GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 9, 2018) – The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) is heading to Kentucky and Barkley lakes Oct. 18-20 for one of six BFL Regional Championship Tournaments. The three-day event, presented by Evinrude, will feature the highest-ranked 45 boaters and 45 co-anglers from each of the Hoosier, Ozark, Michigan and Mississippi BFL divisions, along with the five individual qualifying event winners.

The winning boater will receive a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Evinrude outboard and a check for $20,000, while the winning co-angler will receive a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Evinrude outboard. The top six boaters and co-anglers at each regional will advance to one of the longest-running championships in bass fishing – the 2019 BFL All-American, which will take place May 30-June 1 on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland.

“It’s going to be tough out there. It’s been abnormally warm for October – the water temperature is still around 80 degrees,” said 23-year FLW Tour veteran Terry Bolton of Paducah, Kentucky. “I think the fish have been on early morning, late evening and overnight feeding patterns. I know there’s some cooler weather on the way, which should drop water temperatures. Hopefully that will make them more active during the day.”

Bolton said that both Kentucky and Barkley lakes will be utilized by the field.

“If a competitor wants shallow, off-color water, it’ll be in Barkley. If he or she wants more open, cleaner water, it’ll be Kentucky Lake,” said Bolton. “Shallow flats will always be the key piece of the equation. But which lake will it be on? Will it be on the main lake, or in the mouth or back of a creek? Those will be key decisions.”

Bolton went on to say that he expects a variety of lures to make an appearance.

“Topwater baits will always play a major role this time of year. I also think we’ll see someone do well using a shallow-running, lipless crankbait in the back of a shallow creek,” said Bolton. “Spinnerbaits are a big producer here in the fall. Anything that mimics a shad – like swimbaits – are also good. Going against the norm will be key, just based on the way the lakes have been fishing.”

Anglers will take off from Moors Resort & Marina, located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville, at 7 a.m. CDT each day. Weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The T-H Marine BFL Regional Tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes is hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2019 BFL All-American will take place May 30-June 1 on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.