The Air Capital Bassmasters began in 1971, with 14 Charter Members, as B.A.S.S. Federation Club Number 0061 . The Year 2000 marked our 30TH Anniversary as a B.A.S.S. Federation Club. The Club originally started as an all species club, scoring Black Bass (14" and over), Crappie (11" and over), White Bass (12" and over), Walleye (18" and over) and Northern Pike (20" and over). Originally, the other species were counted because the Charter Members didn't think they could catch enough Black Bass to accumulate many points. In the early Club days, as in the B.A.S.S. Tournaments , there was no daily limit. However, unlike the early B.A.S.S. Tournaments, all the fish caught were measured for scores based on length and the Club advocated "catch and release".

Initially, it was 14 guys who simply loved the sport of fishing, wanted to get out and share camaraderie and learn more about their sport through experience.

While the sport of Bass Fishing has changed dramatically over the years, and all of the original members have long departed, we, as current members, have tried to maintain the concepts set by the original 14 members.

It is our desire to grow, as a Club, by continuing the camaraderie and learning experiences started in 1971. Today, we only fish for Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass), with artificial lures and continue to count the 5 largest fish caught each day over 12", with points awarded for each 1/2" increment through 20" and in 1/4" increments above 20". We continue to be a "Catch and Release" Club; though no one objects to a nice fish being kept for a wall mount. In 1998, 1999 and 2000, three fish measuring 24.00", 24.50" and 25.00", and each weighing over 9 pounds, were caught and released, to be caught again by some deserving fisherman.

We have twelve meetings per year, one meeting per month, which usually lasts about one hour. Our "off-season" meetings begin in November and end in March and are held on the 3rd Sunday of those five months. Our Annual Business meeting, when Club Officers are elected, Tournament Rule changes are voted on and our next year's tournament schedule is set, and is held in December. During our "tournament season", April through October, we meet on the Sunday preceding the monthly tournament. We currently meet at Northrock Bowling Lanes on North Rock Road . Members do not have to own a boat.

Our Club fishes one event per month from April through October. These are all point tournaments, counting 5 bass per day. We fish all day Saturday and until Noon or 1:00 PM on Sunday, depending on which lake the event is held. Each boat has two anglers, a "boater" and a "non-boater". Each angler fishes for his or her own points. The anglers are matched at the meeting the previous Sunday by drawing names from a hat. The anglers who fish together usually travel together and split travel and boating expenses.

Our August event is our "Buddy Tournament", which is a regularly monthly point event, except you choose your partner rather the having the normal drawing for partners.

The October event is a regular monthly point tournament in addition to our "Tournament of Champions" (TOC). The TOC includes the six members who qualified through the six monthly tournaments from April through September, the prior years TOC Champion and the members with the three highest point totals that did not qualify in the previous six tournaments that year. The ten TOC qualifier's fish for three trophies and a position in the next year's TOC.

We also have our Annual His & Hers event the last weekend in June at Big Hill Reservoir. This is not a point event. It is simply to enjoy ourselves with our wives, girlfriends, etc.. It is very informal but the winners are awarded a trophy at the year end Awards ceremony.

Also, in September of each year, we are directly involved in a Fishing Event for Kids . Our Club, in association with the Boy Scouts of America , Order of the Arrow , conduct a fishing Derby for physically impaired and learning disability children. This event is held at the Quivera Scout Ranch near Sedan , Kansas . We annually have from 50 to 100 kids participate, as well as an equal number of both Boy Scouts and other Donors of boats, time and goods. We fish with a Scout and a Child, assisting them with their fishing, baiting their hooks and taking fish off their hooks for them. It is truly a heart-warming experience.

In January, we hold our Annual Awards Banquet. We award 11 trophies each year.

Club dues are $50, with $20 going to B.A.S.S. National Federation membership, $20 going to Kansas Bass Chapter Federation membership and the remaining $10 going to purchase year-end Trophies and pay club mailing expenses. There is a $5 entry fees for our monthly tournaments to help with mailing expenses and year-end trophy purchase. We do not fish for money. We fish for points towards trophies at the end of the year.

All in all, we are a Club that has a great time. After each day of fishing, we meet on the ramp and discuss the patterns each used that day to catch fish. This is a great way to expand the fishing knowledge of each member. There is a lot of sharing and distribution of information in order to help all members become better fishermen and sportsmen. It is low key, yet quite competitive, on a friendly basis.

We would like to add new members and the requirements are:

1) You express a genuine interest in being a member,

2) You must be a current member of B.A.S.S.,

3) You must attend at least one meeting or fish one event,

4) You must be recommended to be a member by a current member,

5) You must be voted in as a member by the quorum of members present at the meeting that you request Club membership. As was written by the "Original 14 Charter Members" in 1971, "The purpose of the Air Capital Bassmasters is to stimulate public awareness of Bass Fishing as a major sport, to offer our state conservation department and other qualified organizations our organized moral, monetary and political support and encouragement, to promote full adherence to all conservation codes and to demand adequate water standards and legal enforcement of existing regulatory standards, to detect and report any polluter and call public and political attention to his crime, to improve our shill as Bass Anglers through a fellowship of friendly exchange of expert bass catching techniques and ideas, to promote the encouragement of youth fishing and a love for this great recreation and to function as a dynamic and effective link with other chapters embracing the principles and purposes of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society ."

If you have an interest in our Club philosophy, we invite you to attend a meeting or fish one of our tournaments,

Gary Wilderson,

Secretary/Treasurer