught their winning 3 bass limit weighing 9.39 pounds using hollow-bodied frogs. Colton Cameron also caught the big bass of the tournament, a 3.33 pound Largemouth Bass. Congratulations to all the anglers on this night that caught some bass. Eighteen bass were brought into the scales just before the storm hit Independence, and all eighteen bass were released alive back into the Wapsi River to be caught again. Trophies, fishing gear, lifevests, gift cards and four rod/reel combos were given out after the weigh-ins as usual.

    A big shoutout to captains that took kids out for the evening and the crew that made this tournament possible; Club Coach Todd Reed, Tournament Assistants Randy Toale, Dan Sweeney and Jeff Heinze. The Indee Bass Club is a volunteer-led club for Independence and St.John's students. The club operates on donations and sponsorships of these fine organizations: Colony Plumbing/Heathing/AC, Smith D&L Insurance, Rick Wendling Memorial, Buchanan County Wildlife Association, BankIowa, Tim Reed State Farm, Shay's Minn Kota, Hilltop Motors, SCHEELS of Cedar Falls, Cy and Charley's, Strike King Lures, Lew's Fishing, Hot Rod Baits, FishRX Custom Lures, The Rod Glove, and X-Zone Lures. The Indee Bass Club has two events in August, one is a typical bass tournament on the Mississippi River and the other is a virtual event. Check them out on their socials to find out more details of these upcoming events, Facebook, Instagram and their website.

INDEE BASS CLUB WEBSITE LINK