By MLF Communications Staff

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The 42nd annual BFL All-American will get under way today Lake Hamilton. The three-day tournament, which runs through Saturday, will showcase some of the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000.

This event marks the seventh All-American to be held in Hot Springs, and the sixth on Lake Hamilton – both MLF records for the most times a city and fishery have hosted the event. The championship was previously held on Lake Hamilton in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2022, and on DeGray Lake in 2010.

Local pro and noted Lake Hamilton hammer Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs won’t be competing – he’ll be heading to Kentucky Lake to prep for the next event on the Bass Pro Tour. But his deep knowledge of the fishery paints an interesting picture of what competitors can expect, and according to Shuffield, it’s “the best I've ever seen the lake.”

“There’s never been more grass in it,” Shuffield said. “We’re talking milfoil, hydrilla, coontail – some of it growing in 18 feet of water, five to six feet tall. It’s been more than 15 years since we’ve seen that kind of vegetation in places like the fish hatchery and White Oak Basin.”

That resurgence of grass, along with improved Florida-strain genetics, has led to a booming big-bass population.

“There’s been a 10- to 12-pounder caught every week for the last six months,” he added. “It’s a totally different lake than it was five years ago.”

Still, tournament timing presents a unique challenge.

“It’s the beginning of summer, so managing the boat traffic is going to be a challenge,” Shuffield said. “They’ll bite early, but once the wakes start rolling, it’s going to get tough. Someone will have to find something in the grass or stay out deep and get sneaky.”

While shallow brush, schooling fish, and bream bed patterns may factor briefly, Shuffield believes forward-facing sonar and suspended fish will likely dominate.

“It’s probably going to be won scoping with a Damiki rig or a minnow-style bait,” he said. “Those fish are grouped up and chasing bait in 20 to 35 feet of water, and if someone figures out a unique presentation they could absolutely blow the field away.

“It might only take 13 pounds a day to win if guys don’t adjust, but if they figure it out, it could easily take 16 a day or more,” Shuffield predicted. “This lake is full of (7-pounders) and I’d be shocked if we don’t see at least a few 8s or bigger cross the stage.”

Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Hulsey Hatchery Access, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs. Weigh-ins each day will be held at the access and will begin at 2:30 p.m.

The full field of 49 boaters and 49 co-anglers will compete on the first two days of the event. Then the field is cut to just the Top 10 in each division for Saturday's final round.