During the biggest fishing event of the year, members of the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus learned first hand about the scope of bass fishing and the popularity of tournament fishing at the 38th Annual BASSMASTER Classic, held in Greenville on nearby Lake Hartwell.
On Friday, February 22nd, Representative Phil Owens was an official observer, spending the entire first day of competition from launch to weigh-in with Tommy Biffle, a longtime bass fishing pro. Representative Mike Pitts addressed the Conservation Directors of the BASS Federation Nation meeting, an affiliation of BASS State Federation Chapters.
On Saturday, Aaron Hobbs, Director of NASC, caught up with Representative Pitts and Representative Owens and was joined by Representatives Rex Rice, Mike Gambrell and Don Bowen – all caucus members. The group toured the Outdoor Expo, attended the weigh-in and met with BASS Conservation Director Chris Horton.
The legislators were awed by the enormity of the Classic, often called the “Super Bowl” of fishing. The activities, the crowds and the Expo generated millions of tourism dollars for Greenville’s economy during the week. Estimates completed by previous host cities predict the economic impact at a conservative $20 plus-million dollars in revenues.
Representative Pitts summed it up, “The Classic is truly a spectacular event. The world gets to see South Carolina’s heritage, hospitality and rich natural resources. This extensive media exposure can only enhance our standing as a tourism destination for sportsmen. We must also remember that South Carolina’s 585,000 fishermen and hunters spend nearly $4.8 million dollars a day and support over 32,000 jobs. The ripple effect is $2.8 billion for the state’s economy every year. As a group, sportsmen wield a lot of clout.”
The South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus was founded in 2006 becoming the 29th NASC caucus. Caucus leaders are Senator Jake Knotts, Senator Vincent Sheheen, Representative Jeff Duncan and Representative Mike Pitts.
Representative Pitts is a member of the Executive Council for the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC). In 2006 he was honored as the second recipient of the Brad Rowse Leadership Award for his efforts to fight for sportsmen in the Palmetto State. He fought uphill political battles to establish a sportsmen’s caucus in a state where legislation is required to do so. After finally passing the bill that created the caucus, one of only five caucuses allowed in the state, it was vetoed by the Governor. Rallying his colleagues in the House and Senate, the veto was overwhelmingly overridden. The spirit and dedication Rep. Pitts demonstrated earned him the award given in honor of the former State Caucus Manager Brad Rowse, who was lost to NASC in 2004.
About the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC)
The National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, a program of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), serves as the umbrella for 34 affiliated state legislative sportsmen’s caucuses. NASC is the leader in providing information to protect and promote sportsmen’s issues within state’s legislatures, serving as the venue for focused interaction and idea exchange among state caucus leaders, and the outdoors community. For additional information, call 202-543-6907.
To learn more about how South Carolina’s 585,000 sportsmen spend $4.8 million per day, visit the Sportsmenslink website for the full report.By: Allan Ellis, Dir Communications
