MASSENA, N.Y. (July 21, 2026) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Northern Division will continue the 2026 season with the second tournament of the year next week, July 30-Aug. 1, at the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the St. Lawrence River.

The three-day tournament, hosted by the Town of Massena, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and 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 plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.

This event will look a little bit different than many recent tournaments that have been held on the river. Tournament waters will be restricted to the section of the St. Lawrence between the Moses-Saunders Power Dam to the east and the Iroquois Dam to the west. That eliminates the long western runs toward Clayton, Cape Vincent and the mouth of the river that have produced many winning catches in recent years.

Instead, the field will compete across roughly 27 miles of river from Massena to Waddington, creating a tighter playing field and putting an increased premium on current-related areas, efficient rotations and maximizing every bite.

Even with anglers unable to travel west of the Iroquois Dam, a wide range of patterns should remain in play. The section of river between Waddington and Massena features strong current, abundant rock and plenty of quality smallmouth habitat. Anglers should be able to catch fish shallow around boulders and current seams, as well as deep with drop-shots, jigs and other bottom-oriented presentations.

Jesse Spellicy of Gouverneur, New York, recently finished third in a Phoenix Bass Fishing League event out of Massena that was also restricted to the area east of the Iroquois Dam. According to him, the condensed playing field should still produce a competitive event.

“It’s going to be equally crowded from end to end – I don’t think there’s one section of the river that sets up better,” Spellicy said. “It could be won anywhere in between. It’s not like Clayton or Cape – that whole 27 miles of river is the same quality of fish and receives the same fishing pressure throughout.

“Everything will be in play, shallow and deep. I’m not certain that somebody could win with largemouth, but it wouldn’t shock me if somebody could get in the top five on largemouth.”

The restricted boundaries could also influence the techniques anglers use. With fewer opportunities to make long runs in search of roaming fish, Spellicy expects traditional St. Lawrence River presentations to play a major role.

“You’re going to see more traditional baits – the tube, drop-shot and jig,” Spellicy said. “And a hair jig for sure up shallow. I don’t think you’re going to see as much of the minnow game play.

“A lot of what ‘Scope does on that end of the river is just confirm that fish are there. You can drift through an area and see fish chase your bait, so you know there are fish there,” Spellicy continued. “A lot of times, it keys you in that you’re going to get a bite, and then you’re teed up. It’s more important in practice than it is during the tournament – once you know they’re there, it doesn’t make them any easier or harder to catch. I don’t see someone making hay in three hours with their LiveScope on and then doing nothing the rest of the day.”

While the western end of the river and Lake Ontario generally offer greater top-end potential, anglers should still expect plenty of heavy smallmouth to cross the stage. The restricted playing field will likely make consistency especially important, as competitors repeatedly cycle through productive stretches of current and rock.

Spellicy believes an average of approximately 21½ pounds per day could be enough to win.

“I think 21½ a day is going to win this tournament – 64 or 65 pounds,” Spellicy went on to say.

Anglers will take off each day at 6 a.m. ET, launching from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Weigh-ins will also take place at the boat launch, starting at 2 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 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. 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. 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 2026 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 in their division’s Angler of the Year standings will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, 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 information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets on 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.