MLF Toyota Series at Lake Eufaula Presented by Chewalla Creek Marina set to visit Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. – The Major League Fishing Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to return to Eufaula, Alabama, next week, May 11-13, for the Toyota Series at Lake Eufaula Presented by Chewalla Creek Marina. Hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, the three-day tournament is the third and final regular-season event in the Toyota Series Southern Division.
“We had an early spring, so a lot of fish spawned early,” said Bass Pro Tour pro Randy Howell of Guntersville, Alabama. “But it’s been a cooler latter part of spring, so I think that’s kept some fish still in the shallows. But for the most part, there are a lot of fish already offshore and I think deep offshore cranking and big worms will probably dominate this tournament.”
Howell said that if he was competing in this event, he’d have a 1-2 punch of baits ready to go.
“Usually at Eufaula, in April and May, there is typically a shad spawn going on early in the morning,” Howell said. “For the first two hours of the day, I’d be throwing a white Lunker Lures HD swimjig around the shallow grass. And a spinnerbait, and maybe even a buzzbait or topwater stuff. I’d be pushing that in the first hour.
“Then, after that sun comes up, I’d head out to the depths and be looking at brush piles and ledges and things like that,” Howell continued. “I’d throw a big Livingston Deep Impact crankbait. Another bait that’s always good on Eufauls – big worms. A big Yamamoto Kut Tail worm, a big Senko – they always seem to do really well there.”
Howell predicted that the winner is going to weigh in a big limit on the first day of competition and then back it up with a couple of solid days.
“A big bag this time of year is going to be 25 pounds,” Howell went on to say. “I think we’ll probably see a big bag on the first day. But putting that together for three full days is the hard part. I think 64 pounds for three days will win this tournament.”
After two regular-season events in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southern Division, Jessie Mizell of Myakka City, Florida, leads the Southern Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 510 points, while Alan Hults of Gautier, Mississippi, who has already won the Central Division Co-angler of the Year, also leads the Strike King Co-angler Southern Division AOY race with 509 points.
Anglers will launch each day at 6 a.m. CT from Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive in Eufaula. Weigh-ins will also be held at the State Park and will begin at 2 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at 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 $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 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 outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 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 outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six 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 V. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Next Gen Lithium, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X 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.