March 28th, 2024- The Ike Foundation team attended the Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, OK this past weekend, and what a huge success it was!
Ike’s Hook’em Early Kids Fishing Event brought to you by Lowrance was held at Veterans Park Pond in Jenks OK, a lake previously stocked by The Ike Foundation® in 2022 as part of their conservation efforts. Almost 100 kids and their families attended this free event and received a Flambeau tacklebox, Abu Garcia rod and reel, and a pack of Wangler’s worms.
They headed to the banks of Veterans Park Pond and caught lots of fish varieties including trout, bass, bluegill, and even a turtle. Many of the families pitched in with the Ike Foundation® team’s conservation efforts, partnering with AFTCO’s Bank Bag program and bringing in over a dozen large bags of trash. It was a chilly morning but the amount of support and appreciation from the attendees was truly heartwarming. John O’Keefe from the Yamaha Rightwaters Initiative participated with Pro Angler Ish Monroe and ‘Swamp People star Ronnie Adams and his wife Jen. After the event, additional Abu Garcia rods, all spooled and transported by The Bass University, were donated to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
You can see more about Ike’s Hook’em Early Kids Fishing Event brought to you by Lowrance in this clip with Tess Maune with KOTV Channel 6 in Tulsa, OK https://www.newson6.com/story/660153731102d4065547bb70/families-fish-with-professional-angler-at-special-event-in-jenks
Mike and Becky Iaconelli and the entire Ike Foundation® appreciate the support of the Jenks community, the local police force for keeping us safe and the sponsors that made the event possible for all to enjoy. They include Lowrance, Abu Garcia, Flambeau, AFTCO, Wanglers Worms and The Bass University.
During the remainder of the weekend, hundreds of kids and their families visited the Ike Foundation® booth to paint Berkley baits, receive a Flambeau tackle box and meet Mike Iaconelli. The Bass Cat team was a huge help at the second Flambeau tackle box giveaway at their booth on Saturday.
With the continued support of their sponsors, The Ike Foundation® hopes to bring Ike’s Hook’em Early Kids Fishing Event to the communities of future Bassmaster Classics. Providing a fishing experience for kids and taking care of our waterways and environment are the primary goals of The Ike Foundation®.
Follow The Ike Foundation® on Facebook and Instagram @TheIkeFoundation and on Twitter @FoundationIke for additional details and updates on all of our programs and events. The Ike Foundation® appreciates the generous donations from individuals and sponsors, including Abu Garcia, Bass Cat Boats, Yamaha, Flambeau, AFTCO, Pro-Guide, Tackle Warehouse, and many more. A full list of sponsors can be found at The Ike Foundation Sponsors®.
Founded in 2014 by Michael and Becky Iaconelli, the mission of The Ike Foundation® is to get more kids fishing and, in the outdoors, especially youth in areas where those activities are not readily available. We support youth fishing clubs, civic groups and charitable organizations that promote the sport of fishing, the ecology of the outdoors and the responsibility each person has to maintain our planet’s natural resources. The Ike Foundation® is approved by the IRS as a 501©(3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. All proceeds from our programs go to The Ike Foundation®’s mission. Tax-deductible contributions are welcome and can be made on the website Donate to The Ike Foundation®
