Register for the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open

San Antonio, TX (August 21, 2025) – The second event of the 2025-26 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series will be the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.  Set to be contested at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR on October 11-12, 2025, this ACA major tournament is a no-entry-fee, double points event which will feature media coverage on a variety of streaming platforms, live coverage, social media promotions and is nationally televised on several networks.

The no-entry-fee AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will feature a total payout of over $20,000 in prizes and contingencies.  Along with the valuable prizes, teams will be eligible to earn double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  The ACA’s second event of the 2024-25 season will be a key event in determining the Top 25 teams in the nation entering the second half of the season.

Register for the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open

AFTCO is the title sponsor of this ACA major event, and has been for many years now.  AFTCO’s support of fishing and the longevity of this sport is evident in everything the company does.  Through the company’s 10% Pledge to Protect & Conserve, as well as a variety of conservation efforts, AFTCO works to preserve fisheries for future generations to continue to enjoy.

Anglers competing at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will have the opportunity to participate in the AFTCO Bank Bag Program.  Student anglers are encouraged to fill the yellow Bank Bags with trash from around the lake and park area.  Upon returning the filled Bank Bag to an ACA staff member, the angler will receive a $25 AFTCO gift card.

“We look forward to the second stop of the 2025-26 season at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR,” said Kyle Curry, ACA Managing Director.  “Lake Dardanelle is a diverse fishery that offers college anglers from all across the nation with the opportunity to fish their strengths and get bites.  This will be a key event in shaping the race for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia through the first half of the season.”

Last year, during the ACA’s historic 20th season, the 2024 installment of this event fielded a record number of participants.  Over 250 teams competed for two days on this Arkansas River fishery.

As the second event of the 2025-26 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will be the second ACA double points event of the current campaign.  The field of elite anglers will be competing for valuable double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  With this event being towards the beginning of a new season, it has a great deal of impact on college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system.  Teams can make significant moves up in the standings with a strong showing, while a poor showing could also send a school down in the rankings and have them playing catch up for the rest of the year.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will be a nationally televised event that results in the production and airing of two full length episodes highlighting the event, tournament coverage, and promoting AFTCO’s conservation efforts.  A full live blog will be maintained throughout the tournament, and the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will be featured in the Rapala #WeAreCollegiateBass Podcast in the coming weeks to promote the tournament, fishing conditions, and more.