Now in its 31st year, the Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American will visit Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee, June 18-20. The top 49 boaters and top 49 co-anglers from across the 24-division BFL circuit will cast for cash prizes of up to $120,000 in the Boater Division and $60,000 in the Co-angler Division, plus an opportunity to compete for the Forrest Wood Cup Aug. 20-23 on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
For 2014 All-American champion Marcus Sykora of Osage Beach, Missouri, winning this tournament was a dream come true.
“In terms of my fishing career, it’s the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me,” Sykora said of his 2014 championship win. “It validated my abilities as an angler and proved to me that hard work and dedication pay off.”
Sykora also said that the victory has improved his ability to mentally prepare for tournaments.
“One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is the confidence boost,” said Sykora. “After winning this tournament you feel like you have the ability to overcome any fishing obstacle no matter how difficult.”
Walmart FLW Tour pro Tom Redington of Royse City, Texas, who won the Rayovac FLW Series event on Kentucky Lake in May, said this year’s All-American should be a great event despite the tournament pressure that Kentucky Lake has seen as of late.
“The fishing could be a little tougher, but it’s still Kentucky and Barkley lakes,” said Redington. “You’ll need a lot of weight each day to be in the hunt for the win.
“Right now the fish are fully in their summer pattern,” continued Redington. “With the activity they’ve seen these past couple of weeks, they will be scattered and suspended offshore. Obviously the ledges are going to be firing on Kentucky, but I could see some anglers going shallow on Barkley as well. The bushes, brush piles and docks rarely disappoint this time of year.
“Baits will be a huge factor in terms of strategy and execution,” Redington said. “If the fish are setting up in schools on top of the ledges, giant spoons, swimbaits and deep-diving crankbaits in shad-related colors will quickly catch a big limit. If the recent tournament action is having a big effect on the fish, the schools could be broken up. In that case fish suspend off the sides of ledges or down their slopes. I’d work a 10-inch worm slowly or stroke a jig to grind out a limit of those fish.”
Redington estimated that a three-day-cumulative weight of 66 pounds will win the tournament.
“There will be a lot of options for the BFL anglers,” said Redington. “It will be exciting to see how the tournament unfolds.”
Anglers will take off from the Paris Landing State Park ramp located at 16055 Highway 79 N. in Buchanan at 7 a.m. each morning. Weigh-in will also be at Paris Landing State Park beginning at 3 p.m. on the first two days of competition. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at Walmart, located at 1210 Mineral Wells Ave., in Paris, Tennessee, beginning at 4 p.m.
Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo at the Walmart in Paris on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. which includes Ranger boat simulators, the opportunity to interact with competing anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.
Coverage of the 2015 BFL All-American on Kentucky Lake will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) November 29 from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. EDT when Season 20 of “FLW” returns this fall. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on 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.
ABOUT FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2015 over the course of 240 tournaments across five tournament circuits, four of which provide an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
By: Brian Johnson, FLW
