FWC recognizes bass tournament volunteers in Highlands County

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) congratulates the Lake Istokpoga Bass Tournament Volunteer Team for 10 years of service.

The team’s dedication over the past 10 years has allowed the FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management to collect important biometric data on nearly 10,000 largemouth bass, providing critical insights into the health and sustainability of the Lake Istokpoga fishery. In the 10 years since the inception of the team, members have volunteered more than 3,400 hours through various activities and have received numerous FWC awards for their service. Such awards include the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation’s Volunteer Program of the Year award, Tourism Promotion award and most recently, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Volunteer Service award in 2023.

Data that the Bass Tournament Volunteer Team collects gives the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management another method to assess and manage largemouth bass populations for Lake Istokpoga.

“With tournament teams bringing in their bag limits to weigh-in, length and weight measurements on dozens of fish can be recorded in a single afternoon,” said Sara Menendez, a biologist in the FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “This additional data supplements the division's electrofishing and angler survey data that we collect annually on the lake.”

This volunteer team is led by Team Captain, Mike Elter, who has been participating on the Bass Tournament Volunteer Team since its inception. Additional 10-year members include founding member Jim Reed, Joe Webb, Joe Fairfield, Paul Yon and Ann Yon. Other valuable team members include Russ Schilling and Gary Ferry.

Volunteers are an important component of many FWC projects. They provide nuanced support and an additional workforce that is often needed to navigate larger or multi-faceted projects. The Lake Istokpoga Bass Tournament Volunteer Team has provided invaluable assistance to public outreach, community relations, tournament know-how and field surveys. These contributions have been countless, allowing the group to excel and fill a unique niche at the FWC. For more information on volunteering with the FWC, visit MyFWC.com/Volunteer