SJBCA History

South Jersey Bass Club Association
History of the Association

(This page last updated: 1/31/2010)

Open Buddy Tournaments

Member Club Profiles

Upcoming Events

News

Club Tournament Results

Classified Ads

Scholarship Information

SJBCA History

E-Mail the SJBCA Webmaster (Fred)

E-Mail the SJBCA Secretary (Al)

Home

If you have information that would help fill in this history of our organization, please contact Fred Lentz or Al Franchetta. Thank you.

In the beginning

The South Jersey Bass Club Association was the brainchild of Brian Camp. Brian, who was then a member of the South Jersey Bassers club, felt there needed to be cooperation among the clubs in South Jersey to ensure there weren't conflicts (showing up at the same lake on the same day) at the small number of lakes available for tournaments. So, on November 30, 1994, he called a meeting of representatives from several local clubs. These clubs included South Jersey Bassers, South Point Bassers, 4th Ward Bass Anglers and Atlantic County Bass Anglers -- and the seed of the SJBCA was planted. At the initial organizing meeting, Brian was elected president, Carmen Bersani (of South Point) secretary and Russell DeCamp (of 4th Ward) tournament director. Dues were set at $20.00 per year (and have not been raised since).

Although the original intent of the Association was to prevent tournament conflicts, there soon developed other purposes and activities. Some very early efforts were: the hosting of an annual open buddy bass tournament at Union Lake (established at the December 1994 meeting), the creation of a club-against-club braggin' rights fishing tournament known as the "Bass Bowl" (established at the February 1995 meeting), and an appeal to the NJ Division of Fish, Game & Wildlife (as it was known then) to not stock tiger muskies in Union Lake (voted on at the December 1994 meeting).

Later efforts & highlights of the organization

1995 -- established a set of by-laws by which the Association would operate.
1995 -- created a monthly newsletter (later named "The Mouth from the South"). The newsletter featured a statement from the president, minutes of the last meeting, club tournament results and advertisements from local businesses.
1995 -- created an executive board comprised of the officers of the Association.
1995 -- first participated in the South Jersey Sportsmen's Jamboree in the Millville area. Manned a booth, held a raffle of a tackle box & lures donated by Association members, and hosted a small bass boat display.
1995 -- established a rule stating that no two clubs could host an open buddy bass tournament on the same day.
1995 -- as of November, the membership stood at thirteen clubs.
1996 -- hosted its first fishermen's flea market. (Early editions of this event were held in the warehouse of Lilliston Marine on Delsea Drive in Vineland. Later editions were held at the Moose Lodge in Vineland and the Elks Lodge in Millville.)
1997 -- instituted an annual awards program for members who demonstrate fishing excellence during each calendar year (i.e., heaviest lunker, heaviest five-bass limit, best youth fishing activity, etc).
1998 -- established a "participation points" program, under which event volunteers and officers would be given points for their involvement and earn awards such as personalized fishing jackets.
1998 -- instituted annual awards (plaque & cash prize) for the clubs that host the best major and minor youth activities during each calendar year.
2000 -- began its involvement in the South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day, as a founding co-host organization.
2001 -- created a website at free webhost Yahoo Geocities.
2001 -- began its official opposition to permit fees for tournaments at NJ Wildlife Management Area lakes (these fees have been waived annually since 2005).
2002 -- purchased a camper trailer in order to transport its weigh-in equipment to bass tournaments.
2003 -- instituted a $100 bonus award to the Bass Bowl winning club if they had perfect attendance since the last Bass Bowl.
2004 -- instituted a program where hats and staff shirts are awarded to volunteers who work at two and four major SJBCA events respectively.
2004 -- instituted a program where small grants can be made to clubs that plan to host youth fishing activities.
2004 -- began holding its July member meeting lakeside at Parvin State Park, featuring a free barbecue.
2005 -- instituted a college scholarship program to encourage local high school seniors to enter degree programs which might someday benefit fishermen.
2005 -- began its involvement with habitat improvement at Lake Audrey in Cumberland County.
2006 -- began its involvement with the youth HarvestFest/TrailBlazer event at the Pine Hill Scout Reservation.
2008 -- obtained the unique internet domain name "www.sjbca.org" and moved its website to an ad-free webhost.
2008 -- purchased a newer, smaller weigh-in trailer.

Past SJBCA Officers

President
     Brian Camp (1994-1999)
     Carmen Bersani (2000-2009)
     Fred Lentz (2010-present)

1st Vice President
     Carmen Bersani (1995-1999)
     Butch Backus (2000-2001)
     Bob Russell (2002-2004)
     Charles DeGaetano (2005-2005)
     Mike Poli (2005-2008)
     Joe Hoban (2009-present)

2nd Vice President
   Bob Russell (1996-1997)
     Tom Simons (1998-1999)
     Steve Steinmetz (2000-2003)
     Tim Bucher (2004-2008)
     Joe Hoban (2008-2008)
     Rob Kunze (2009-present)

Secretary
     Carmen Bersani (1994-1995)
     Bruce Allen (1995-1998)
     Fred Lentz (1999-2004)
     Al Franchetta (2005-present)

Treasurer
     Joe DiDomenico (1995-1999)
     Bruce Allen (2000-2000)
     Al Zara (2001-2001)
     Greg Carter (2002-2006)
     Gary Corliss (2007-present)

Directors (two positions)
   Rich Plotkin (1997-1998)
     Tex Gosline (1997-2001)
     Chuck Woodward (1999-1999)
     Bob Russell (2000-2001)
     Charles DeGaetano (2002-2004)
     Fred Lentz (2005-2009)
     Mike Graham (2002-present)
     Carmen Bersani (2010-present)

Tournament Director
     Russell DeCamp (1995-2003)
     Steve Steinmetz (2004-present)

Current & Past SJBCA Member Clubs

     Atlantic County Bass Anglers*
     Backlash Bassers
     Barrington Rod & Reel Club*
     Bass Squad
     Beavertail Bass Club*
     Big Bass Fishing Club of Maple Shade*
     Black Bass Unlimited
     Bucketmouth Brigade Bassin Team*
     Cape May County Bassmasters*
     Cedarwater Bassmasters*
     Cumberland County Bassmasters*
     Delaware River Fishermen's Association*
     Fishers of Men, NJ Division
     Five Alive Bassmasters*
     4th Ward Bass Anglers*
     Garden State Bassmasters*
     Gloucester County Bass Club
     Happy Hooker Bassers*
     Kickin Bass Fishing Club*
   Limits & Lunkers Bass Club* (formerly Atlantic County Bass Anglers)
   Mercer County Bass
     Midwest Sportsmen, Northeast Division NJ-2
     Millennium Bassers (Bucketmouth junior chapter)
     Newfield Bass Club
     One More Cast
     Philadelphia Bass Busters*
     Pine Cone Anglers*
     Rising Sun Bassmasters*
     Riverside Bass Club*
     Salem County Bassmasters
     South Jersey Bass Busters
     South Jersey Bassers*
     South Jersey Bass Stalkers*
     South Jersey Christian Anglers
     South Jersey Hawg Hunters*
     South Jersey Hook One
     South Jersey Hook This!*
     South Point Bassers
     South State Bassers
     Tidewater Bassers*
     Tidewater Bassmasters of South Jersey
     Top Rod Bassmasters*
     Tri-State Bass Assassins*

* current member

Back to top of page