2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Info 9-2025

The 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit offers a guaranteed $100,000 first-place award at all six qualifying events and the no-entry-fee Championship (plus a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus that pushes the top award to $135,000 for qualified pros) for the biggest event payouts outside of the Bass Pro Tour. The entry fees have been lowered from previous years and are now $5,000. Additionally, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit offers seven direct berths to REDCREST 2027 for the winner of each tournament and the Championship. Regardless of event field size, 50 anglers will have Championship berths. The Top 5 anglers in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year standings will advance to the 2027 Bass Pro Tour with no double-qualifying restrictions. The angler who wins AOY will receive $50,000.

Event Formats

Stops 1-6

Traditional five-biggest-bass, weigh-in format. Forward facing and/or 360-degree sonar is allowed for 3 hours each day. Anglers choose their own 3-hour use period. Compliance will be verified by MLF.

  • Days 1 & 2: The full field of up to 150 professionals compete 
  • Day 3: Top 50 (or one third of the field) based on cumulative weight from days 1 and 2 continues competition. Winner determined by cumulative weight from all three days.

Championship

Traditional five-biggest-bass, weigh-in format. Forward facing and/or 360-degree sonar is allowed for 3 hours each day. Anglers choose their own 3-hour use period. Compliance will be verified by MLF.

  • Days 1 & 2: Top 50 professionals based on Angler of the Year standings compete 
  • Day 3: Top 10 professionals based on cumulative weight from days 1 and 2 continue competition. Winner determined by cumulative weight from all three days.

2026 Payouts

$50,000 Fishing Clash Angler of the Year:                                                         

The top pro from the point standings after six Stops (ties resolved by total weight for the season, then by total fish for the season and then by total live fish for the season) wins the Angler of the Year title and $50,000. 

Rookie of the Year:

The top pro from the point standings after six Stops (ties resolved by total weight) who has never fished four or more MLF Pro Circuit (Invitationals, FLW Tour or Majors), Bass Pro Tour or B.A.S.S. Elite Series tournaments as a pro in any one season wins the Rookie of the Year title.

Requalification and Advancement to the Bass Pro Tour:

At the end of the 2026 season, the top five (5) pros based on Angler of the Year rank qualify for the Bass Pro Tour. If a pro is double-qualified for the Bass Pro Tour, the next eligible pro based on Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler of the Year rank will qualify. The top 100 pros based on Angler of the Year rank requalify for the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit (round 1 qualifiers). Ties in this round will be broken first by total weight for the season, then by total fish for the season and then by total live fish for the season. Twenty-five (25) pros from the 2026 Toyota Series (top five from each of five U.S. divisions) qualify for the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit (round 2 qualifiers). If a round 2 qualifier is already qualified for the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit through round 1, the next eligible angler from the Toyota Series will qualify (see Toyota Series rules for complete qualification process). The 2026 All-American boater-division winner, 2026 TBF National Championship boater-division winner, and the highest finishing pro from the International division at the 2025 Toyota Series Championship qualify for the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit (round 3 qualifiers). Bass Pro Tour pros who did not requalify for the 2027 Bass Pro Tour season qualify for the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit (round 4 qualifiers). Round 1, 2, 3 and 4 qualifiers must enter all six tournaments to secure their spot. The balance of the 150-pro field will be filled first by 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers not included in round 1 entering all six tournaments, then by 2027 Bass Pro Tour anglers entering all six tournaments followed by 2026 Toyota Series pros entering all six tournaments who finished in the top 25 in their division. Any remaining spots will be offered to the public with priority given to anglers fishing all six tournaments and then by date and time of entry.