The Ike Foundation® hit the road and headed to Fort Worth, Texas for the Bassmaster Classic — and what a weekend it was! Families and kids stopped by our booth all weekend long to paint their own bobbers and enter for a chance to win a daily Flambeau Outdoors tackle box giveaway. Mike Iaconelli made several appearances at the booth, personally signing and handing out Flambeau tackle boxes to lucky visitors.
On Sunday, March 24th, we teamed up with Texas Parks and Wildlife for a special Ike’s Hook ‘Em Early Kids Fishing Event at Chisholm Park. It was a picture-perfect morning filled with families enjoying the outdoors and making memories on the water. Every registered child received an Abu Garcia Ike Dude fishing rod, a Flambeau tackle box, and some Wangler worms to get them started.
In true Ike Foundation® fashion, conservation was part of the mission. With help from many of the attending families and in partnership with AFTCO’s Bank Bag program, Chisholm Park was left spotless after the event. To keep the momentum going, we donated all remaining rods and tackle boxes to Texas Parks and Wildlife to support their community fishing program.
Thanks to the incredible support from our local community and amazing sponsors, this event was a huge success! We’re grateful to Toyota, Cabela’s, BassCat, AFTCO, Abu Garcia, Wanglers Worms, Hoffman Pest, and Flambeau Outdoors for making it all possible.
With continued support, The Ike Foundation® looks forward to bringing the Hook ‘Em Early Kids Fishing Event to future Bassmaster Classic host cities—creating unforgettable fishing experiences for kids and championing the importance of protecting our waterways and environment.
