Our Story

The Bass Assassins was established in the early 80’s by brothers Lee and Rick Knudsen. Their father Ken Knudsen was an avid fisherman but was growing older so the boys decided to arrange a week long getaway with their aging father to do what they all enjoyed most, fishing. The cabin, which is the same one still used today for their annual fishing trips is located on Myles Bay in the Bruce Penninsula. They fished Isaac Lake, Lions Head, Pike, Gauly’s, Stoke’s, Myles and Irish Bay. This was a week filled with family, fishing and food. 

In 1998 Ken Knudsen introduced the Wisherman Award. Unlike a normal competitive trophy, this was awarded to the person who had the biggest mishaps during the trip. Ken was unfortunately the first recipient of the award. His award winning moment happened when they were fishing Pike Bay and Ken was drift fishing using his ultralight rod and reel. He set his rod down on his seat so he could light up a cigarette. At that moment, a fish grabbed his bait and pulled his rod and reel into the water. Try as he may, Ken was unable to retrieve it and as a result, was the first recipient of the trophy he created. Since then, there have been many memorable misadventures like forgetting rods at home, almost sinking boats, and not catching any fish, which of course have led to being named “Wisherman of the Year”. 

Sadly, Ken (Poppy) Knudsen passed in 2000 and Lee passed away in 2015. Both Lee and Ken’s ashes have been spread in Isaac Lake in remembrance of the great times they shared and that location is now called the infamous Bass Hole.

Through the years, the trip has taken on different forms with different family members and friends but has still remained the same in camaraderie and an unforgettable experience with a bunch of like-minded men out on the open water up in the Bruce.  A week full of fishing, bon fires, feasts, guns, drinks and brotherhood.

Bass Assassins for life!