The 2025 Major League Fishing All-American Championship will be held in Hot Springs

Little Rock, Arkansas – Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas will host the 42nd annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American, presented by Major League Fishing (MLF).

The greatest amateur weekend anglers in the nation will compete for a grand prize of up to $120,000 in this free competition, which is set for May 29–31, 2025.

The eighth All-American event to be held in Hot Springs and the sixth on Lake Hamilton, it will be hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism.

In addition, this tournament will break the MLF records for the most times an event has been held by a city and a fishery.

The competition was previously staged on DeGray Lake in 2010 and on Lake Hamilton in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, and 2022.

“Hot Springs is pleased beyond words to bring the Phoenix BFL All-American Championship back to our city for the seventh time,” said Steve Arrison, Visit Hot Springs CEO. “The last Championship we hosted was in 2022, and we can’t wait to welcome these world-class weekend bass anglers back to Hot Springs. Our city knows how to show competitors a great time on Lake Hamilton and a great time in their off-the-lake hours, too.

“Our thanks go out to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism for their assistance in bringing the All-American back to Hot Springs,” Arrison continued. “The Championship will focus national attention on the unrivaled outdoor recreation we enjoy here in Hot Springs and The Natural State. We’re already starting to get ready, and we’re excited to welcome them in May 2025.”

“We’re thrilled to announce our return to Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton in 2025 for the biggest grassroots bass-fishing championship in the world,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF Executive Vice president and General Manager. “We’ve held numerous major events in Hot Springs, and it’s an ideal location for us. From the fishery to our partners at Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, to the incredible fan support that we always receive there – we’re so excited and can’t wait to see everyone again in 2025.”

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by the T-H Marine Circuit has been recognized for its contribution to raising public awareness of competitive bass fishing since its founding in 1983.
For those hoping to advance to the Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, and Bass Pro Tour, the event is considered as a necessary first step.

Former All-American winners Shaw Grigsby (1984), Stephen Browning (1996), Jacob Wheeler (2011), Jeremy Lawyer (2016), Nick LeBrun (2018), and Connor Cunningham (2022) are among the players who compete in the Bass Pro Tour and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.

The three-day competition is part of a 24-division circuit that has five qualifying tournaments in each division and 128 events total over the season.

The top six boaters from each division’s qualifying events, along with the Strike King co-anglers and those who place in the top 45, advance to the BFL Regional Tournaments, where they will compete in the longest-running competitive bass fishing championship, the BFL All-American.

This coming fall, the competition’s complete schedule and rules will be revealed.