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WHY JOIN THE MSBA?
IT IS A FISHING CLUB AND MORE
By The MSBA Executive Board
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Mass Striped Bass is a great fishing club and is a lot of things to a lot of people. The MSBA has a long history.
The original Articles of Organization filed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts dated August 21, 1950
indicate the first meeting was held on May 22, 1950. It is special each month when the President calls the
meeting to order and states "I now call the Six Hundred Sixty Fifth (or more) meeting of the Mass Striped Bass
Association to order".
It is special when I look at our trophies, awards and 50 Pounder Club Plaque displayed at our meetings.
Our mission is to promote and encourage interest in salt water sport fishing; to provide opportunities for those
interested in salt water sport fishing; to gather for entertainment and good fellowship; to uphold sound
conservation practices and laws and to see that those laws are properly enforced and carried out by our
members; to further good sportsmanship; to disseminate information concerning salt water sport fishing both to
association members and others. We "encourage interest in salt water sport fishing".
At our monthly meetings our club offers free coffee and snacks (sometimes meals or cooking competitions),
"fish talk," when a lot of very good locations and times and tides are shared, a regular raffle table and special
raffles with loads of fishing gear and our MSBA library is always packed with informative books and exciting
videos, all of which are free to borrow.
Another highlight is the monthly entertainment. It is always about fishing and ranges from surf to boat fishing for
bass, blues and even tuna.
The speakers that present are tops in their field and we always learn a lot.
During the fishing season we organize Mystery fishing trips for all club members, our annual derby brings out
our competitive nature, charity tournaments to help others, tri-state, Plum Island and the RI Charity tournaments,
to name a few, are club to club competitions and are always loads of fun. The club even runs special
tournaments May through October.
We also host an annual outing for members and their families. The food is always outstanding. Activities such
as horseshoe throwing, casting competitions with awards for kids and adults, even a watermelon eating contest.
During the off season we keep things exciting with our annual banquet when awards are presented for the best
catches from our annual derby. Trophies are awarded in men's, women's and juniors categories. It's a great
time and again the food is fantastic. It's another great opportunity to mingle with fellow members, make some
new fishing friends and learn more about fishing.
We also have a "potluck" holiday party. This event is very informal and the intent is just to have some fun and
talk about the upcoming fishing season.
Our website keeps members up to date on coming events and many of the political issues that surround
fisheries management and our rights to fish.
The club has strong political representation and is affiliated with the RFA (Recreational Fishing Alliance). Our
government affairs representative travels to fisheries meetings all over the country to stand up for the rights of
the recreational fisherman and the protection of our natural resources. We look at all sport fish, ground fish,
forage fish and access not just striped bass. We are the best eyes and ears on nature and fishing the state has,
and we are the voice that goes along with those eyes and ears as well. We "disseminate information
concerning salt water sport fishing both to association members and others".
We provide our members with information through our monthly newsletter The Spray. We help members or
families through special raffles or donations in times of need. We also encourage youth fishing through the
junior division of MSBA "The Striper Swipers." We even supported the Red Cross with a special donation after
Hurricane Katrina.
But first of all we are a fishing club. We are all better fishermen and women because of the people at MSBA,
and what we can learn. We are better fishermen and women because we have participated in our tournaments.
We are a better fisherman and women because we have fished with other members, exchanged ideas (and
lures), observed and learned. We are better fisherman and women because we have taken the time to visit our
local tackle shops that support MSBA, purchase gear there and talk fishing with the owners and staff, who really
do know where and when the fish are biting.
We are better fisherman and women because we are active members of MSBA. If you already are a member,
please become more involved. Introduce yourself to an Officer or Committee Chairperson. You will get more
knowledge and advice back when you put in the time to participate in our events and meet and volunteer with
other members.
If you are reading this and considering joining, please do. You will learn a lot and you will become a member of
a club that is bigger than the sum of its parts, but is still first and foremost a fishing club.
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