College, BFL championship sites announced

2018 All-American and College Fishing championship to take place in Louisiana

FLW announced today the dates and location for the 2018 T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American and the 2018 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship. The 35th annual BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 on Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, while the College Fishing National Championship will take place on the Red River on May 30-June 2, also in Shreveport.

The two fisheries have played host to multiple FLW championship events over the years, including the 2002 and 2011 BFL All-American (Cross Lake), the 2002 Forrest Wood Cup (Cross Lake) and the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup (Red River). Both the All-American and the College Fishing National Championship are being hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier City Sports Commission and the Red River Waterway Commission.

“The Shreveport-Bossier City area and north Louisiana are known as the Sportsman’s Paradise,” says Kelly Wells, Executive Director of the Shreveport-Bossier City Sports Commission. “The Red River and Cross Lake are two of the crown jewels of our region and we are excited to partner with FLW on these two prestigious championships next June. While the anglers are competing on the water, families will have plenty to do on shore. Dozens of museums, shopping and family attractions, hundreds of restaurants, and of course the casinos will ensure everyone in the family has something to enjoy during their stay with us in Shreveport-Bossier City.” 

The BFL All-American weigh-ins and the final two days of competition of the College Fishing National Championship will be showcased to bass-fishing fans at the Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City, Louisiana.

“We have hosted some of the biggest bass-fishing tournaments in the country here on the Red River,” says Eric Gilmore, Marketing Director for the Red River Waterway Commission. “We believe the return of the BFL All-American and hosting the FLW College Fishing National Championship are great indicators that the Red River is among the top fisheries in the nation. There are a lot of moving parts in landing tournaments of this stature, and it takes a coordinated effort from all involved. We are pleased to be working with the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission and others for these great events.”

2018 T-H Marine FLW BFL All-American

·       May 31- June 2                  Cross Lake                         Shreveport, La.   

2018 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship

·       May 30-June 1                   Red River                           Shreveport, La.

·       June 2 – Fish-Off               Undisclosed Fishery           Shreveport, La.

Both events will be internationally televised on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show. “FLW” airs on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.

Anglers competing in the BFL All-American on Cross Lake will cast for a cash prize of up to $120,000 in the Boater Division and $60,000 in the Co-angler Division. In addition to the six-figure payday, the top boater will also receive an invitation to compete for bass fishing’s most coveted prize – the Forrest Wood Cup – held Aug. 10-12 on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship awards the top team a $30,000 prize package, including a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and an entry into the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup. The winning team will compete against each other on June 2 on a yet to be disclosed location to determine which team member will compete as a professional at the Forrest Wood Cup.

The complete schedule and rules for the 2018 BFL and FLW College Fishing season will be announced soon. The full schedule and rules for both circuits will be posted online at FLWFishing.com.