The Bass Federation (TBF) announced today that Oklahoma's Grand Lake will be the site of the 2013 TBF Federation National Championship. The event will be held April 8-13 and will launch out of the new Wolf Creek Park in Grove, Okla.
Grand will also be the site of next year's Bassmaster Classic.
“We are excited to be hosting another National Championship in Grove at our new Wolf Creek Park Launch Facility,” said Bruce Johnson, city manager of Grove. “This is another great tournament that will continue to enhance our region as a top fishing destination.”
The TBF Championship will be held in conjunction with the FLW Tour event at Beaver Lake, located just across the state line in Arkansas.
“We’re excited to return to Grand Lake, as it holds a special place in the Federation’s history,” TBF national president Robert Cartlidge said. “Grand Lake was the site of the first national presidents meetings, and host to the last six-man team national championship in 1980. The Federation hasn’t been back to the fabled fishery for a national championship since that event 33 years ago.”
That 1980 event was won by Ken Cook, then a young Oklahoma Fisheries biologist. Cook went on to compile a distinguished pro career that included a Classic victory.
"Thirty-three years is a long time not to visit such a great fishery, but to be honest we had outgrown the facilities,” Cartlidge said. “Until recently, when the City of Grove had the vision to build a new state of the art facility at Wolf Creek Park. This is definitely a case of 'build it and they will come.' I applaud the city and lake association leaders for their vision. We are thrilled to be on our way to Grand Lake in April.”
