CHAMPIONSHIP on the WATER

Until Scott Martin's 2011 victory on Lake Ouachita, Arkansas residence appeared necessary to win the Forrest Wood Cup inside the state — two such tournaments producing two Arkansas winners.

If not already, George Cochran became a hometown hero in winning the 2005 Cup championship. Fishing within sight of his home on Lake Hamilton, the transplanted Hot Springs angler (formerly from North Little Rock) added a Forrest Wood Cup with two Bassmaster Classic titles.

Bryant's Scott Suggs then parlayed his knowledge of Lake Ouachita into professional bass fishing's biggest payoff in 2007, receiving a $1 million paycheck before a packed house at then-Summit Arena.

“The emotion, the crowd, the home-lake story, the $1-million prize — the 2007 Cup had everything but a nail-biting final weigh-in,” said Curtis Niedermier, FLW managing editor, then covering his first FLW event.

From Clewiston, Fla., Martin didn't have the home crowd working in his behalf on Lake Ouachita in 2011 but compensated nicely. No one in the field had better bloodlines, Hall of Fame angler and TV host Roland Martin joining his son on stage at Summit Arena as Scott Martin gained his biggest professional victory.

The younger Martin reached another career peak this year in advance of the Forrest Wood Cup's August return to Lake Ouachita for its 20th championship. Martin is the freshly crowned Angler of the Year on the Wal-Mart sponsored FLW Outdoors circuit, earning $100,000 for five top-20 finishes and 1,110 points in six tournaments. He secured the title on the Potomac River

in late June, fulfilling a yearlong quest after three top-10 AOY finishes in his 15 years as a pro.

“I set out this year with a determination to win the AOY, and I did it,” Martin said after catching 40 pounds, 14 ounces over three days on the Potomac. “I don't think it's sunk in yet to be honest. I was so stressed, but I'm not stressed anymore. I could bust out crying at any moment. I've worked hard for 15 years, and we, my family and I, finally did it.”

Martin leads the 50-man field of professional anglers fishing out of Brady Mountain Resort & Marina Aug. 20-23. Thirty-nine pros qualified through the main circuit of six tournaments, a March stop on Arkansas' Beaver Lake included. Automatic qualifiers included defending Cup champion Anthony Gagliardi (Prosperity, S.C.) and 2014 FLW Tour Angler of the year Andy Morgan (Dayton, Tenn.). Curtis Richardson (Belleville, Ontario), Patrick Walters (Summeville, S.C, and the University of South Carolina) as 2015 FLW College Fishing national champion and 10 through the 2014 Rayovac FLW Series Championship.

Gagliardi (16th) and Morgan (ninth) were double qualifiers through the 2015 AOY standings, Zack Birge (Blanchard, Okla.) and Bryan Thrift (Shelby, N.C.) advancing through the Rayovac circuit and AOY. With four double qualifiers, the regular 35 entries through the AOY circuit were expanded to 39, allowing Shane Lehew (Mooresville, N.C.), Clark Reehm (Huntington, Texas), Troy Morrow (Eastanollee, Ga.) and Clent Davis (Montevallo, Ala.).

Russellville's Shawn Gordon qualified as The Bass Federation national champion, joining fellow Arkansas pros Larry Nixon (Bee Branch) and Stetson Blaylock (Benton) in the field. Nixon finished 10th and Blaylock 15th in the AOY standings, which also included Hot Springs pros Rob Kilby and Spencer Shuffield; Suggs, now of Alexander; and West Memphis veteran Mark Rose.

The 50 pros will fish for $500,000, competing together for two days before a 20-man semifinal round Aug. 22 produces 10 finalists. The top 50 co-anglers, casting from back of the boat with a professional partner, will compete for two days. John Hunter (Shelbyville, Ky.) is the circuit's co-angler champion with 1,101 points, Arkansan Joey Cifuentes (Clinton) placing fourth and Paul Lafleur (Benton) 22nd in the standings.

No one has won the Forrest Wood Cup twice.

Lake Ouachita was announced as the 2015 FWC site during last year's finals on South Carolina's Lake Murray, won by home state angler Gagliardi by 1 ounce in the tournament's closest finish ever.

“The previous events that we have held in Hot Springs have all been extremely successful, and the attendance has been fantastic,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW president of operations, at the 2014 Cup. “It made returning to Lake Ouachita an easy decision. The bass-fishing community in Arkansas has always welcomed FLW with open arms, and we're proud to return for the 20th installment of our championship event.”

“The facilities there are top-notch, second to none anywhere in the country,” said FLW public-relations director Joe Opager in late June. “I'm sure the water levels there are up with all of the rain that you've had this spring, but I'm sure as we get closer to the tournament the fishing will become more seasonal and some great stories will come from there.”

Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, eagerly awaits the championship.

“FLW and Hot Springs have a great history together,” Arrison said. “Our audiences for the Forrest Wood Cup and other FLW events have been large and enthusiastic, and we know the 2015 Cup will be greeted with the same enthusiasm and hospitality that FLW has become accustomed to.”

All waters of Lake Ouachita are off-limits Aug. 3-15 and Aug. 19, restricted access beginning July 17. The tournament-week daily schedule features a 7 a.m. takeoff from Brady Mountain and a 5 p.m. weigh-in at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.

The Forrest Wood Cup Expo runs Aug. 21-23 from 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. daily in Hot Springs Convention Center. For more information, call 800-772-2489 or go online at www.hotsprings.org.