Hot Springs was selected Saturday to host the 2026 Bass Fishing World Championship on Lake Hamilton, according to Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison.
The announcement was made at the conclusion of the 2022 World Championship held in Columbia, S.C., by Tony Forte, president of USAngling, which conducts the world championship bass fishing event along with other competitions.
The 2023 World Championship will be held in Portugal; 2024 in Italy; 2025 in South Africa, Forte said.
“We are very excited to partner with Hot Springs for the world championship in 2026 and the previously announced 2023 Pan American Bass Fishing Championship events, also on Lake Hamilton,” Forte said. “Hot Springs has hosted many major bass fishing events over the years, and they are the perfect partner for USA Bass.
“Hot Springs was the clear choice to host both the Pan American Championship and the World Championship. The community, the facilities and lake are all world class. We look forward to showcasing these to anglers all over the world.”
“As a city, we are honored to have been selected to host the world championship of bass fishing,” Arrison said. “As Tony pointed out, Hot Springs knows fishing. With our three crystal lakes, we are a world-renowned destination for both recreational and professional fishing. We look forward to hosting the best bass fishermen in the world in 2026. We’ll show them a great time in addition to some great fishing.”
USA Bass is part of U.S. Angling, a 501c3 charitable organization that supports the USA Bass Team as they compete in Pan-American and World Championship fishing events. USAngling is the American representative to the Federation Internationale de la Peche Sportive en Eau Douce (FIPSED). FIPSED is the global governing body of sportfishing and only “recognized” entity to hold sanctioned fishing world championships.
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