BROOKELAND, Texas (Feb. 25, 2025) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is returning to Sam Rayburn Reservoir, next week, March 6-8, for the second Southwestern division tournament of the 2025 season – the Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

The three-day tournament, hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce, will showcase the region’s top bass-fishing boaters and co-anglers competing for a grand 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.

Known for its consistent production of trophy-sized bass and limits, Sam Rayburn Reservoir is a hotspot for diverse strategies, especially during the transitional pre-spawn period. Local standout Kaden Mueck of Livingston, Texas, who finished in second-place at the first Toyota Series event on Sam Rayburn earlier this year, anticipates another action-packed showdown.

“This time of year, the fish are really spread out – you’ve got some shallow, some staging, and some already making moves to spawn,” said Mueck, who also competes for the Stephen F. Austin College Fishing team. “I’ll be targeting the prespawners – they’re bigger, and they tend to group up better. But we’ll definitely see some solid shallow-water patterns playing out too.”

The versatility of Sam Rayburn ensures that anglers will be able to choose their preferred approach, whether it’s punching shallow grass, cranking offshore structure, or deploying forward-facing sonar to target fish on the move. When it comes to baits, expect to see proven Rayburn staples and some innovative techniques.

“A Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap is a go-to for this time of year,” Mueck said. “We’ll also see some guys dragging Carolina rigs, throwing swimjigs, and possibly some glide baits or swimbaits offshore. And, of course, throwing a minnow using forward-facing sonar. That’s going to be a strong pattern, no doubt.”

With fish staging near drains and the mouths of spawning flats, targeting these transitional areas will be crucial.

“Those staging fish are the big ones, and they’ll make the difference if you can find them,” Mueck added.

“It’s going to take every bit of 70 pounds to win over three days,” Mueck went on to predict. “It takes close to 30 pounds to win any local tournament, and I think we’ll see something similar here. Someone will crack a 30-pound bag, at least one day. It’s doing it for three days that is the hard part.”

Anglers will begin each day at 7 a.m. CT, launching from the Umphrey Family Pavilion at 5438 Sam Rayburn Parkway in Brookeland. Weigh-ins will take place at the same location, 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. 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 2025 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and the 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 2026. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2025 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 6-8 on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, and is hosted by the City of Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, 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, WIX Filters 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.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.