TBF
WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN THE BASS FEDERATION
By Dan Johnson
JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS FOR HOT SPRINGS
T
op youth bass anglers from The
Bass Federation state federations
across the country will compete
on Lake Hamilton out of Hot Springs,
Ark., Aug. 8-11 in the 2018 TBF Junior
World Championship (JWC).
“Our entire community is excited to
welcome these ‘pros of the future’ to
our community,” says Steve Arrison,
CEO of Visit Hot Springs.
As in years past, the JWC will take
place in conjunction with the Forrest
Wood Cup, which will take place on
Lake Ouachita just up the road from
Lake Hamilton and Hot Springs.
“What a great week of champi-
onship bass fishing in the Spa City,”
Arrison adds. “The best junior anglers
from each state will be competing on
Lake Hamilton at the same time FLW’s
top pros are on Lake Ouachita. I can’t
wait.”
boats in two-person teams, accompa-
nied by their own boat captains, at
qualifying events and the JWC.
The JWC was also expanded to three
days, with all teams fishing two full days
and the field cut to the top team from
each division for the final day.
Finally, the lower limit of 11 years of
age was removed to allow all youngsters
ages 15 and under (as of Aug. 31 of the
JWC competition year) to participate.
“We’re happy to be returning to
Lake Hamilton and the Hot Springs
area,” says TBF President and CEO
Robert Cartlidge. “It’s always an angler
favorite, and it’s even more exciting in
conjunction with these changes that
will undoubtedly grow the TBF youth
program by leaps and bounds.
“The junior program was started in
1994 by four of our state federations
and truly has grown into a program that
cultivates the future of our sport and is
dedicated to young anglers discover-
ing their love of fishing and the great
outdoors,” he adds.
Indeed, many of today’s top profes-
sional bass anglers launched their careers
at least in part at the JWC. A few notable
examples include Jacob Wheeler, who
fished the 2006 JWC; Shane LeHew, win-
ner of the 2007 JWC; and 2017 Forrest
Wood Cup winner Justin Atkins, who
competed in the 2008 JWC.
Expanded Opportunities
82
The 2018 event marks the inception
of sweeping changes to the TBF youth
program that were enacted last August
by a unanimous vote of the TBF State
Presidents’ Council with input from TBF
youth and conservation directors.
Among the changes, which address
comments and requests from youth
anglers and their families, TBF junior
anglers will now fish out of their own
Lake Hamilton
FLWFISHING.COM I JANUARY 2018