Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament set for Lake Eufuala
Lake Eufaula set to host 200 boaters and co-anglers from four BFL Divisions competing for spot in 2024 BFL All-American, top prize of $60,000
EUFAULA, Okla. – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Arkie, Cowboy, Mississippi and Ozark divisions will finish out the 2023 season in Eufaula, Oklahoma, Oct. 5-7, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Lake Eufaula.
Hosted by the Eufaula Area Chamber of Commerce, the three-day regional tournament will feature the Top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.
The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.
“The water levels on Lake Eufaula are always important to watch leading up to the event,” said pro Kelly Jordon of Flint, Texas, who won on the Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournament on Lake Eufaula earlier this season. “The water is at full pool right now, which really isn’t high. But watch the weather leading up to the event – if there is any rain or the water comes up, you’ll have to get to town on the bank.
“Water clarity is very important, too,” Jordon continued. “There is plenty of muddy water, but I expect most anglers will likely concentrate on the clear water on the lower end of the lake. It’s fall, so the fish are chasing shad. The main-lake bite could be tough – the fish offshore are scattered. But with forward-facing sonar, someone can find those fish and really pick them apart.”
Jordon said that he expects shallow-water pros to be beating the bank throwing spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwater baits, while anglers fishing offshore will be throwing jerkbaits, swimbaits and Alabama rigs.
“The A-rig shines in the fall,” Jordon said. “That could definitely be a big player in this tournament. And it’s Oklahoma – the spinnerbait is going to play. I usually downsize the blades this time of year.
“It’s a great fishery and full of really good fish – 20 pounds a day is always doable there,” Jordon said. “That being said, fall can be really funky and it’s usually a feast or a famine. I think the winner of this one is going to weigh in right around 50 pounds over the three days.”
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT each morning from the South Point-Nichols Point landing, located at 400 Lakeshore Drive, in Eufaula. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2024 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee
The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.