YFL History

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Ignition Bass YFL started in 2009 as a separate entity of Ignition Bass (a bass fishing tournament series for adults). It was a success, with just 18 kids fishing at the first tournament for kids in the local area. Mr. Brockman started the YFL in 2009, long before high school fishing really started. Over the years, as fishing and high school fishing really took off, the YFL started to grow. The YFL fits in for the kids that really love to fish but are too young for the high school series. With this program, you can join at the age of 6 and compete against other anglers of the same age. Over the next 6 years, the YFL continued to gain popularity and exposure, adding more kids year after year. By the start of the 2014 season, the YFL had more than 40 youth anglers. Jim did the YFL for the kids, plain and simple. He has enjoyed watching a 6-year-old start in the Little League and grow and advance through the program and make it to the high school and college ranks, then onto fishing for a career.

As many of you know, Jim Brockman has been turned the YFL over to a new board on September 14, 2014, at the conclusion of the Championship Event in Toledo Bend. With his health issues, he felt that he would not be able to continue the run of both Ignition Bass & the YFL. He still remains on the board and helps us out with whatever we need help with. You will usually see Jim at the Lake Conroe event and at the Jim Brockman Youth Open held on Lake Sam Rayburn. He tries to attend as many as he possibly can.

The 4 of us that have taken the YFL overall have youth anglers that are either in the Little League or Minor League division, and we also fish the Ignition Bass Series. Our first order of business was to take the YFL in a direction that would benefit not only us but benefit all of our youth anglers. We have been working hard behind the scenes this off-season to ensure that we will have a great 2015 circuit and an even better 2016 circuit, and the 2017 season is looking like it is going to be the best season yet.

During the 2015 season, the YFL had 53 kids signed up, and we drew 77 youth anglers at our 1st Jim Brockman Youth Open. We are in the process of growing this program into a top-notch youth fishing league. We have a wide variety of anglers, some are just starting out in the little league division, and some have been fishing the YFL for years. A few of our youth anglers fish multiple tournament circuits, whether it's high school, the Tuesday nights, or Sunday morning tournaments on Lake Conroe. We invite anyone 5-18 years old that wants to fish to come out. There are not many youth circuits that fish 8 different lakes around Texas and Louisiana.

During the 2016 season, the YFL had 68 kids signed up, and we drew on an average of 59 kids per event, and 76 youth anglers from all over Texas & Louisiana joined us for the 2nd Annual Jim Brockman Youth Open. As we have been in the past, we are working very hard to off-season grow this program to the best Youth Fishing Tournament Circuit in Texas & Louisiana. 2016 was also a record-breaking year for the Championship Event. We had 31 youth anglers fishing. We handed out over $13,500 in cash and prizes.

The 2017 season is just a few weeks away, and we have 16 youth anglers who have signed up, and out of that, we have about 12 new anglers. We are looking at a record-breaking season this year.

May 4, 2015

The YFL announces we are now a registered non-profit with the state of Texas, and as of May 4, 2015, the Youth Fishing League, Inc is now officially operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Contributions donated to Youth Fishing League, Inc. are fully tax-deductible retroactive to the founding of the organization on January 28, 2015.

YFL GONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Some of the other changes that you may have noticed are the launch of our new website, Facebook and Twitter, and google plus. Stay up to date with us as we do follow all of our youth anglers who fish the YFL, SETX, and DETX. By taking the YFL to social media, we will be able to expand our network and tournament circuit to kids across the state.

OUR MISSION:

Our mission is to be the premier tournament-fishing organization for youth anglers in the state of Texas, Louisiana, and the surrounding states.