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Our Programs and Upcoming Events

Please check out our Upcoming Events Calendar and explore all of our programs to see how you can get involved with The Ike Foundation®!

April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
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The Ike Foundation® College Scholarship Program and Fundraiser

The Ike Foundation® begins each year with our Annual Scholarship Fundraising Dinner in Pittsgrove, NJ. The proceeds from this evening fund most of The Ike Foundation® Scholarship Program. Every year we award  deserving high school seniors, with college scholarship money, based on their efforts in the fishing community and the outdoors. Since 2017, we have  awarded over $100,000.00 in college scholarships. High school seniors from across the country with an earned GPA of at least 3.2 and a proven contribution to outdoor conservation submit applications for The Ike Foundation® College Scholarship. Students are required to submit letters of recommendation, high school transcripts, college acceptance letters, and an essay to be considered.

Ike’s Family Fun Fest Program and Ike’s Pro Am Bass Fishing Tournament Fundraiser

Ike’s Pro-Am Bass Tournament is a fishing event where local anglers pay an entry fee/donation to compete on the Chesapeake Bay. While the anglers are fishing the Pro-Am event, The Ike Foundation® team hosts the Ike’s Family Fun Fest. This is a free event that coincides with our boat tournament. The Family Fun Fest allows local and urban youth the opportunity to try their hand at fishing activities for the first time. The day is filled with music, games, giveaways, food, and fishing activities for all. The Ike Foundation® gives away 100 free Flambeau Ike tackle boxes that the kids are able to fill with fishing products donated by sponsors. After hours of practicing their own fishing skills, the attendees of this event stay and watch our boat competitors showcase their own catches from the day on a big stage. The day wraps up with one lucky winner from the boat tournament driving away with a brand-new Bass Cat boat. Other top finishers receive cash and prizes from Pro-Guide Batteries, Flambeau, Berkley, Mystery Tackle Box, The Bass University, Lowrance, Tackle Warehouse, AFTCO, TH Marine, Power-Pole, Nines, and Rod Warrior.

The Ike Foundation® High School Program

With the rise of High School fishing programs, we have been able to partner with local South Jersey high schools. We have provided them with Abu Garcia rods and reels along with opportunities for these high school anglers to interact with Mike Iaconelli and other pros so they can become better anglers. As the students become more involved with The Ike Foundation®, they become our volunteers at our many local events and begin giving back to their community organizations.

Ike’s Hook ’em Early Kids Fishing Event Program

Ike’s Hook’em Early Kids Fishing Event provides up to 100 kids with an opportunity to fish at a New Jersey Lake. We stock a local lake with bass, catfish, and bluegill for the event and to create a healthy fishery for many years to come. At this free event, we give each child their own Abu Garcia Ike Dude Combo rod and reel, Flambeau tackle box, tackle, and instruction so they can continue fishing. Our amazing volunteers log each child’s catch so we can award prizes at the end of the event. The Ike Foundation® also provided a lunch and snacks for all participants.

The Ike Foundation® at the Bassmaster Classic Program

Each year the Ike Foundation® team attends the Bassmaster Classic. Flambeau and The Ike Foundation ® have a long-standing tradition of handing out Ike Flambeau Kids Tackle Boxes at the Classic. The Ike Foundation® partners with their sponsors to host the tackle box giveaway. Over 500 kids receive stickers, swag, and a signed Mike Iaconelli Tackle Box. In addition to the tackle box giveaway, The Ike Foundation® has a booth where kids of all ages are invited to paint a Berkley bait, learn more about the sport of fishing and the ecology of the outdoors. In 2024 we were able to add a Hook’em Early Kids Fishing Event to our busy Bassmaster Classic schedule!

The Ike Foundation's® Youth/HS Fishing Tournament Trail Program

The Youth Fishing Tournament Trail is an extension of The Ike Foundation®’s mission, introducing young anglers to the excitement of competitive bass fishing while encouraging sportsmanship, skill-building, and a love for the outdoors.

This program is designed for youth ages 8–18 who have some fishing experience or a strong desire to become more skilled and competitive anglers.

Youth Fishing Tournament Trail FAQs

1.

Where do I find the rules?

Download the rules here

2.

Does my child need to bring their own equipment?

Yes, each child brings their own equipment to each event. We suggest a couple of rods and reels along with a handful of baits that your child is comfortable with. The boat captains will sometimes lend equipment if they feel they have a specific bait that could help your child to catch more fish but this is not guaranteed. If your child does not have any equipment and would like to apply for our Equipment Scholarship they can do so on the sign-up page on our website. They will need to write a brief letter of why they need the equipment and one letter of recommendation. Youth Trail Entry Form

3.

What does my child need to bring the day of the event?

Each Angler should come with their own rods, reels and tackle along with plenty of beverages and snacks to get them through the day. Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses are highly recommended. Rain gear is also a good idea if there is a chance of rain.

4.

Are these events rain or shine?

Yes! We will fish in the rain as long as there is no thunder and lightning.

5.

Who will my child be fishing with?

If you do not have your own boat then your child will be placed on a boat with another parent and their child or one of our vetted and background checked volunteers. We try to make sure each boat has two youth anglers so the anglers can learn from one another.

6.

How long do these events run and do I need to stick around?

Our events launch at 6am or 7am depending on the time of year of the event. We ask everyone to arrive 30-45mins before launch so we can get everyone paired up and discuss the rules before the launch. We typically end our fishing day between noon and 1pm. The weigh in will happen as soon as we get the boats out of the water. Parents do not need to stay in the parking lot while your child is fishing. We do ask that if you leave you give the tournament director your number in case of emergency.

Conversation and Stock A Lake Programs

Conservation and The Ike Foundation®

Conservation is a core part of The Ike Foundation®’s mission. Through our Stock A Lake Program, we raise funds from generous donors, partners, and sponsors to help replenish local lakes with healthy fish populations.

Each year, we invite our social media followers to recommend a lake in need of stocking. From there, we collaborate with local conservation experts to determine which species are best suited for that lake’s ecosystem and the ideal time of year for release. We then partner with local fisheries to responsibly stock the lake with those fish.

In 2022, The Ike Foundation® stocked three lakes — Daretown Lake in Daretown, NJ, South Park Lake in Vineland, NJ, and Veterans Park Lake in Jenks, Oklahoma. In 2025, we were proud to stock Mike Iaconelli’s hometown lake in Runnemede, NJ!

Conservation doesn’t stop there. We also proudly partner with AFTCO’s Bank Bag Program, distributing cleanup bags at every event we host. Volunteers, families, and participants join us in cleaning up the area so that we always leave each space better than we found it.

The Ike Foundation® Fishing Gear Request Program

Through our online quarterly donation program, The Ike Foundation® donates fishing equipment to qualified organizations. We consider requests from civic groups, youth organizations, schools, and other 501(c)(3) non-profits whose programs align with our mission of getting kids fishing and into the outdoors. Our priority is to support programs that offer ongoing fishing education and foster a lasting appreciation for nature and conservation.

Priority consideration for:

  • Programs teaching fishing skills, habitat awareness, and environmental stewardship

  • Nonprofits, civic groups, and youth-based orgs with educational programming

  • Organizations serving underserved youth, especially in urban communities

Ike’s AmBASSadors Program

The Ike Foundation® AmBASSador Program is designed for established youth organizations that want to introduce fishing as part of their programming. Our mission is to help you build a sustainable fishing program that connects kids with nature, teaches patience and confidence, and fosters a lifelong love for the outdoors.

When your organization joins the AmBASSador Program, The Ike Foundation® team will come to you and provide a hands-on training session for your staff. During this session, we’ll teach your team how to teach kids the basics of fishing—everything from casting to conservation.

We’ll also provide all the fishing gear needed for the demonstration day. If your program continues to host fishing events after the training, The Ike Foundation® will help by supplying additional equipment and ongoing support to ensure your program’s success.

Program Recaps