BENTON, Ky. (Jan. 6, 2023) – After an extremely successful 2022 season that brought tremendous growth and excitement to the sport of bass fishing, Major League Fishing (MLF) is primed to do it again. The 2023 MLF season kicks off this weekend, Saturday, Jan. 7, with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) opener at Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

The event, hosted by the Jasper County Development District, will showcase more than 350 weekend boaters and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $13,000, including the lucrative Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency award. The last few years, the BFL season opener on Sam Rayburn has drawn major media attention – huge fields and huge bass. The 2020 season opener saw a record-breaking field of 230 boats, and both the 2020 and 2021 events required five-bass limits in excess of 40 pounds for competitors hoping to actually win the tournament.

“The Phoenix Bass Fishing League is the top-level tournament trail for weekend anglers that want to compete in bass-fishing tournaments,” said MLF Senior Tournament Director Daniel Fennel. “It’s only fitting that a BFL event kicks off the year, as it is the premier avenue for anglers, whether they are starting as amateur or striving to become a professional that competes on the Bass Pro Tour.”

With more than 196 tournaments on the schedule this year in the United States alone, the schedule includes MLF’s biggest and most prestigious event, REDCREST IV, which will take place March 8-12on Lake Norman in Charlotte, North Carolina. The General Tire Outdoor Expo – a free family-friendly festival featuring the latest and greatest tackle, boats and equipment – will be held March 10-12 in conjunction with the tournament.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.