In 1990, Stanley Jackson and Joe Greenlee started having wildcat fishing tournaments on Saturday nights on Cherokee Lake. Stanley named it the Mountain Music Bass Invitational Tournament.  Stanley came up with the name Mountain Music when he thru a buzz bait lure into the water, he said the sound of it skimming over the water sounded like Mountain Music. Stanley's tournaments were a huge success.

 

     That same year he developed an idea of having a tournament for fishermen to bring a child and fish for bass. His tournament started on Cherokee Lake. The first tournament called the Mountain Music Kids Fishing Tournament was a night tournament from 7pm to 11pm. He and Joe went out and got some fishing plugs donated to give to each child. There were 26 kids in the first tournament. The entry fee was $30.00, the same as his regular tournaments and which remains the same today. Stanley and Joe took no money for doing the tournament; it was for the love of fishing and kids. They held the tournament every year just to get kids interested in fishing.

 

     In 1992 they moved the tournament from Cherokee to Douglas Lake. Stanley and Joe felt the fish were a little easier to catch on Douglas Lake. Sadly in 2003, Joe passed away. Paul Loy stepped in and helped after Joe passed.

 

    Each year the tournaments began to get larger. A lot of good people began to give their time and helped by getting sponsors to help pay for the prizes as well as assist with putting the tournament on. Also each child began receiving a tee shirt to commemorate his/her participation in the tournament. The tee shirts contained the tournaments logo along with a list of sponsors so they would have the recognition they deserve for supporting the tournament. It became so popular; they had to have a cut off of 400 kids. One of the greatest things about the Mountain Music Kids Fishing Tournament is that 100% of all proceeds go to the children. Everyone involved in working to make this tournament successful donate his or her time. This includes all meals and refreshments, which are donated and prepared by local business in our community. Employees of these businesses also donate their time by cooking and serving the competitors and volunteers.

 

Every child who participates receives a prize and a photo with their catch after the fish weigh-in that evening.

 

Today the Mountain Music Kids Fishing Tournament is the largest Kids Bass Tournament in the United States. The tournament gives each participating child the opportunity to fish with an experienced fisherman and know how a professional Bass Tournament works.