B.A.S.S. is hoping to hook thousands of youngsters and their families on fishing through the annual Adventures NYC presented by NYC Parks outdoors festival in Central Park June 20. The one-day event — billed as the nation’s largest outdoor celebration — is expected to attract 30,000 New York City residents to Central Park. In addition to activities ranging from log-rolling to kayaking, those attending Adventures NYC will get a taste of bass fishing, courtesy of B.A.S.S. and Bassmaster Elite Series pros Michael Iaconelli and Matt Lee.
“It’s so important to encourage participation in the outdoors at a young age, and we’re proud to be a part of this special day,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Participating in Adventures NYC gives B.A.S.S. a one-of-a-kind opportunity to expand our platform on youth fishing in an urban market.”
Iaconelli, a bass fishing superstar from nearby Pittsgrove, N.J., and Lee of Guntersville, Ala., a Bassmaster Classic qualifier through the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series who is now a rookie on the Elite Series, will conduct casting demonstrations and teach fishing techniques at the outdoors festival.
“We’re looking forward to spending a day in Central Park sharing what we love about our sport,” Lee said. “When I was in high school, it wasn’t cool to fish. Now, there are so many younger kids fishing and so many opportunities to become involved in the sport.
“Adventures NYC is a great way to encourage kids and parents to spend time in the outdoors. If it weren’t for an event like this, they might never be exposed to fishing.”
With their Elite Series bass boats in tow, the pros will be onsite to give casting demonstrations, teach their tricks and techniques and sign autographs.
To ensure youngsters in the Central Park area have a chance to put those skills into practice, B.A.S.S. has arranged for more than 600 rod-and-reel combos to be donated for programs within NYC Parks, courtesy of Shakespeare, Berkley, Bass Pro Shops and Zebco.
“Our hope is that we can connect more kids with fishing opportunities and expose beginners to the joys of the sport,” said Akin. “The generosity of B.A.S.S. sponsors and other tackle companies in donating rods and reels will create a lasting impression and provide the tools to foster future anglers.”
The day will also include raffles with prizes from B.A.S.S., Costa, GoPro and many more.
In addition, Stihl Timbersports will mark its 30th anniversary by conducting its U.S. Pro and Collegiate championships in Central Park during the festival.
Adventures NYC will be held in the Bandshell Area of Central Park from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. For more information visit, www.nycgovparks.org.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.