Major League Fishing has brought its high-octane bass fishing television program to Hot Springs.
For six days, beginning Sunday, 24 of the nation's top anglers will compete in the Bass Pro Shop Summit Select presented by Ferguson. Visit Hot Springs is the local host organization for the competition.
The anglers, according to a news release, are filmed over the course of the six-day event. The show captures their efforts as they utilize a demanding format that allows them to weigh all the "scorable bass" they catch.
Unlike other bass competitions, Major League Fishing is filmed "in the dark," the release said, meaning fans are encouraged to not follow the competitors and results are not disclosed until the show airs.
MLF will host a Meet and Greet for fans to meet league boat officials and talent Aly Akers, as well as explore a Major League Fishing boat and have a chance to win signed jerseys. The Meet and Greet will take place on Friday, May 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fisherman's Wharf.
The Major League Fishing Select anglers are Casey Ashley, Scott Ashmore, Zack Birge, Gary Clouse, Ott DeFoe, Kurt Dove, Todd Faircloth, Randy Howell, Chris Lane, Russ Lane, Dave LeFebre, Pete Ponds, Brandon Palaniuk, Keith Poche, Marty Robinson, Mark Rose, Fred Roumbanis, Kevin Short, Fletcher Shryock, Wesley Strader, Scott Suggs, James Watson and newcomers Michael Neal and Cody Meyer.
Short, Roumbanis, Suggs and Rose are all Arkansas residents.
Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said Friday that the program, which will air next year on the Outdoor Network, is "one of the most exciting developments in fishing over the last 20 years. It's really caught on with fishing enthusiasts."
Arrison noted that it is the No. 1 rated show on the Outdoor Network, and is likely to air 15 to 16 times.
"It's a great deal for us," Arrison said, adding that Visit Hot Springs' goal has always been to bring one major tournament a year to Hot Springs.
Developed through a joint effort between Outdoor Channel and two dozen premier bass fishing anglers in 2011, the release said Major League Fishing "brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America's living rooms in the form of riveting two-hour TV episodes."
Unlike other competitive fishing events, live leader boards in the boats allow anglers to know their standings at all times, it said.
The results are not made public, Arrison said, because "they don't want the results out before the show airs."
The television series boasts some of the "biggest names in bass fishing," the release said, and includes Bassmaster Classic champions, Angler of the Year winners and titleholders from both the Bassmaster Elite Series and the FLW Tour.
The GEICO Selects are a companion program to the Major League Fishing Cup series. The events filmed in Arkansas will begin airing in January 2018 on Outdoor Channel, the release said.
It is Major League Fishing's second time in Arkansas in its six-year televised history; the first was the 2015 MLF Summit Select fished in the area surrounding Benton.
"I've been fortunate enough to travel around the country with bass fishing and there are not a lot of locations that match the natural beauty and incredible fisheries of Arkansas," Don Rucks, MLF commissioner, said in the release. "Our entire production staff is thrilled to visit Arkansas and looks forward to some truly incredible fishing."
Local on 05/06/2017