Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today details for the new 2023 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals. Highlighted by six events with a total season purse of more than $3.9 million, the Invitationals will showcase 150 anglers in each event competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2024 for a shot at winning $300,000. The 2023 season will kick off in early February at Florida’s famed bass-fishing paradise, Lake Okeechobee, and wrap up in late July on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational anglers will compete over three days in a five-fish, weigh-in format. All 150 anglers will compete the first two days, with the top 50 pros advancing to the third and final day. The winner of each Invitational will be determined by heaviest three-day cumulative weight. The winner of each of the six Invitationals in 2023 will also receive an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2024. The season-long Invitational Angler of the Year (AOY) will also earn a berth into REDCREST for a total of seven REDCREST qualification opportunities.
“The MLF/Tackle Warehouse Invitationals schedule offers a diverse group of fisheries – some old favorites with a lot of history, and some new locations that we haven’t been to for quite some time,” said MLF Senior Director of Tournament Operations Daniel Fennel. “We expect the Invitationals to fill quickly, as they are an attractive offering for anglers who qualified to test their mettle against some of the best pros in the country en route to qualifying for the Bass Pro Tour and REDCREST 2024.”
Every day of competition will be broadcast live on MLF NOW!® and streamed to the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), and at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Each event will also air on CBS Sports Network, with 12 weeks of 2-hour shows scheduled in 2023.
The top eight pros in Tackle Warehouse Invitational Angler of the Year standings at the end of the season qualify for the Bass Pro Tour.
2023 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Schedule:
Feb. 8-10 Lake Okeechobee Clewiston, Fla.
Hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council
Feb. 28-March 2 Clarks Hill Lake Appling, Ga.
Hosted by Columbia County, Georgia, & Thomson-McDuffie County CVB
April 14-16 Eufaula Lake Eufaula, Okla.
Hosted by the Eufaula Conservation & Fishing Association
May 4-6 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
Hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association
June 17-19 Potomac River Marbury, Md.
Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners
July 25-27 Mississippi River La Crosse, Wis.
Hosted by Explore La Crosse
To fill the 150-angler field, invitations have been extended to the top 75 pros from the 2022 Pro Circuit AOY standings (round 1 qualifiers), the top 15 pros from the 2022 Pro Circuit based on lifetime AOY rank average (excluding their worst year every four years) not included in round 1 qualification (round 2 qualifiers), the top five pros from each U.S. division of the 2022 Toyota Series as defined in Toyota Series rules (round 3 qualifiers), the 2022 All-American boater-division winner, the 2022 TBF National Championship boater-division winner, the highest finishing pro from the International division at the 2021 Toyota Series Championship (round 4 qualifiers), and Bass Pro Tour pros who did not re-qualify for the 2023 Bass Pro Tour season. These anglers can enter beginning Oct. 10 and have until Nov. 7, 2022, to secure entry in all six Invitationals.
Remaining invitations into the 150-angler field will first be extended to 2023 Bass Pro Tour anglers fishing all six Invitationals and will be accepted Nov. 8, 2022. Entries from 2023 Bass Pro Tour anglers fishing five or fewer Invitationals will be accepted Nov. 9, 2022, based on availability. Entries from 2022 Pro Circuit anglers not included in round 1 and 2 fishing all six Invitationals will be accepted Nov. 10, 2022, based on availability, starting with the highest-ranked angler in 2022 AOY standings. Entries from 2022 Pro Circuit anglers fishing five or fewer Invitationals will be accepted Nov. 11, 2022, based on availability, starting with the highest-ranked angler in 2022 Angler of the Year standings. Any remaining spots will be filled by league invitation beginning Nov. 14, 2022. Anglers must enter and pay deposits by 5 p.m. Central time on their assigned entry date or the date an invitation is received. Entries must be made by calling MLF at 270.252.1000.
Complete rules for the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals will be distributed to qualified anglers and posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com early next week.
