CULLMAN, Ala. (April 8, 2025) – The third Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the season is set to take place next week, April 15-17, at Lewis Smith Lake – the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 3 Presented by Phoenix Boats.
The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Cullman, Alabama, will feature a field of professional bass anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000. Anglers will take to the water to catch their five biggest bass each day, and the winner will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative total.
“We are thrilled to welcome Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitational to Cullman County,” said Harmony Heard, Executive Director for the Cullman County Tourism Bureau. “Our lakes and outdoor spaces provide the perfect backdrop for a world-class tournament, and we look forward to showcasing our hospitality to anglers and fans from across the country. This event not only highlights our incredible fishing resources but also brings a positive economic impact to our community. We can’t wait to see some of the best anglers in the sport compete right here next week in Cullman.”
Local standout pro Jordan Wiggins of Cullman, who has three top-10 finishes on Smith Lake in MLF competition – including two victories – knows this lake better than most, but he says even anglers who are extremely familiar with the lake will have to stay on their toes.
“Right now, the lake is five feet flooded. If the tournament was this week, it’d be unreal. But the water’s going to be falling, which could make things a little tougher,” Wiggins explained. “Still, I believe it’s going to be a really good event and we are going to catch a ton of fish.”
Wiggins said that right now Smith Lake has fish in all stages of the spawn.
“We’re probably going see a little bit of everything – pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn,” Wiggins said. “You’ll be able to catch plenty of spawning spotted bass, even if you can’t actually see them. There are key stretches they use every year, and that’s where you’ll find ‘em.”
While numbers shouldn’t be a problem, Wiggins noted that size will be the difference-maker.
“You usually have to cull through a lot of little ones to get a decent bag. The key will be finding those sections where the bigger ones have pulled up.”
When it comes to baits, Wiggins is keeping it simple.
“I’ll have a shaky head with a green pumpkin Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm—that five-inch finesse worm is my go-to,” he said. “I might also throw a Neko rig with the seven-inch, but more than likely, it’s gonna be that shaky head doing the work.”
As for weights, Wiggins predicts consistency will be crucial.
“You’re gonna see a lot of 13-pound bags, but I think it’ll take around 16 pounds a day to win. I predict the winner is going to have right around 48 pounds total over three days.”
Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. CT each day from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Road 386 in Cullman, Alabama. Weigh-ins will be held at Smith Lake Park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $4.3 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for the Invitationals Championship, set for Sept. 5-7 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, and a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour – the sport’s premier circuit.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitationals competition, the full field compete in the two-day opening round on Tuesday and Wednesday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Thursday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 3 at Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Phoenix Boats is determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight.
Forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar is limited to only days 1 and 3 of competition. No forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar will be allowed on day 2 of competition.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 3 at Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Phoenix Boats will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 18 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Bubba, Deep Dive, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, WIX Filters and YETI.
