Toyota Series to Host Event on Table Rock Lake
BRANSON, Mo. (Oct. 28, 2020) – The 2020 Toyota Series Plains Division will wrap up with a tournament next week in Branson, Missouri, Nov. 5-7, with the Toyota Series at Table Rock Lake. Hosted by Explore Branson, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus a $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.
“Table Rock recently hosted a regional tournament with lower weights than expected, but I believe that’s due to the amount of pressure the lake has had over the past several months,” said Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Jeremy Lawyer of Sarcoxie, Missouri. “With COVID-19 and the rise of recreational fishing, the number of anglers on the water during the week has been similar to normal weekend or holiday traffic, which has placed atypical pressure on the fishery.”
Lawyer said colder weather and rain rolling through the region this week should cool down the water temperature significantly and he expects to see a more typical Ozark tournament by next week, with a markedly better bite.
“I don’t think anyone will have to drag or fish real slow, throwing a shaky head or trying to finesse the bass – I believe this will be more of a meat and potatoes type of tournament,” Lawyer continued. “I expect to see spinnerbaits and topwater baits like the Freedom Tackle Mischief Minnow come into play, as well as LIVETARGET crankbaits and SPRO RKCrawler crankbaits, which are always really good in the Ozarks.”
Lawyer said anglers should be able to fish their strengths during the tournament, due to the large population of bass in the fishery, and he believes the winning angler will have a mixed bag of both largemouth and smallmouth bass.
“Smallmouth tend to get really active this time of year, so I expect we will see a lot of those weighed, but don’t count out large spotted bass,” said Lawyer. “I presume it will take an average of 17 pounds per day to win and 29 pounds should be enough to make the cut.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. CDT from Table Rock State Park Marina in Branson. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at FLWFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2020 Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.