2025 AFTCO B.A.S.S. Conservation Grant Updates
In 2025, AFTCO continued its longstanding commitment to conservation by awarding five $5,000 Conservation Grants to B.A.S.S. Nation Clubs, totaling $25,000 in support. Since launching the program in 2018, AFTCO has contributed over $177,000 to these grassroots conservation efforts. Last year’s grant recipients were:
1. Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation: Habitat improvement on Tims Ford Lake and Woods Reservoir
2. Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation: Habitat improvement on Wilson Reservoir
3. Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation: Habitat improvement on Butler Lake
4. Texas B.A.S.S. Nation: Live release trailer
5. Indiana B.A.S.S. Nation: Habitat improvement on Patoka Lake
These programs range from habitat improvement projects to live-release trailer construction, all focused on improving fisheries, educating youth anglers, and supporting local conservation. They’re made possible through collaboration between B.A.S.S. Nation chapters, fisheries agencies, local businesses, and dedicated volunteers. With grants awarded, the projects are underway and already showing strong progress.
Project 1: Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Habitat Improvement on Tims Ford Lake & Woods Reservoir
This habitat improvement project will benefit the ecosystems in Tims Ford Lake and the Woods Reservoir in south central Tennessee. The Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation will build and place Mossback Habitat Structures and other materials like Christmas trees, stake beds, artificial stumps, and spawning benches. With guidance from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), this project will also serve as an educational opportunity, teaching youth anglers how to create effective fish habitats that support sustainable fish populations.
TBN Project Update
As of January, the TBN team and volunteers have deployed approximately 100 Mossback Habitat Structures, 12 donated Christmas trees, and five sets of homemade log structures in Woods Reservoir. The team has also received 30 large trees from the City of Winchester and has 39 habitat bases and 39 Christmas trees from the December build still scheduled for placement. Once deployed, these structures will provide critical habitat and help support healthy fisheries in both Tims Ford Lake and Woods Reservoir. All work has been completed with TWRA fisheries approval. Stay tuned for more updates on the TBN Facebook page.
Project 2: Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation Habitat Improvement on Wilson Reservoir
The second project underway in Kansas will improve habitat quality in Wilson Reservoir through the installation of natural brush piles and artificial structures. These habitats will provide critical shelter and spawning areas for fish. Led by the Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation in partnership with local youth organizations such as 4H and FFA, the project will also educate the community and promote sustainable fishing practices. To measure success, the team will conduct baseline surveys and ongoing fish population monitoring as the project moves forward.
KBN Project Update
Clayton Rudman, Conservation Director for the Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation, worked with the local lake biologist and a Mossback biologist to select the most effective habitat structures for the project. Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation then ordered the Mossback habitats, while the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWPT) provided labor and equipment to unload and transport them to the local biologist’s workshop. The team is now finalizing a workday to begin placing the structures in Wilson Reservoir.
Project 3: Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation Habitat Improvement on Butler Lake
The Butler Lake restoration project aims to reduce erosion, remove invasive species, mitigate flooding, and create diverse wildlife habitats. The project started in August 2023 and this year Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation, the LHS Fishing Club, and AP Earth Science plan to expand their efforts through shoreline restoration, cleanups, and water quality surveys. Project success will be measured through bi-annual water quality testing, creel surveys, and plant and wildlife habitat assessments.
IBN Project Update
The project is still in the planning phase, with more updates coming soon as the Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation team finalizes permits and next steps.
Project 4: Texas B.A.S.S. Nation Building a Live Release Trailer
Starting in June 2025, the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation began building a live release tank to help fish recover post-tournament. This live release trailer will be fully outfitted with a roof to keep the tank cool during Texas’s hot summer months. It will be used at high school and college tournaments as a hands-on conservation education tool, with youth volunteers assisting in construction and operation.
TBN Project Update
Nate Byerely with TBN Youth, High School, and College shared that the trailer is currently in the shop undergoing several upgrades. These include extending the release pipe beyond the end of the trailer, replacing the inflatable bladder with a permanent valve, and relocating the fill port to the back of the tank for improved functionality
Another key upgrade is the addition of a hospital tank, where fish are placed immediately after weigh-in for observation, fizzing, and health assessment before being moved to the main tank. The trailer was used throughout the past year, including at the Bassmaster Elite tournament on the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, where it helped transport and release bass in river sections inaccessible to B.A.S.S. boats.
Project 5: Indiana B.A.S.S. Nation Habitat Improvement on Patoka Lake
As the final grant recipient, the Indiana B.A.S.S. Nation is underway on Patoka Lake. The IBN team will build and place Mossback habitat structures that provide shade and areas for fish to spawn and feed, replicating natural habitat. Led by local Indiana Bass clubs in partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the effort will support overall ecosystem health. With guidance from IDNR fisheries biologists, the team will geo-tag the structures and conduct annual fish population and creel surveys to monitor success.
IBN Project Update
Steve Wigand, Indiana B.A.S.S. Nation Conservation Director, shared that the team scheduled the assembly and placement of Mossback structures for January 24. A group of fifteen dedicated volunteers braved single-digit temperatures to assemble the structures, and once conditions improve, they will be placed in Patoka Lake. The team looks forward to seeing the positive impact of this project and how the fishery improves over the coming years.
With these projects well underway, AFTCO is excited to see the positive impact and continue partnering with B.A.S.S. Nation clubs that educate and inspire the next generation of anglers. Stay tuned for the opening of the 2026 B.A.S.S. Conservation Grant applications if your local club has a conservation project in development.
