This year TBF anglers will have a home field advantage at the National Semi-Final which will be hosted by the Missouri TBF.  The National Semi-Final is open to anglers who qualify through events hosted by their state federation or by winning their club boater and/or co-angler championship.  The Missouri TBF has chosen to hold the event in 2018 at Stockton Lake.  Orleans Trail Marina will be the location for the event scheduled for October 13^th & 14^th.

Stockton Lake has a solid reputation for a fall bite, with a lot of different patterns that should be in play.  With an expected field of 30-35 from Missouri and Kansas, Stockton is the perfect size to allow anglers to explore the lake while giving plenty of room for everyone to find their “sweet spot”. 

The event will include 2 days of formal practice with a banquet and pairings on Friday night.  The 2 day event will be based on accumulated weight with separate categories for boaters and co-anglers.  Leading boaters and co-anglers from each state will move on to the TBF National Championship in 2019 (location TBA).  Prize money and trophies will be awarded for the top overall anglers and co-anglers at the event along with “Bragging Right” award to the top state team. 

 The Missouri TBF has selected two of the hottest lakes in the state for their 2018 Qualifiers.  The first qualifier will be held at Lake of the Ozarks (Shawnee Bend Ramp) on March 17 & 18^th.  The second event will be at Stockton Lake (Orleans Trail Ramp) on April 21-22.  This schedule will put anglers on lakes with healthy fish populations during the best time of the year.  These lakes provide anglers with a varied range of cover and structure meaning several techniques will surely come into play, giving all anglers a great chance to catch some big bags.

 The two-tournament schedule gives anglers twice as many chances to qualify for the National Semi-Final.  Unlike some circuits, the Missouri TBF has two separate statewide tournaments which helps clubs and their anglers avoid family and other commitments each year and still have an opportunity to qualify for advancement to the TBF National Championship, BFL All-American and even the Forrest Wood Cup. This is not a “series” format, instead the top 3 anglers and 3 co-anglers from each event will move directly to the TBF National Semi-Final this fall.  This means that anglers can fish the Qualifier, the National Semi-Final and the TBF National Championship all in a matter of 12-16 months!

Last year the traditional “draw” format for the Qualifier was changed, with boaters and co-anglers being scored separately.  This means boat partners will not be fishing against each other during the day, assuring a friendly experience for everyone (see Tournament Rules for full details). In another move that is sure to be popular the TBF has lowered entry fees for boaters and non-boaters! At the Qualifiers anglers and co-anglers will be fishing for daily big bass payouts, trophies and expense paid trips to the National Semi-Final.  Additionally, annual Angler and Co-Angler of the year prizes and trophies will be awarded to the top point getters over both tournaments.

In order to participate in the Qualifiers anglers must have annual dues and individual entry fees paid at least 7 days prior to the event. Entry forms for the Qualifier are available on the website or from your club President.   Clubs or individual anglers who are interested in joining the Missouri TBF should contact Jon Small at (816)560-2722 or Dennis Maggart at (816)718-0335.  We have clubs across the state that are looking for boaters and co-anglers so if you are an experienced tournament angler or a weekend guy wanting to have fun and learn more about how to catch big bass please give us a call. 

Do you prefer to fish with your buddy in a team format?  Would you still like to have the opportunity to move on to a national championship, even maybe the Forrest Wood Cup?  Well the Missouri TBF has the answer for you!  We are excited to announce a new event, the First Annual Missouri TBF Team Championship June 2 at Truman Lake.

This new format is open to all anglers, allowing us to introduce non-TBF members to the advantages of participating in our programs.  The winning team from this event will have the opportunity to fish the TBF National Semi-Final, October 13 & 14 at Stockton Lake. 

Cash awards, trophies and lots of draw prizes will be available along with special prizes for TBF Members that bring a new TBF member to this event.  Further details and entry forms for this exciting new tournament will be available soon but please put this date on your calendar. For more information on this exciting event please contact Joe Hughes at (573)216-4232.