Commissioners’ Cup bass tournament focused on next generation of anglers

LITTLE ROCK – Thanks to the efforts of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation and many volunteers, and donations from Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioners, high school anglers in Arkansas have a new pinnacle to pursue in bass fishing: the Commissioners’ Cup. In its inaugural year, the tournament will take place on Lake Hamilton June 1-2.

The two-day bass fishing tournament is open to two-person teams of high school students, grades 9-12, one of whom must be a permanent Arkansas resident. Eligible teams must have placed in the Top 20 of one of Arkansas’s major youth bass fishing circuits.

AGFF President Deke Whitbeck said, “This event is designed to put the best young anglers to the test and inspire other kids to get involved with fishing.”

More than $10,000 in scholarships and prizes will be at stake for the top teams in the invitational event. The prize pool is funded by individual contributions of the seven sitting commissioners of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. They include Chairman Ford Overton of Little Rock; Vice-chairman Ken Reeves of Harrison; Andrew Parker and Joe Morgan of Little Rock; Bobby Martin of Rogers; Stan Jones of Alicia; and John David Neeley of Camden. 

Thanks also to the generous support of the presenting sponsor, Xpress Boats, there is no entry fee for qualified teams. 

“I am so proud to be on the forefront of this great initiative to support our next generation of great outdoor enthusiasts and anglers,” said Rory Herndon, president of Xpress Boats and AGFF board member. “Xpress Boats has always paved the way by being innovative, and this event is no different. We are ‘xcited’ to support and be part of this incredible opportunity.”

Additional sponsors are being sought, Whitbeck said. For sponsorship information, call the AGFF at (501) 831-3382. For entry information, complete rules and details, please visit www.agff.org.