In another move to increase participation, the existing lower age limit of 11 was removed to allow all youngsters ages 15 and under( as of Aug. 31 of the JWC competition year) to participate. Rules mandating that TBF junior clubs be tied to an adult club were also eliminated.
Rule changes aside, the 2018 JWC is expected to produce exciting bass fishing. When the JWC last visited Lake Hamilton in August 2015, a variety of fishing areas and presentations were in play. West Virginia’ s Tyler White won the event after locating the mother lode of schooling bass in a cove and coaxing them with a mix of topwaters and drop-shot rigs.
White’ s two daily limits weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and 11 pounds, 4 ounces, respectively, which suggests that a 10-pound daily average and 30-plus-pound three-day total at the 2018 JWC is not out of the question – especially considering that anglers will now compete in two-person teams.
The 2018 JWC will be held in conjunction with the Forrest Wood Cup, which will be contested on Lake Ouachita just up the road from Lake Hamilton. JWC anglers will parade across the FLW main stage Saturday afternoon.
Hosted by Visit Hot Springs, the 2018 JWC also includes a variety of other events and activities for the young competitors and their families to enjoy outside of tournament hours. The event coincides with TBF’ s annual leadership conference, in which state presidents, youth directors and conservation directors from across the nation will gather to chart the course of TBF’ s future.
JWC weigh-ins begin at 1:30 p. m. daily at the Clarion Resort on the Lake in Hot Springs. The action will also stream live online at bassfederation. com. For details, visit bassfederation. com, or call TBF National Headquarters at 580.765.9031.
FLW / TBF STUDENT ANGLER FEDERATION STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
Feb. 10 – Georgia HS State Championship, West Point Lake, Thomas Chastain and Carter Ott Feb. 24 – Florida HS State Championship, St. Johns River, Chaz Raulerson and Reed Lynch( shown below)
April 14 – Virginia HS State Championship, Kerr Lake, Ashton Frost and Justin Carico April 28 – Arizona HS State Championship, Lake Pleasant, Trinity Apodaca and Camden Lachance
March 10 – Texas HS State Championship, Lake Palestine, Will Carlile and Zachary Hastings March 24 – Louisiana HS State Championship, Cross Lake, Ethan Tasche and Hunter Cheney March 31 – Kentucky HS State Championship, Lake Cumberland, Blake Harold and Cameron Cochran March 31 – Kansas HS State Championship, Wilson Lake, Thomas Heinen and Brock Bila April 7 – Illinois HS State Championship, Clinton Lake, Ty Coon and Clayton Hill April 7 – Mississippi HS State Championship, Columbus Lake, James Willoughby and Ashton Saucier April 14 – Missouri HS State Championship, Truman Lake, Zach Hobbs and Tristan Konenik April 14 – North Carolina HS State Championship, Kerr Lake, Trevor Lewis and Austin Braswell
august-september 2018 I flWfIshIng. com
April 29 – South Carolina HS State Championship, Lake Murray, Kyler McKie and Chad Champy( shown above) April 29 – Tennessee HS State Championship, Kentucky Lake, Tyler Finley and Hunter Jones May 5 – Idaho HS State Championship, CJ Strike Reservoir, Kyle Nicholson and Eyston Kunz May 6 – Arkansas HS State Championship, Lake Dardanelle, Bryer Pennington and Jack Arnette May 12 – Ohio HS State Championship, Alum Creek, Keaton Potter and Mitchell Hale May 12 – Utah HS State Championship, Pelican Reservoir, Patrick Palepoi and Isaac Staley May 19 – Alabama HS State Championship, Lake Neely Henry, Jace McNutt and Jon Hayden Raper For complete results and more information on the High School Fishing program, visit highschoolfishing. org.
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