FOR RELEASE – Ponca City, OK. (November 10, 2025) – The Bass Federation (TBF) announced today that the nation’s top grassroots anglers will get their chance to “Live Their Dream” at the 2026 TBF Federation National Championship to be held on Pickwick Lake, Florence, Alabama, March 18-20, 2026.
“This will be a brand-new venue for the Federation National Championship.” Stated Robert Cartlidge, TBF Federation National President. “We have held many large events in Florence, Alabama in the past and the anglers and families loved it there. But this is our first time for the Federation National Championship spring time event. It should be peak fishing for the best grassroots anglers from across North America.”
TBF anglers competing in the no entry fee event will also enjoy stellar payouts where the prize purse will be increased this year by nearly $40,000 and push the totals in cash and prizes well past $400,000 due to the growth and success of the Federation’s close-to-home low cost TBF National Semi-Finals and state champions program that qualified all the anglers to get here. The framework is designed to make it easier for TBF anglers to fish premier events by minimizing travel time and expenses.
One hundred and seventy of the very best grassroots Anglers in North America have qualified (85 as boaters and 85 as non-boaters) to compete in the 2026 National Championship. The full field will compete the first two days of the event and only the 7 Division Champion boaters and 7 Division Champion co-anglers will compete on the third and final day for the Living Your Dream Prize packages and the National Champion boater and co-angler titles. In addition to the cash prizes all 14 finalists can earn a Living YOUR Dream prize package of various sizes, and can advance to the 2026 BFL All-American if they are qualified.
The National champions and overall winners will leave with the coveted TBF National Champion Boater and National Champion Co-angler Titles and a Living Your Dream (LYD) package. The boater National Champion’s LYD package is valued in excess of a whopping $125,000 in cash and prizes including a brand-new Ranger Z520 powered by Mercury 250HP outboard engine, rigged out and all their own to KEEP! PLUS, a $20,000 CASH prize, paid entry fee stipend into whatever they want to fish and much more!
The Federation strongly believes in the value of co-anglers, so the 2026 National Champion Co-Angler LYD package will be worth over $30,000, including 20K cash PLUS set paid entry stipends into the circuit of choice, and more!
All activities will take place a McFarland Park and are free and open to the public each day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 18, 19, 20, 2026. You can follow all the action with daily live weigh-ins and live leaderboard on www.Bassfederation.com
Coverage of the TBF National Championship will be broadcasted in high definition in the Federation Angler TV block on the Pursuit Channel, on Outdoor Action TV and streamed live from Florance, Alabama on www.Bassfederation.com
About TBF
The Bass Federation Inc. is the oldest and largest, organized grassroots angling organization in America and a member of the freshwater fishing hall of fame. Anchored by the leadership of the state federations, TBF is 100 percent owned by those it serves and is dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing, youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided the foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for 50 years. The Bass Federation is proud “Partners in Fishing” with industry-leading companies including Ranger Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Lew’s, Strike King, T-H Marine, Rapala, Sufix, VMC, Rapala Crush City baits, MLF, and Power Pole. For more information about The Bass Federation, visit bassfederation.com, or call 580-765-9031. Look for TBF on facebook at Facebook.com/thebassfederation and on twitter at Twitter.com/bassfederation.
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