TBF Junior Program State Champions and their families from 39 different states will be converging on Hot Springs Arkansas and Lake Hamilton on August 20th for an exciting weekend of fishing and fun.
TBF and FLW will welcome state champion anglers in the 11-15 year old age group to the Hot Springs Convention Center on Thursday August 20th for registration, a banquet and a chance to rub elbows with some of the greatest anglers in the world at the Day 1 FLW Cup weigh-in. “This event brings together the best of the best of the TBF Junior Angler program and gives them a great opportunity to interact with a lot of the FLW Pro’s and a host of great fishing related vendors at the Forrest Wood Cup Outdoor show” stated TBF National Youth Director Mark Gintert. “In fact the TBF Junior World Championship is the only event in all of fishing that brings in the best young anglers from each state to a world championship event like the Forrest Wood Cup for some head to head completion, just like the pros! These young men and women are all State Champions and are accomplished anglers themselves so watching them in action on Lake Hamilton will be exciting” added Gintert.
Steve Arrison from the Visit Hot Springs Convention and Visitors Group also is impressed with the group converging on the Hot Springs area. “Hot Springs is extremely pleased to welcome back to our city the 2015 Bass Federation Junior World Championship to Lake Hamilton.
“ I can think of no greater event than this one, which gets young people started early in the sport of fishing and continues to foster the kids’ enthusiasm for the sport, which is one of the best ways I know to steer them toward productive lives, continued Arrison. While here, the national participants and their families will enjoy the excellent fishing that Lake Hamilton offers. And in their spare time they will be able to enjoy all the other attractions and activities in Hot Springs. In addition to our historic heritage as the prototype for the National Park System, Hot Springs offers great entertainment, including our Mountain Tower, Magic Springs Water and Theme Park, great dining and warm hospitality. We are eager to host these young champions and show them all Hot Springs has to offer”.
Anglers will all compete on Friday morning August 21 with the takeoff at 6:30am at the Clarion Inn ramp located at 4813 Central Avenue which is also serving as the host hotel for the group, weigh-ins will begin at 1:30pm at the same location as the anglers return of for the day with their catch. The top anglers from each of six TBF divisions will then compete on Saturday for the title of Junior World Champion and a $2500 scholarship prize to the school of their choice.
Friday night will find all the anglers and their families visiting the Mid-America Science Museum for the annual FLW Pizza Party and a fun filled night of interactive attractions at the newly remodeled facility.
Saturday afternoon, following the Championship weigh-in, all of the anglers will head to the Hot Springs Convention Center where they will parade across the stage to be recognized just before the Forrest Wood Cup Cup Day 3 weigh-in festivities.
Interested in watching the event from home? Log into bassfederation.com where you can pick up the live streaming video coverage both Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd at 1:30pm CDT. Be sure to check out the daily pictures on our bassfederation.com facebook page at and “LIKE US” while you are there!
