Top anglers to compete for $100,000 at All-American on Lake Hamilton

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The best of the nation’s weekend anglers are headed to Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs April 14-17 for the 21st annual Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American, one of bass fishing’s premier championship events. 2004 marks the 20th anniversary of bass fishing’s first $100,000 cash award, and competitors in the Boater Division will again cast for that lucrative prize, one of competitive fishing’s largest.

Anglers from 24 nationwide BFL divisions competed in five regular-season events in 2003 in hopes of ranking in the top 30 in year-end points standings, which would earn them a ticket to one of six postseason regional events. Six regionals as well as the Chevy Trucks Wild Card determined the All-American field of 43 boaters and 43 co-anglers. While boaters will duke it out for the $100,000 award, competitors in the Co-angler Division will be in the hunt for a top award of $50,000 cash. A total of 23 states are represented, with Georgia having the largest contingent with 10 fishermen.

According to pro angler Wesley Burnett of Hot Springs, All-American qualifiers should have their shallow-water game faces on when they visit the scenic 7,500-acre fishery. “The neat thing about this lake is that virtually every inch of it is fishable water during the spring,” Burnett said. “There are hundreds of docks and all kinds of pockets and coves to choose from.”

Burnett expects All-American anglers to haul in mostly largemouths in the 2- to 3-pound range, and he predicts that the angler who finds a 4- to 5-pound kicker fish will likely be in the money when the tournament comes to a close. He named tubes and Texas-rigged centipedes as the probable top-producing lures and says fan-casting the open water with a wacky worm or a Zoom Fluke will also probably haul in a few limits.

The event begins Wednesday, April 14, with an official practice day, and competition begins Thursday at 7 a.m. from the Fish Hatchery Ramp in Hot Springs. Fish Hatchery will host each day’s takeoff at 7 a.m., and anglers will weigh in each day at 3 p.m. at the Summit Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd. in Hot Springs. Surrounding the weigh-in is the Family Fun Zone, which opens at noon on Friday and Saturday and features games and product displays for fishing fans of all ages to enjoy. There is no admission fee, and the community is invited to attend.

As part of the festivities, US 97-FM, the Sentinel-Record and FLW Outdoors have joined forces to award one lucky spectator a new Ranger 175VS bass boat powered by a 90-horsepower Yamaha outboard. The boat, which will be awarded to a member of the audience attending the All-American’s final weigh-in at Summit Arena on April 17 at 3 p.m., also comes equipped with Garmin electronics, a Minn Kota trolling motor and EverStart batteries.

Official entry forms are available exclusively through the Sentinel-Record beginning April 8 and at US 97 Hot Stops throughout the region. The boat will make promotional appearances at the Wal-Mart store located at 4019 Central Ave. in Hot Springs from 3:30 to 5 p.m. April 12 and at the Wal-Mart store located at 1601 Albert Pike in Hot Springs from 5 to 7 p.m. April 14. Fishing fans living in the region can listen to US 97 for details on additional Hot Stops for a chance to register.

Entries may be dropped off at Summit Arena during the preliminary All-American weigh-ins at the Family Fun Zone. No entries will be accepted after 3 p.m. April 17, and you must be present at the final weigh-in to win.

The entire field competes Thursday and Friday for an accumulated two-day weight, and co-angler competition concludes Friday. The top 10 boaters advance to Saturday’s competition, where they will continue competition with the winner determined by the heaviest three-day weight.

The All-American is one of the sport’s most storied events, and communities hosting the All-American reap the rewards of an estimated $6 million economic impact. Eighty-six competitors and their families plus spectators, sponsors and staff will eat in Hot Springs restaurants, stay in local hotels and shop at area stores. Hot Springs will also benefit from extensive national exposure, including coverage on the “FLW Outdoors” television show which is broadcast to 65 million subscribers of the Outdoor Life Network. Additionally, Hot Springs will receive substantial coverage in FLW Outdoors Magazine, on FLWOutdoors.com and on “FLW Outdoors Presented by Wal-Mart,” the weekly radio show broadcast throughout Texas and parts of Oklahoma on Fox Sports Radio as well as worldwide on FLWOutdoors.com.

“Money cannot buy the kind of exposure Lake Hamilton and Hot Springs will receive by hosting the All-American,” said Steve Arrison, executive director for the Hot Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. “As a former host site for the All-American, we know firsthand what a tournament of this caliber can do for our community. This event is one of the premier tournaments in competitive bass fishing, and having it on Lake Hamilton will prove to a nationwide audience of fishermen that our area is a prime bass-fishing destination.”

Indeed, Lake Hamilton is no stranger to the All-American, having hosted the event in 2000 and again in 2001. “Qualifying for the All-American is certainly an accomplishment, so we strive to provide All-American contenders with an ideal tournament location, and Lake Hamilton always fits the bill,” said Charlie Evans, executive vice president of FLW Outdoors.

Because BFL competitors are weekend anglers and not pros, the All-American and its lucrative cash awards present a unique opportunity for qualifiers looking to launch a professional bass-fishing career. Former All-American contenders who have become fishing superstars on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour include Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt, Chevy pro Tommy Biffle and four-time FLW Tour champion David Fritts.

As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.

FLW Outdoors is named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood.