B.A.S.S. Nation chapters keeping waters free of old soft baits
Category: press release
Jul 28th, 2017 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Jul 28th, 2017 at 12:00 AM
Keep America Fishing, Jackall Lures and numerous B.A.S.S. Nation chapters around the country have joined forces to expand the ‘Pledge to Pitch It’ campaign.
Pledge to Pitch ItA nationwide effort, the Pledge to Pitch It program encourages anglers to properly dispose of, or even recycle, worn out and used soft plastic baits. Since its launch in 2014, the campaign continues to grow in strength and prominence.
“Too often, used soft baits end up as litter at the bottom of our lakes and rivers,” said Liz Ogilvie, chief marketing officer for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the recreational sportfishing industry trade group andparent organization of Keep America Fishing. “A bill introduced in Maine’s legislature a few years back would have placed a ban on the sale and use of soft plastic lures. That’s why, through the Keep America Fishing initiative, we created the Pitch It campaign – to get anglers involved in the proper disposal of worn out soft baits by pitching them in the trash or recycling them.”
With Shimano bringing Jackall Lures into its support effort of Keep America Fishing, Jackall will provide up to $1,000 of soft plastic lures – including its Flick Shake worms for finesse use and the ‘crawling action’ ScissorComb creature baits – to B.A.S.S. Nation state chapters that complete a soft bait collection/recycling program. Earlier this year, each state chapter submitted a short proposal outlining their plan for collecting used soft plastic lures to B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Gene Gilliland.
“While most anglers – and especially those involved with B.A.S.S. – do their best to keep lakes and rivers clean, we’re hoping this small incentive from Jackall Lures will help them embrace the Keep America Fishing Pledge to Pitch It program,” said Steve Ferrara, Shimano’s fishing division Vice President.
While the plans differ from state-to-state, they all focus on collecting used soft plastics and keeping them out of the rivers and lakes. Illinois Bass Nation, one of the chapters spearheading the effort since 2014, collects, melts down, and recasts collected baits as trophies. They are shooting to break their 2016 record of 134 pounds of collected lures.
The Jackall soft plastic baits will be shipped directly to the state chapter after the project is substantially complete. Each group is issuing a short report with photographs about their efforts, showing what they did and who their winners are.
Recreational anglers who haven’t yet signed the Pitch to It Pledge to properly dispose of their worn out soft plastic baits are encouraged to do so by visiting www.PledgeToPitchIt.org.