On September 26, 2013, two professional fisherman, Frank Villa and Curtis Welch, visited Arvada West. They both have been to nationals many times and they fish in tournaments about two to three times a month. They talked to the students about what the Bass Club is,and what the requirements are to join.

  Ryan Bass, junior at Arvada West High School started the Bass Club. Bass explains, “I started a club, [The Bass Club] because I wanted to promote fishing to kids, and show how much fun it is to people and to [make them] realize it is not just boring. It can be a lot of fun and you can make a lot of friends.” Bass started this club in January of 2013.

  In the Bass club, there is a fishing outing once a month starting in March, for a total of six outings every year. Approximately 10 high school’s Bass Clubs come from all over  to fish. At each outing, they meet at the private or public lakes at sunrise, have a quick meeting, and then they go fish for six hours! In March, May, and April, they have two state tournaments. If they qualify, they get to go to Nationals!

   At nationals, contestants fish for Black Bass which are, Smallmouth, Large Mouth, and Spotted Bass. They try to catch the five biggest fish they can in six hours. They must be a least fifteen inches long, and any other state regulations, must be abided. At nationals people have a chance to win scholarships, free boats, trucks, and money.

  Anyone at Arvada West High School has the ability to join. The cost is thirty dollars a year. It is encouraged to bring one’s own fishing gear, but if you do not have any, The Denver Bassmasters, the senior fishing club, provide fishing gear.