Frequently Asked Questions

The Bass Bowl is an epic annual rivalry football game held between the Clear Lake Cardinals and the Kelseyville Knights. The winning team takes home The Bass Bowl Trophy.  The Bass Bowl was created by the joint efforts of Rob Ishihara, Boone Bridges, and Phil Smoley to promote interest in the Bass Bowl game to drive up attendance, awareness, and fund-raising opportunities that would lead to donations for much needed football sports equipment.  About half the funds raised went to promotion of the game itself, and half to donations to the winning team and scholarships.

The Bass Bowl began in 2010 with Bass Bowl I. promote interest in the Bass Bowl game to drive up attendance, awareness, and fund-raising opportunities that would lead to donations for football sports equipment.

On the very day the idea was conceived at Country Air Properties, Rob Ishihara shared it with two Title/Escrow reps, Dave Lucido and John Ussery. Later that same day, they notice a carved bass in someone's front yard.  They stopped and asked about it. The owner said "Take it away!"  They brought it back to Country Air's Lakeport office, Phil Smoley had it spruced up, and it was ready to go that very Friday night for Bass Bowl I.

The totem pole came a few years later. Smoley didn't like the look of the trophy on top of a ladder, so he commissioned a local chain saw artist to create a totem pole for the trophy to sit on. On one side, it has a Cardinal carved into it, on the other, a Knight.  If you look closely, there are some Indian feathers on the side that recognizes the former name of Kelseyville High School (in 2009, Kelseyville school board caved to the demands of local activists and changed the name from "Indians" to "Knights", not being affected by the fact that Knights massacred thousands of Muslims during the Crusades.)  The totem pole and the trophy reside at the school of the winning team for that year.

"Bass Bowling", "Kiss My Bass", Beauty Pageants, and tail gate parties have been part of prior lead-up fund raising events.

For years,  the California Horse Artillery Society agreed to bring a Civil War era cannon to each game and shoot it off to start the game and after every score.  In return, volunteers from each football team would spend a fun filled but exhausting weekend to volunteer at Duncan Mills Civil War Days in July.

After several years of this reciprocal effort, administrations from both schools asked to end the tradition, citing noise complaints and other issues, and sadly that was the end of the Civil War cannon at the Bass Bowl.

Yes!  There are several opportunities to be a major or minor sponsor. These include sponsoring events, scholarships, and even the game itself.   A page describing these opportunities is being built and should be posted by the end of 2023. All funds donated go to the promotion of the game, maximizing the game experience, and helping with equipment for the teams.  Strong high school sports make for strong communities!

Of course!  From game promotion to event organizing, to fundraising, to game day management, there are several opportunities to help.  A page dedicated to volunteer opportunities will be posted in March 2025.   Stay tuned!