Sport’s Longest-Running Grassroots Championship Brings 94 Top Anglers to Lake Murray for High-Stakes Competition at Dreher Island State Park

COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 19, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to return to Columbia, South Carolina next week, May 28-30, for the 43rd annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American Championship Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Murray. The three-day tournament, hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism, will showcase the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and award the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, plus qualification to REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour Championship – as well as a top prize of $50,000 to the winning co-angler.

“The All-American Championship represents the heart of competitive bass fishing as the longest-running championship in professional fishing history,” said Vickie Davis, Executive Director, Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism. “We are proud to welcome anglers and fans to Lake Murray, the Jewel of South Carolina, and showcase why this region continues to be recognized as one of the top fisheries in the nation. The ongoing commitment of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to conservation, fisheries management and outdoor recreation plays a vital role in maintaining Lake Murray’s reputation as a world-class bass fishing destination.”

While Lake Murray is no stranger to Major League Fishing competition – with 66 events held on the fishery over the past three decades, the majority coming through BFL tournaments – the 43rd annual All-American marks the first time the circuit’s premier championship visits the renowned South Carolina lake. The field brings a blend of seasoned experience and local knowledge, as 25 of the 94 anglers have previously competed in the All-American – including reigning All-American champion Matteo Turano of Puryear, Tennessee –  and four anglers in the lineup already boast victories on Lake Murray, adding an extra layer of familiarity and intrigue to one of the most anticipated events of the season.

Few titles in grassroots bass fishing carry the prestige, tradition and lasting honor of winning the BFL All-American – a championship that has defined careers and elevated anglers to the sport’s biggest stages for more than four decades. Etched into its history are names that have gone on to shape the modern era of the sport, with former champions now competing at the highest levels across the Bass Pro Tour and Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, including Jacob Wheeler (2011), Nick LeBrun (2018) and Matteo Turano (2025).

Local standout Lucas Murphy of West Columbia, South Carolina, has won two Phoenix Bass Fishing League events and finished in the top 10 in three other events on Lake Murray. The local pro, who will be among the competitors, said Lake Murray is setting up to fish differently than a typical late-spring event, with unusual conditions extending the spawn.

“There’s big fish doing a little bit of everything,” said Murphy. “Normally, this time of year the spawn would be completely over, but it seems like it’s been a little bit cooler and lower water, which has kind of elongated the entire spawn process.”

While many bass have moved into a postspawn phase, Murphy noted that some fish are still actively spawning, giving anglers a wide range of opportunities. He added that warming conditions and water temperatures in the mid-70s should continue to push fish into more predictable patterns as the event approaches.

As for techniques, Murphy expects the fishery to offer versatility, with herring-driven patterns playing a key role alongside traditional Carolina staples.

“Guys will be able to fish a little bit of everything in this event,” said Murphy. “You’re going to see a lot of herring fish caught, so I expect to see fluke-style baits like the Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Caffeine Shad and chrome topwaters like the Strike King KVD Sexy Dawg in Carolina Chrome be key players.”

Murphy added that shallow patterns around bream and shellcracker spawns could also produce, with buzzbaits and plopper-style lures in play, while bottom-contact baits like jigs, shaky heads and drop-shot rigs will remain consistent producers. With forward-facing sonar limited during competition, he believes anglers will need to adjust throughout the day, mixing offshore targets with docks and shallow cover.

When it comes to weights, Murphy said recent tournaments have shown the lake’s potential, but conditions will ultimately dictate how the event unfolds.

“To make the Top 10, I think guys will need anywhere from 36 to 40 pounds,” said Murphy. “To win the tournament, I feel like it’s going to be somewhere in the realm of mid, upper 60s.”

Murphy emphasized that weather will be a major factor, noting that wind and cloud cover typically improve the herring bite, while calm, sunny conditions can make fish difficult to catch despite the lake’s exceptional clarity.

“Getting those fish to see your bait is not hard at all – getting them to bite it is incredibly difficult,” said Murphy. “If we get some wind or some decent weather, it’s going to take more weight.”

Despite his familiarity with Lake Murray, Murphy said the fishery’s current conditions have leveled the playing field, even for local anglers.

“It’s not fishing super friendly to some of the local expertise,” said Murphy, noting the lake is nearly three feet lower than usual. “A lot of the places fish are getting aren’t the normal stuff.”

Murphy said he plans to approach the event with a fresh perspective, adding that success could hinge on timing and capitalizing on a handful of key bites.

“I won’t be surprised to do really, really well, but I also won’t be surprised to struggle,” said Murphy. “It’s just the time of year where a few big bites can make or break it.”

Competing close to home adds another layer of excitement for Murphy, who said having family in attendance and spending an extended stretch on the water makes the opportunity even more meaningful.

“Just being a part of the All-American is exciting,” said Murphy. “It’s one of the cooler experiences I’ve been a part of. I’m looking forward to that experience again but just planning to focus on trying to catch some fish this time.”

Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. ET from Dreher Island State Park, located at 3677 State Park Road in Prosperity. Weigh-in each day will be held at the park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The full field of 47 boaters and 47 co-anglers will compete on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 43rd Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, advanced to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they competed to finish in the top three, which then advanced them to compete in the 2026 BFL All-American. The field also includes the top eligible finisher from each of seven The Bass Federation (TBF) divisions in the 2026 TBF National Championship.

Television coverage of the 2026 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Presented by T-H Marine will premiere this fall on CBS Sports. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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.