The Ike Foundation® Celebrates Milestone Event and Family Fishing Fun!

Released by Professional Edge Fishing : 2025-07-07 14:19:41
Ike Foundation 10th Anniversary Pro-Am Tournament Winners

July 7, 2025, Pittsgrove, NJ. On Saturday, June 21st, The Ike Foundation® celebrated a milestone by hosting their 10th Annual Ike’s Pro-Am Bass Tournament on Chesapeake Bay in North East Maryland with almost 100 registered boats. Anglers from all over the region came out to support The Ike Foundation®’s largest fundraiser of the year with all proceeds going to support their mission to get more kids fishing and in the outdoors.

The summer heat didn’t stop the fish from biting. Taking top place were JT Lang and Andrew Wiley with an impressive 21.62 pounds. These gentlemen took home a brand-new Bass Cat boat and a stack of other prizes, generously donated by partners of The Ike Foundation®.

Cash and prizes were awarded to anglers finishing second through sixth place from partners; including Pro-Guide Batteries, Flambeau, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Bass University, Lowrance, Rod Warrior, Tackle Warehouse, AFTCO, Power-Pole, Nines and TH Marine.

Listed below are the 2025 Ike Foundation® Pro-Am Bass Tournament Winners:

  1. Lang and Wiley-21.62 lbs
  2. Nave and Heivly-21.24 lbs
  3. Wilder and Arthur-20.97 lbs
  4. Mandes and Sandowski-20.06 lbs
  5. Donough and Ferretti-20.03 lbs
  6. Wilwerth and Valentine-19.39 lbs

Free Family Fun Fest on the Chesapeake!

Ike Foundation Pro Am Tournament Winners

While the anglers were busy fishing, and thanks to the generous support and partnership with Cecil County Tourism, American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and Integrity Realtors, The Ike Foundation® team hosted the Free Family Fun Fest across the park along the scenic banks of the Chesapeake. 30+ volunteers from NJ, PA and MD came to hand out Abu Garcia rods and reels and Flambeau tackle boxes and work with kids on fishing skills. Catches of the day included a variety of species like bass, perch, blue gill, catfish and even carp. Each child at the event went home with a brand-new rod and reel, a Flambeau tackle box, and an awesome bag of fishing goodies. Many of these kids were introduced to fishing for the first time that day and our hope is that they left with a newfound interest in the activity.

Please follow The Ike Foundation on Facebook @theikefoundation,Instagram & X @foundationike

The Ike Foundation® appreciates the generous donations from individuals and partners, Pro-Guide Batteries, Flambeau, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Bass University, Lowrance, Rod Warrior, Tackle Warehouse, AFTCO, Power-Pole, Nines and TH Marine. A full list of partners can be found at https://theikefoundation.org/donors/.

Founded in 2014 by Michael and Becky Iaconelli, the mission of The Ike Foundation® is to connect underserved boys and girls with fishing, fostering a passion for nature and outdoor activities. Our hands-on experiences provide a positive outlet for personal growth and instill a lifelong commitment to conservation and protecting our natural environment. We support youth fishing clubs, civic groups and charitable organizations that promote the sport of fishing, the ecology of the outdoors and the responsibility each person has to maintain our planet’s natural resources. The Ike Foundation® is approved by the IRS as a 501©(3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. All proceeds from our programs go to The Ike Foundation®’s mission. Tax-deductible contributions are welcome and can be made on the website. Donate to The Ike Foundation®