Kayak bass fishing tourney added to 2019 FLW lineup
Fishing League Worldwide and Kayak Bass Fishing LLC, along with Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, this week announced the inaugural Dee Zee FLW/KBF Cup presented by YakAttack, the world championship of kayak bass fishing, will be held on Lake Ouachita, Aug. 9-10.
According to a news release, the event will be held in Hot Springs in conjunction with the 2019 FLW Cup, featuring the sport’s top professional bass-fishing anglers competing on Lake Hamilton. Hot Springs is the first venue to host back-to-back cups in the 24-year modern history of FLW.
“This is a brand new tour and a brand new championship, and we’re just excited they’re bringing this to Hot Springs,” Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, told The Sentinel-Record. “Hot Springs was the first place they started giving out the $1 million, so this is just another first for us.”
The Dee Zee FLW/KBF Cup will feature “up to 238 of the top kayak bass anglers from around the country who have qualified for the event through the FLW/KBF Kayak Open, the KBF National Championship, the KBF Trail and the KBF Pro Tour. They will be competing for a total prize package of $18,000 — a $3,000 Dee Zee gift card and $15,000 in cash,” the release said.
“Hot Springs is very excited to partner with FLW on another great event that features a rapidly-growing segment of fishing,” Arrison said in the release. “Fishing fans in Arkansas and across the world will now get to see two FLW Champions crowned on two of our best lakes — Lake Hamilton and Lake Ouachita.”
Arrison told The Sentinel-Record kayak fishing “is the first competitive trail for the sport so it’s going to be interesting to watch. Having this on another one of our great lakes here, Lake Ouachita, just doubles that national and international exposure we’re going to get.”
In addition to the kayak event, the FLW Cup will again bring the three-day FLW Expo to the Hot Springs Convention Center. Hundreds of exhibitors — including multiple kayak-fishing companies in the Expo’s new Kayak Village — will be on-site to showcase the latest and greatest gear and products along with games, fun and giveaways for the entire family, the release said.
Following the Expo in the Bank OZK Arena, top anglers from around the world and country music superstar Trace Adkins
will put on a show for the Arkansas crowd.
“Kayak fishing is the fastest-growing segment of the sport fishing market,” KBF Founder and President Chad Hoover said in the release. “By partnering with the KBF to add kayak bass fishing to its mix, FLW offers its Competitor Members more options to compete than ever before. FLW is able to shine a spotlight on top kayak bass anglers to showcase their talents, abilities and accomplishments.”
After an extremely successful inaugural launch season in 2019, FLW and KBF are already hard at work at growing the FLW/KBF Kayak Series for 2020. Additional details, including an expanded schedule, increased payouts and new rules will be announced soon, the release said.