Toyota Series to Kick Off 2021 Season Opener on Lake Shasta
REDDING, Calif. – The Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Western Division will kick off the 2021 season with a tournament next week in Redding, California, Jan. 28-30, with the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Lake Shasta. Hosted by the Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus an additional $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.
“This is going to be an interesting tournament,” said Toyota Series angler Jason Milligan of Cottonwood, California. “The water took longer to cool off this year and due to that, the bait and fish aren’t really grouped up like they typically would be. The water is also a lot clearer than usual. We generally see green-colored water but it’s like desert clear right now – you can see down 15 feet in some spots.”
Milligan said things can change quickly though on the mountain reservoir and with a week to go before the event and weather between now and then, it’s likely the conditions will change.
“There’s a lot of bait in 45 to 65 feet right now,” Milligan added. “You can catch fish out there, but they’re small. There’s still a ton of fish in the lake, but it’ll be different than in years past – getting some rain and color in the lake should help. These western reservoirs fluctuate a lot. If we stay on a dropping trend the fish won’t move up, but if the lake stabilizes or comes up, it’ll be like a light switch.
“I expect this event will be tougher than usual for Shasta, but it’s still one of the places we broke records at not too long ago, so I’m excited to see what happens.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7:30 a.m. PT from the Bridge Bay Resort in Redding. Weigh-ins will also be held at the Bridge Bay Resort and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are 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 MLF5 Bonus qualified. 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 MLF5 Bonus qualified. 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 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2021 Toyota Series Championship presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.