PONCA CITY, OKLA. (3/30/2021) – The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) announced today that the 2021 TBF Junior World Championship (JWC) is about to kick off this week July 28-30 on the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities bi-state regional destination in Illinois and Iowa.
The 2021 JWC includes a two-person team format and three days of competition, launching from Rapids 
City, Illinois. The TBF Junior program includes all anglers 8th grade and under at the time they qualified through their home state’s Junior program. 40 of the top Junior angler teams from across the nation will attend and compete for their share of well over $15,000 in scholarships and event prizes.
Historically, the Junior World Championship (JWC) is held in conjunction with the Federation’s Annual State Leadership Conference which once again will also be hosted with the JWC in the Quad Cities.
The Annual TBF State Leadership Conference invites 49 TBF affiliated state federations in the US and Canada to send state official(s) to attend meetings on fishing, youth and conservation items, strategic planning, educational sessions, how to operate their local & state events safely in the era of COVID-19 as well as annual elections of TBF national directors.
There is no better way to socially distance than by going fishing. Regardless, event officials noted extra safety steps will be taken for both events. Federation officials have worked with health experts across the nation to develop COVID-19 compliant conference, weigh-in, meetings, and other safety measures that will be used during all our events for as long as needed. TBF officials noted these safety measures will help keep participants and communities safe while still doing their part to help the economy, people, and businesses in our country get back to work.
“The relationship that Visit Quad Cities and our regional destination has with The Bass Federation is extremely important, said Dave Herrell, President, and CEO, Visit Quad Cities. “Hosting the 2021 TBF Junior World Championship and activating our world-renowned Mississippi River is a huge win for the QC. Not only do we have the privilege to serve as host of the Championship, but also the Annual State Leadership Conference which brings TBF affiliated state federations from all over the country and Canada for meetings and discussion topics such as fishing, youth, and conservation, and much more. This will be a multi-day event opportunity and we are thrilled about July on the river.”
“The Quad Cities is the perfect fit for these events,” TBF President and CEO Robert Cartlidge said. “The Quad Cities are centrally located in the U.S. for our travelers from every state and there are lots of things in the area for the families to see and do. There should be plenty of fish to be caught by these young championship anglers because with input from the DNR we have chosen pools on the Mississippi River that are doing well. We are excited as it should be a fun event.”
Many of today’s top pro anglers started in the TBF Junior program. A few examples are; Jacob Wheeler (IN) fished the 2006 JWC; Shane Lehew (NC) won the 2007 JWC, and 2017 Forrest Wood Cup winner Justin Atkins (MS) in the 2008 JWC. More recently, the 2020 TBF Federation National Champion Living The Dream angler Lance Freeman (KY) started out by fishing the TBF Kentucky Junior program.
About Visit Quad Cities – Founded in 1990, Visit Quad Cities is the official Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) for the region. Visit Quad Cities is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit engine charged with driving economic opportunity through tourism, building our authentic brand, telling & selling the Quad Cities story, and enhancing Quad Citizens’ quality of life and quality of place. For more information, visit us online at visitquadcities.com and connect with us on social media.
About The Bass Federation – The Bass Federation Inc., (TBF) is a member of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. TBF is owned by those we serve and is dedicated to the sport of fishing. The Federation is the largest and oldest, organized grassroots fishing, youth, and conservation organization there is. TBF, our affiliated state federations, and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 events each year and have provided a foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for nearly 50 years. TBF founded the Student Angler Federation and the National High School Fishing program in 2007 to promote clean family fun and education through fishing. Visit bassfederation.com or highschoolfishing.org and “LIKE US” on Facebook.
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