Bloomington-Normal area bass anglers are offering to tutor students from high schools entered in the new Illinois High School Association Bass Fishing State Series.

The IHSA in February became the first state high school athletic association to recognize bass fishing as a sanctioned sport. Since then, 214 schools entered to compete in a series of 10 to 12 sectional tournaments in April and a state championship at Carlyle Lake in southern Illinois on May 8 and 9.

Eleven Pantagraph area schools will field teams: Eureka, Fisher, GCMS, Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Mahomet-Seymour, Fieldcrest, Normal West, Normal Community, Pontiac, Streator and Woodland.

"It's going to be big," said Jerry Martoglio, tournament director of the Bloomington-Normal Bass Club.

The B-N Bass Club, which is filled with outstanding anglers who often dominate state-level bass circuits, is joining forces with the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department to offer a series of free bass seminars over the winter at Miller Park Pavilion.

Martoglio said the curriculum will cover the basics, including rod and reel choices, knot-tying and casting. Illinois Department of Natural Resources staff will teach laws, ethics, conservation and water safety.

Experienced anglers will teach how bass behavior changes throughout the year and how that information can predict where they can be found. Students also will be introduced to various lures and tactics.

"We are going in-depth," Martoglio said. "We want these kids to be successful so they have a good time and have a chance to compete. This is something they can do their whole life."

Martoglio, who also is president of the Illinois Bass Federation, said IHSA officials approached the IBF earlier in the year to ask members to share their expertise. Martoglio said the adult anglers also volunteered their boats and to act as boat captains, though how that will work is unclear. Their hope is to attract young people to the sport, he said.

The first seminar is Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. Schools that want students to attend are asked to RSVP by Dec. 3 via the "contact us" link on its Web site at www.bloomingtonnormalbassclub.com or e-mail bnbassclub@yahoo.com.

Tournament notes

Bruce Merkel, of Spring Valley, and brother Gary Merkel of Arlington won the Illinois Walleye Trail tournament on the Illinois River at Henry on Sunday with a six-fish limit that weighed 19.82 pounds.

Scott Richardson is Pantagraph outdoor editor. Contact him at (309) 820-3227 or e-mail srichardson@pantagraph.com. Share stories and read past outdoor and fishing columns at www.pantagraph.com