B.A.S.S. Conservation Lake Clean-Up Challenge sponsored by AFTCO and Yamaha Rightwaters

Before the start of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake, 95 youth anglers and 60 adults took part in the B.A.S.S. Conservation Lake Clean-Up Challenge sponsored by AFTCO & Yamaha Rightwaters.
The clean-up took place all across Chickamauga Lake as members from AFTCO, TVA, Keep Tennessee River Beautiful, Tactical Bassin and seven Elite Series pros (Carl Jocumsen, Matty Wong, Jeff Gustafson, Luke Palmer, Jay Yelas, Taku Ito and Jason Christie) all gathered to collect trash.
The reigning and defending Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk champion Jason Christie also arrived early to help out.
Tim Little and Matt Allen of Tactical Bassin’ were some of the earliest to arrive and begin helping with the local clean up.
High School anglers and volunteers from seven different local schools helped gather a large amount of the total trash that was collected. (Rhea Co., Meigs Co., Sale Creek, Chilhowee, Soddy-Daisy, Whitwell, Alcoa)
All the trash was collected then weighed on an industrial scale provided by Wingfield Scale of Chattanooga.
Wingfield Scales was kind enough to lend us a scale that worked well for this purpose.
After nearly all day of gathering trash along the Tennessee River impoundment, the volunteers came up with 411 AFTCO Bank Bags, 61 tires, dock foam, steel siding, a paddle boat, coolers, toys, a pickup camper shell, a mattress, scrap wood and car parts.
A group from Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful brought a giant barge to gather trash on the main river. What they brought back was astounding.
The 2022 Bassmaster Classic Champ brought back his fair share of trash.
A look at the first round of trash that was brought back from Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.
Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful
The scale that was donated by Wingfield Scale.
As the day went on, a number of Elite Series pros filtered in to help out. Luke Palmer lends a helping hand with the trash brought in by Keep Tennessee River Beautiful.
Former Classic Champion Jay Yelas also got in on the action.
Teamwork makes the dream work, as Yelas and Palmer get to work on some of the larger pieces of trash.
Davy Hite stopped by to help out as well as meet some of the young anglers that were there to participate in the clean up.
It was truly amazing how much trash was picked up by the volunteers involved. A lot of effort was put into gathering this much trash.
Elite Series pros Carl Jocumsen, Matty Wong and Jeff Gustafson all pitched in and brought in a good bit of trash.
All of the volunteers were brought together to be thanked and praised for all of their hard work.
The Elite Series anglers also said some words of encouragement.
We just want to give a giant thanks to all of the organizations and volunteers who were involved in making this such a special event.