Bass Cast popular at Youth Outdoor Festival

HAYS, KS (Aug. 16, 2025) — Hays Bass Anglers Association welcomed youth to the Bass Cast competition at the Youth Outdoor Festival on Aug. 16, 2025, at the Hays City Sportsman’s Club northwest of Hays. More than 100 youth participated in Saturday’s event where they learned basic casting techniques.

Youth learned a variety of fishing skills as they competed for prize. The program, which stems from Bass Anglers Sportman Society’s (BASS’s) Casting Kids competition, has been kept alive by the HBAA under the name Bass Cast and continues to be a successful part of Hays’ Youth Outdoor Festival.

Bass Cast is similar to the NFL’s Punt, Pass and Kick competition. The program, although abandoned by BASS, has remained a strong youth event in the Hays area. Youth are judged on three casting techniques and their scores are totaled to determine prizes. HBAA Club members teach the three casting techniques designed to help them develop skills that may be used on actual fishing trips. Prizes were handed out to the winners in each age class at the conclusion of the event.

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HBAA hosts Fishing Trip for Kansas Bigs

HAYS, KS (June 27, 2025) – Youth from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Ellis County gathered at Darrell Augustine’s farm pond near Hays, Kan., as members of the Hays Bass Anglers Association (HBAA), acting as youth mentors, guided their fishing adventure during an evening of fun and fishing. HBAA hosted the annual event as part of their community service activities that is part of the mission of the Hays Bass Anglers Association. The evening began with a hot dog feed for the kids and shortly after each was given a fishing pole and a container of night crawlers as they ventured down to the pond to fish. Youth mentors from HBAA helped the kids rig their poles with worms underneath a bobber and the event became a success as each of the youth landed multiple fish during the evening event. The event was another successful trip helping HBAA fulfill its mission to continue spreading the excitement about the sport of fishing. HBAA wants to thank Roofmasters Roofing and Sheet Metal for helping sponsor the meal and providing bait for the kids to fish with.