FLORENCE, Ala. (Jan. 28, 2025) –The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Florence, Alabama, next week, Feb. 5-7, for the first event of the Central division – the  Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Pickwick Lake.

The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit the Shoals, 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.

As anglers prepare for the 2025 MLF Toyota Series event on Pickwick Lake, excitement is high due to the lake’s current fishing conditions. The winter months have seen impressive catches, with multiple 20-pound bags being weighed in at recent tournaments. Local angler and seasoned competitor, Jimmy Washam of Stantonville, Tennessee, said he believes this tournament could see some of the highest weights in recent years.

“Pickwick has been on fire – it’s probably fishing as good as I’ve ever seen it,” Washam said. “The lake has been producing a lot of big largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. In fact, we’ve been seeing 10 to 12 bags over 20 pounds per event recently. It just seems like there are a lot more 4- and 5-pounders showing up this year.”

In a tournament last month, Washam weighed in a 5-pound smallmouth, a 5-pound spotted bass and multiple 5-pound largemouth, a feat he said makes Pickwick Lake unique.

“There aren’t many lakes in the country where you can weigh in three species of black bass over 5 pounds in one bag,” said Washam. “That’s why Pickwick Lake is held in such high regard among anglers. This is a bold statement, but I believe if things go just right for someone, it could take up to 80 pounds to win the three-day event.”

Washam said bait choice will be crucial, with a variety of techniques expected to come into play. He anticipates cranking and throwing lipless crankbaits like the Azuma Shaker Z will be popular, as well as fishing with a Ned rig and a jig, particularly around the tailrace smallmouth. The Tennessee native said the Alabama rig and jerkbaits are also expected to be players.

“Stable weather is definitely a plus,” Washam said. “In looking at the extended forecast, there’s a good chance we’ll avoid any extreme cold fronts, which can make things tricky. The lake’s in full winter mode now, and we could see some rain, which will likely help the current flow and make the fish easier to find.”

With water temperatures dipping to around 44 degrees, Washam said anglers will likely find fish at depths ranging from 10 to 20 feet, though shallower waters could become productive with warmer rain.

“I’m looking forward to a great event,” Washam added. “Fishing at home, on one of the best lakes in the South, with the potential for multiple 5-pound bass of different species – it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Anglers will begin each day at 7 a.m. CT, launching from McFarland Park at 200 Jim Spain Drive in Florence. 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 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, Vosker, 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.