HUNTSVILLE – The Guntersville Dam is known locally as a prime site for fishing.
A keystone from the Tennessee Valley Authority’s massive public works project nearly a century ago, the dam provides a habitat for bass and other aquatic life.
This weekend, it will be a prime player for Major League Fishing’s Toyota Series Championship at Huntsville’s Ditto Landing. Set for Friday through Sunday, the nation’s best Toyota Series pros and international anglers will compete for a top award of up to $235,000 cash, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and an invitation to Redcrest 2025 – Major League Fishing’s most prestigious event.
Hosted by the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission, the Toyota Series Championship is the culmination of the 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats season, a six-division circuit that offers a path to the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
“We are excited to bring the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to Ditto Landing and welcome everyone for a great week of fishing in the center of the bass fishing capital of the world,” said Joel Lamp, sports development manager of the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to everyone having a great week on the water and showcasing what a great destination we have for fishing.”
The dam, positioned close to Ditto Landing, is perhaps the wild card of the event. In 2022, Nathan Brewer of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., led the Toyota Series event at Lake Guntersville for two days by locking out of Lake Guntersville and fishing below the dam for smallmouth.
“It’s really going to depend on the weather leading up to that for whichever one of those will set up for the win,” Salzman said. “If you get a lot of rain and they’re pumping a lot of current – the dam might do well. If there’s not a lot of current, creeks might win, or the forward-facing guys might win it.”
Bass Pro Tour angler Ryan Salzman of Huntsville is a guide on Wheeler Lake and said he expects to see several patterns in play on the fishery by the time the tournament begins.
“There’s definitely going to be a guy or two fishing around the dam that finish in the top 10,” Salzman said. “I also think we’ll see some guys do really well on topwater, while others make runs up the big creeks.
“Those in the creeks will do really well throwing topwaters and spinnerbaits, but I also think you’ll have a couple guys do really well livescoping.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. from Ditto Landing, which also hosts the weigh-ins at 3 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome at the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and to also follow the action online at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The Toyota Series Championship will premiere on CBS Sports in 2025.
The full field of anglers will compete on Days 1 and 2, with the top 25 pros and top 25 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day. The 2024 Toyota Series champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.
Pros and co-anglers can qualify for multiple awards based on final standings in the championship, including the $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for pros. The winning Strike King co-angler will earn a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115 horsepower outboard motor.
There are six divisions in the series – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and a wild card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.
The championship field features the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine; Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Canada, Central Europe, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.
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