2016 College Fishing Schedule and Rules

105 more teams will have the opportunity to compete in the National Championship

FLW recently announced the schedule, rules and entry dates for the 2016 FLW College Fishing season.

A few highlights:

Lake Keowee National Championship

The 2016 FLW College Fishing National Championship will be hosted by the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau on Lake Keowee in Seneca, S.C, March 17-19. All of the Championship action will be internationally televised on NBC Sports Network, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network.

Kentucky Lake Open Opportunities Expand

FLW will host its second FLW College Fishing Open on Kentucky Lake April 1-2.

The first Open on Kentucky Lake in 2015 was the largest collegiate bass tournament ever assembled when 194 teams from schools around the country competed for a new Ranger bass boat and 10 early qualifying bids into the National Championship.

New for 2016, the top 15 teams at the Open will advance to the 2017 National Championship.

2017 National Championship Qualification

To ease the travel burden and expense of competition for teams during the 2016 season, FLW has eliminated the Conference Championships. The top 10 teams at each regular-season qualifying tournament will now advance directly to the 2017 FLW College Fishing National Championship. That means 105 more teams will have the opportunity to compete in the National Championship, where the top prize is a Ranger Z175 bass boat and an opportunity to make the Forrest Wood Cup.

Registration

Registration for the 2016 season opens Dec. 14, 2015, for teams from clubs represented in the 2015 FLW College Fishing National Championship. All other teams may register beginning Dec. 15, 2015. Anglers can register at FLWFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club.

2016 FLW College Fishing Schedule:

FLW College Fishing Open

April 1-2 – Kentucky Lake, Gilbertsville, Ky.          

Central Conference

April 9 – Table Rock Lake, Kimberling City, Mo.     

May 14 – Lake Barkley, Kuttawa, Ky.       

July 9 – Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien, Wis.   

Northern Conference

April 23 – Smith Mountain Lake, Huddleston, Va.    

June 4 – Potomac River, Marbury, Md.     

July 23 – Chautauqua Lake, Bemus Point, N.Y.    

Southeastern Conference

Jan. 30 – Crescent Lake, Bunnell, Fla.     

May 21 – Lake Guntersville, Guntersville, Ala.       

Sept. 24 – Lake Chickamauga, Dayton, Tenn.       

Southern Conference

Jan. 16 – Lake Somerville, Brenham, Texas          

April 30 – Fort Gibson Lake, Wagoner, Okla.         

Oct. 8 – Ouachita River, Monroe, La.       

Western Conference

Feb. 20 – Lake Shasta, Redding, Calif.    

April 23 – Clear Lake, Lakeport, Calif.      

May 21 – California Delta, Bethel Island, Calif.      

FLW College Fishing National Championship

March 17-19 – Lake Keowee, Seneca, S.C.

Complete rules can be found online at FLWFishing.com.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.