Attention Anglers,

Registration is now open for the  CT Bass Nation Youth/High School season. Please read the full page—there are updates for both new and returning anglers. Junior program details are included below.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT INFORMATION IS SATURDAY, February 28, 2026

 1) 2026 Tournament Trail (Tentative—pending DEEP approval)

Final confirmation (and any changes) will be emailed.

• May 30 – Lake Housatonic (Indian Wells Launch) – 7:00 AM–2:00 PM

• Aug 22 – Lake Lillinonah (Pond Brook Launch) – 6:30 AM–1:30 PM

• Sept 19 – Candlewood Lake (Latin’s Cove Launch) – 7:00 AM–2:00 PM

• Oct 3 – Highland Lake (State Launch) – 7:00 AM–2:00 PM

 2) Cost

• CT Bass Nation Youth/HS fee: $65

• B.A.S.S. membership: required for all anglers (BASS has a new system; I cannot look up past registrations)

 3) Registration Checklist (required)

Step 1 — B.A.S.S. Membership
If you do not already have one, register here:
BASSMASTER Membership

Step 2 — Complete BOTH attached forms (2 total)

1. CT Bass Nation Registration Form

2. Liability/Release Form

On both forms, include:

• Angler full name

• BASS membership number

Step 3 — Scan and email
Scan both completed forms and email them back to me.

Step 4 — Payment ($65)
Venmo is preferred this year: @kevin-jaracy (phone verification 6182)
In Venmo “What’s this for?” include: Angler name + BASS membership number

 4) High School Program Requirements (important)

• This is a TEAM trail: two student anglers per team.

• Your registration form must include your partner’s name and BASS number.

• Teams fish together all season (no changing partners).

• If you do not have a partner, submit your forms anyway and email me—I’ll try to help match you.

• Each team should plan to secure a boat and boat captain for each tournament. Teams with a dedicated boat captain will fish every event. If your dedicated boat captain is unavailable or you don’t have one, you are not guaranteed to fish if we can’t find volunteer boat captains. 

High school resources:
High School Resources – Bassmaster

 5) Junior Program (age 9+)

• Junior anglers are welcome (age 9 and older).

• Juniors do not need a partner.

• Juniors: complete the attached form(s) and return them to me. We work to include junior anglers in our on-water tournaments.

 New Members (Program Overview — please read)

For those who are new to our Youth/High School program, here’s a quick overview of how the B.A.S.S. High School and Junior programs work.

You’ll see a few terms used throughout this email:

B.A.S.S. / BASS / Bassmaster (National Organization)
B.A.S.S. (Bassmaster) is the national organization that sets the standards for competitive bass fishing across the country (youth and adult programs).
Website: https://www.bassmaster.com

To participate in any B.A.S.S.-sponsored event (including state programs that operate under B.A.S.S.), anglers and teams must meet B.A.S.S. membership and registration requirements.

While B.A.S.S. hosts national tournaments and events (including high school opens), each state chapter runs its own state-level trail. The top team from our CT Bass Nation High School Trail can qualify for the Bassmaster High School National Championship.

Connecticut Bass Nation (CBN) / CT Bass Nation (State Chapter)
CT Bass Nation (CBN) is Connecticut’s B.A.S.S.-affiliated state chapter.
Website: www.ctbass.com

CBN organizes and sponsors state events following B.A.S.S. rules and guidance.

• CBN President: Vinny Mucci

• Youth Director: Kevin Jaracy

High School Clubs and Eligibility (important)
Although this is a high school tournament program, CBN is not affiliated with Connecticut high school sports or any state athletic authority. Each high school decides whether to form a fishing club, and students must work through their school’s process.

To compete in a CBN and/or B.A.S.S. high school event, your high school must have a registered high school program (per B.A.S.S. rules).

Because of this, new high school teams must start by registering the high school with B.A.S.S. before participating with CBN. Registration links are included at the bottom of the email.

Important: Registering your school and joining B.A.S.S./CBN does not guarantee a spot in our local tournaments. Once registrations are completed, we finalize the on-water format for the season.

Boats / Boat Captains
Every high school team should make every effort to secure a boat and a boat captain for each tournament. Teams with a dedicated boat captain will fish every event. If your dedicated boat captain is unavailable or you don’t have one, you are not guaranteed to fish if we can’t find volunteer boat captains. 

If you’d like to be removed from this email list, reply and ask to be removed.

Looking forward to a great season this year!

Thank you,
Kevin Jaracy
Connecticut Bass Nation (CBN) Youth Director
CTBASS.com
(203) 361-6182 (text first)
CTjrBASS@gmail.com
Instagram: ctbass_youthseries

Venmo (preferred): @kevin-jaracy
Phone verification: 6182
Memo: Angler name + BASS membership number