KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 24, 2026) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats will continue next week with the second event of the Southern division, March 4-6, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine.
The three-day tournament, hosted by Experience Kissimmee, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and 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.
“Based on the recent weights we’ve been seeing, the Kissimmee Chain seems like it’s fishing pretty healthy right now,” said Toyota Series pro Dylan Quilatan of Windermere, Florida. “It’s taking a lot of mid- to upper-20-pound bags to win lately, and I expect that trend to continue through this Toyota Series event, as well.”
With bass moving through multiple phases of the spawn, anglers should expect to see a strong shallow-water presence.
“They’re definitely spawning, and we’ll probably see a lot of shallow water come into play,” he said. “They’re spawning and post-spawn fish. There’s definitely been a lot of them that have already gone, and a bunch of them are pushing up.”
While shallow patterns may dominate, offshore grass could still factor in, though forward-facing sonar limits may complicate that approach.
“I could see the offshore grass fishing being in play, but the LiveScope limitations may hinder that because the fish tend to move a lot,” Quilatan said. “They can be a lot harder to locate without the electronics.”
Traditionally, Lake Toho has been a go-to for offshore grass fish, while Lake Kissimmee has produced strong spawning bites.
“Traditionally, Lake Kissimmee is the best for spawning fish,” he said. “A lot of people will probably make that run.”
With so many variables in play across the expansive chain, Quilatan plans to keep an open mind in practice.
“I’m just going to sample all the different lakes, see which ones are the healthiest,” he said. “Whichever ones have the biggest fish that I can find, really. I mean, it’s a huge place and there are a lot of different options. I suspect it’ll be pretty good next week with it being right after a cold front. That kind of makes the fish go up and spawn really hard.”
As for baits, Quilatan said he will lean on Florida staples.
“I’ll definitely be throwing a light Texas-rigged stick-style bait – my preference is a Z-Man Bang Stick,” he said. “And then a ChatterBait JackHammer for the hydrilla and grass – I think that’s pretty much what I’ll be throwing, honestly.
“I think the winner is going to end up somewhere around 75 pounds,” Quilatan went on to predict. “Maybe like 23 to 25 (pounds) a day, probably.”
Anglers will take off each day at 7 a.m. ET, launching from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Drive in Kissimmee. Weigh-ins will take place at the marina, starting at 3 p.m. daily. Fans are invited to attend in person and can also stay connected by following the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily updates on 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. 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. 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 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five 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 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
