KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2025) –The first Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournament of the 2025 season is set to kick off next week, Feb. 21-23, at Lake Toho and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes – the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 1 Presented by Vosker.

The three-day tournament, hosted by Experience Kissimmee, will feature a field of pro 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 excited to welcome the Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Invitationals to Lake Toho and the Kissimmee area,” said Tyler Weyant, Director of Sports Development at Experience Kissimmee. “It’s an honor to continue our relationship with MLF, building on the success of our past collaborations. To all participants, families, and friends joining us for the tournament, I encourage you to explore our local shops, diverse flavors of our restaurants, and rich heritage that makes Kissimmee a must-see destination.”

Although Lake Toho and the Kissimmee Chain have played host to dozens of MLF tournaments over the years – including four Bass Pro Tour events since 2019 – this event marks the first time since 2019 that a professional-level MLF tournament with the five-fish weigh-in format will be held.

Known for its sprawling waterways and healthy bass populations, the Kissimmee Chain should offer anglers the chance to catch fish in all phases of the spawn, setting the stage for an extremely competitive tournament, according to pro Blake Smith of Lakeland, Florida, who will be among the competitors.

“Since December, we’ve already seen a few waves of fish spawning,” Smith said. “Guys are going to be able to catch some prespawn, some spawning, and some postspawn fish in this one.”

Smith said that he expects Lake Toho, where the tournament launches, to remain the most popular destination on the chain for anglers, but he predicts that some anglers may venture further due to the dense vegetation.

“Toho is always pretty good, even though right now it is a little choked out,” Smith explained. “There’s a lot of topped-out vegetation, so it’s really going to be a pick-your-poison kind of deal. You can fish Toho and punch and flip grass, or head to the other lakes like Kissimmee, Cypress or Hatchineha. Those lakes absolutely will play in this one. Especially for the guys that don’t like flipping.”

Recent weather fluctuations have added another layer of complexity.

“We’ve had some crazy weather in Florida this year,” Smith said. “It’s not been taking tons of weight to win tournaments lately, but somebody is usually in the mid-twenties for the top bag.”

When it comes to bait choices, Smith shared some standout picks.

“The first thing I’ll throw, without a doubt, is a Yamamoto Senko – it’s a staple here,” he said. “I think we’ll see a lot more of the bigger glide baits playing, now, as well. They’re getting to be pretty popular down here. I’ll have a Bucca Trick Shad tied on. And I think the traditional Florida favorites like ChatterBaits, swim baits, and (Yamamoto) Speed Senkos will all come into play.”

For this event, Smith said he expects the winner to average about 25 pounds per day, with a final three-day total of 75 pounds likely to take the crown.

“If you can get to 20 pounds a day, you’re going to be in good shape,” Smith went on to say.

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Drive in Kissimmee, Florida. Weigh-ins will be held at the marina and will begin at 3 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 top circuit.

In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field compete in the two-day opening round on Days 1 and 2 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 Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Presented by Vosker will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight.

New this season, 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. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 1 at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Presented by Vosker will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 4 on CBS Sports Network.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals 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 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals 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.