BRANSON, Mo. – National Guard FLW College Fishing is headed to Bull Shoals Lake March 6 for the first of four stops in the Central Division. Forty collegiate teams will compete for a top award of $10,000 to be split evenly between the school and bass fishing club.
“It is going to be a tough bite for the young anglers,” said Chevy pro Dion Hibdon of Stover, Mo., who has 19 top-10 finishes in his FLW Outdoors career. “The anglers are being restricted to a small area, and water temperatures are expected to be in the low 40s, which will keep the fish slow and lethargic, just like everyone else in the country.
“Anglers should search for the warmest water they can find; there won’t be a lot of options for them, but even a 1- or 2-degree temperature variation can make a difference. They will do well using crayfish-imitation baits such as Storm Wiggle Warts and small jigs.”
Anglers will take off from K Dock Marina located at 473 Parksley Lane in Kirbyville, Mo., at 7 a.m. The weigh-in will be held at the marina as well beginning at 1:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
A complete list of registered teams competing in the tournament is available online.
The top five teams from each tournament will qualify for a regional championship, where the first-place team wins $25,000 cash for their school and a Ranger 177TR bass boat for their fishing club. The top five teams from each regional advance to the national championship, where the first-place team wins $50,000 for their school and $25,000 cash and a Ranger 177TR bass boat for their fishing club.
FLW Outdoors provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
About FLW Outdoors
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 189 tournaments in 2010. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing awarding the largest prizes in the history of fantasy sports. FLW Outdoors memberships are available featuring numerous benefits including Player’s Advantage. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com.