Commissioner’s Cup youth bass fishing tournament heads to Lake Ouachita

June 16, 2021

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

HOT SPRINGS — The Commissioners’ Cup High School Bass Fishing Tournament is back for a third year, and it will be back to a live weigh-in when it visits Safe Harbor Brady Mountain Boat Ramp on Lake Ouachita June 19.

The Commissioners’ Cup is presented by Xpress Boats in Hot Springs and is held by the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. It is a one-day bass fishing tournament for middle school and high school anglers to help foster the conservation mindset in Arkansas students. Each team may consist of two students in 7th through 8th grade in the Junior Division or two students in 9th through 12th grade for the Senior Division. Each team must also include a non-fishing boat captain to drive the anglers and maintain safe boating and angling practices during the tournament. 

“We have 33 teams who have signed up so far, and we’re hoping to have a field of 40 by the time tournament day arrives,” Tyler Lawrence, AGFF event coordinator, said. “Last year we had to do a virtual tournament, but we’re ready to bring it back to a single lake and weigh-in stage so that the young anglers can experience the excitement of a big-time event.”

In addition to bragging rights, anglers in the Senior Division will be fishing for a $3,000 first-place scholarship sponsored directly by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioners. Second place will receive $2,000 in scholarship money, and third will win $1,000 in scholarships. In the Junior Division, anglers will be competing for some of the best fishing gear available. “We’re so grateful for all of our partners and sponsors. The Foundation looks forward to hosting this annual event featuring the top youth anglers across Arkansas.  We’ll definitely see these names in the future,” Lawrence added.

To qualify, teams must have fished in four sanctioned tournaments in one of Arkansas’s major youth bass fishing circuits (having at least 20 teams per season).  A pre-tournament meeting will take place at Trader Bill’s Outdoors in Hot Springs at 6 p.m. June 18.

Contact Lawrence at tyler@agff.org for more information on the tournament and official rules.