RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — On Oct. 26, competitors ages 11 to 18 will show off their fishing skills on the final day of the 2013 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.
Contenders in the 2013 Bassmaster Junior World Championship (JWC) will fish the Arkansas River, Pool 9 (Winthrop Rockefeller Pool) in Russellville, Ark., and they will weigh in on the same stage with their adult counterparts.
Six competitors from each of the two age groups (11 to 14 and 15 to 18) will vie for bragging rights, and all participants will receive scholarships to be used for education.
Members of the Arkansas Tech University bass fishing team will serve as volunteer boat captains. They are not permitted to provide any information to the young anglers; they can observe and drive only.
These young anglers have advanced through a number of qualifying rounds on the local, state and divisional levels to qualify for the JWC. Competitors are paired according to the divisions from which they qualified.
“This is such a great opportunity for the JWC contenders,” said Hank Weldon, tournament manager for B.A.S.S. High School. “They’ve worked for a long time to get to this point. It’s great to see young anglers succeed on the water.
“Take note of these competitors’ names,” continued Weldon. “You might see some of them on the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series stage soon and in the adult pro ranks in just a few years.”
This JWC is the last of its kind. The new B.A.S.S. Nation High School Championship will debut next year, and qualifying rounds for that event will begin during the 2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Divisionals.