Tim’s Ford has been managed by the State of Tennessee as a trophy smallmouth lake for several years, and the 18 inch length limit for keeper smallmouth has been a tremendous help. That’s right, 18 inches minimum length limit to put a smallmouth bass in the live well. That means that Tim’s Ford keeper smallies could very easily weigh in at up to 3 pounds!

The other important reason for choosing Tim’s Ford? While other lakes host either the FLW Tour or the BASS Elite Series on an almost yearly basis, Tim’s Ford has sat in quiet obscurity. And that’s why we found it so appealing. Unlike other lakes where our competitors can draw upon years of knowledge, Tim’s Ford will be brand spanking new and it’s going to take all of the fish finding skill our players can muster to advance to the quarterfinals. Add to that the 18 inch size limit on smallmouth and the 15 inch limit on largemouth and Tim’s Ford will present a host of challenges that will make our anglers have to put their work in to do well. We can’t wait.

What is UMF?

Ultimate Match Fishing is different. With a set of rules designed to challenge professional bass anglers in a way they’ve never been challenged before, UMF comes down to three important factors. The referee, the boat and the dreaded line. First, the referee. No other bass fishing competition has a referee because there isn't a need for one. In UMF, the Ref is essential. Why? Because the UMF boat is divided into two equal halves and the competitors cannot cast past, cross, or land a fish beyond the center line. If they do, referee Mark Randolph will light them up. The first infraction is a warning then after that .02 of an ounce is deducted from their total catch...