When Dakota Mansell got involved in high school fishing, it wasn't just the 2019 Phil Campbell High School graduate who was hooked. His father Shane quickly developed a passion for the sport at the high school level as well.
Dakota and the PCHS fishing team won a state championship in 2017. Shane was one of the boat captains for the Bobcats, and he wanted to find a way to continue giving his time to encourage kids to get involved with fishing.
Mansell found the perfect way when he met Richard Parker a couple years ago in Tuscaloosa. Parker heads Bass Tactix, a Mississippi-based non-profit organization he began in 2015 to provide a competitive venue for kids and adults who enjoy the sport of fishing.
Parker was looking for someone to start a Bass Tactix Alabama trail. After meeting Mansell, Parker's search was done.
Mansell serves as the Alabama Division Director for Bass Tactix. His wife Elisha is the Secretary/Treasurer and Registration Director. It's truly a family affair and it's all about opening up the sport to young people who don't have an outlet through school for competitive fishing.
And while there are event winners on the Alabama Bass Tactix Trail, the Christian-based organization is about much more than wins or losses.
“Our trail is unique in that it allows kids from kindergarten through high school to fish with us,” Mansell said. “There's a junior and a senior division and anyone can come fish with us. It doesn't matter if you don't live in Alabama. We've had some kids from Tennessee come down and fish our trail.
“We won't limit anyone from fishing with us. That's the unique part about our trail,” Mansell said.
The Junior Division is for grades K-8th and the High School Division includes 9th-12th graders.
Bass Tactix Alabama has six qualifying tournaments and one state tournament each season. The state tournament was held in May on Wheeler Lake out of Huntsville.
Bass Tactix' National Invitational took place June 9-10 on Pickwick Lake out of Counce, Tenn.
To qualify for nationals, participants must fish three qualifying tournaments and the state tournament. You qualify for state after fishing your three events, Mansell explained.
At May's Bass Tactix State Championships, more than 60 boats competed, and 42 of those Alabama boats advanced to nationals.
Students can win cash, prizes and up to $145,000 (per team) in scholarships at each tournament. Mansell said Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Ky., offers the scholarship at each tournament. The private university has a coed fishing team among the nation's top programs.
“It's unreal what KCU puts into this. Their coach really believes in the Bass Tactix program. It's just great for kids to have these opportunities,” Mansell said.
Mansell said there is a small devotional at each pre-tournament meeting or some time during the event.
“That's just how Richard started this program. It's what he wants to do and I think it's the right thing to do as well,” Mansell said.
One unique aspect of Bass Tactix is that adult boat captains take part in competitive fishing as well as the kids. That makes the long eight-hour days in the boat much more enjoyable for the boat captains, Mansell explained.
Although there are a number of Belgreen High School students involved in Bass Tactix Alabama, Mansell said there aren't many from other Franklin County Schools, including Russellville. And that's something he wants to change.
“We need to get this program out to more schools and make sure they understand you don't have to have a fishing team at your school for your students to compete,” Mansell said. “We'd love to have all our area schools send at least a team or two.”
Belgreen students Samuel Darracott and Jake Cooper competed at this year's nationals and were in 16th place after day one with 9.89 pounds of fish. They finished 25th, one pound shy of placing in the Top 20.
To get involved in Bass Tactix Alabama, contact Mansell at 205-765-8020. You can learn more about the program by liking and joining the Facebook page, BASS Tactix Alabama.
The new season begins September 30, 2023, and the six qualifiers are already scheduled, starting on Lake Guntersville out of Scottsboro. All you need to get involved is an interest in fishing and a boat captain and a boat. Kids don't have to have a partner in advance. If they have a two-man team, they can compete together, but the organization will find partners for any participant who doesn't have one, Mansell said.
Mansell will soon travel to Orlando to a national event hoping to gather some sponsorships for the Alabama trail. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit so donations are tax deductible, he said. Cash prizes are paid to the boat captains, who distribute them among the team in their boat.
“It takes a lot of money to do this and I tell people the more money we get, the more money we can give back to these kids,” Mansell said.
Bass Tactix Alabama has Franklin County ties beyond the Mansells, as Spruce Pine residents Eric and Betty Jackson volunteer their time to the organization. Eric serveas as the Alabama Assistant Tour Director.
