MANY, La. (March 20, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to return to Toledo Bend Reservoir next week, March 26-28, for the second event of the 2024 Southwestern division – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Toledo Bend Reservoir.
The three-day competition, hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
“Toledo Bend has been fishing really healthy – the fish are great quality right now, especially the prespawners,” said Bass Pro Tour pro Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana. “It should be be a very good tournament – I predict it’ll take 70 to 75 pounds over three days to walk away with the victory at this one.
“We’ve had a ton of rain in this part of the country, and normally that’s a great thing on Toledo Bend – the lake gets full, and the fishing is great,” LeBrun continued. “But they’re keeping the lake low for some reason, and any time the water has come up lately, they’ve been bringing it back down. So, that limits you a little bit on how you can fish shallow and is really going to benefit the forward-facing sonar guys.”
LeBrun said that the recent cooler temperatures has kept the big females from spawning, and he expects the tournament will be won by anglers fishing a little bit deeper – the 8- to 12-foot range targeting fish staging. However, he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of sight-fishing playing a role.
“There will be some on the bank spawning, and with the water levels low I think sight-fishing will be a player” LeBrun said. “But I don’t think the conditions have been stable enough to win the event sight fishing. I think if a guy can catch two or three good ones on the bank, then mix in a couple from offshore, that will be pretty strong.”
LeBrun said that he expects minnow-type baits and jerkbaits would be strong offerings from the forward-facing sonar anglers, and anglers hitting the bank would be throwing wacky-rigged Senkos, light Texas rigs, and ChatterBaits if it is a windy day.
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from Cypress Bend Park, located at 3462 Cypress Bend Drive in Many. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.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 up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
