TULSA, Okla. (Sept. 20, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced Tuesday the schedule, rules and entry dates for the 2023 MLF College Fishing and 2023 High School Fishing seasons. Both circuits include advancement opportunities to compete in the 2023 Toyota Series Championship, and for college anglers, enhanced payouts with a shot to compete against pros for a $300,000 top prize at REDCREST 2024.
The winning team at the 2023 College Fishing National Championship will receive $43,500, including a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower Mercury and $10,000. The winning team also advances to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot at winning as much as $235,000. The highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship advances to REDCREST 2024. The runner-up at the 2023 College Fishing National Championship will receive a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by Mercury. The team will also advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros. Third place at the 2023 National Championship will receive $4,000 and advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for the chance to win a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower Mercury. Fourth and fifth place will receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively, with sixth through 10th receiving $1,000 each.
Additionally, each angler finishing in the top 10 at the 2023 College Fishing National Championship will receive priority entry into the 2024 Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Invitationals and the Bass Pro Tour. Every tournament will feature live weigh-in coverage on MLF NOW!, and the National Championship will receive national television coverage on CBS Sports.
MLF will recognize the top performing school with the School of the Year title, which includes a $10,000 award. Each school receives the total points earned by its top two teams in each tournament. School of the Year is awarded to the school with the highest point total from its three best tournaments.
“We are extremely excited about our new offerings for our college anglers, including a Phoenix boat for first and second place at the National Championship with cash awards through 10th place, and, for the first time ever, the opportunity for a college angler to compete against the best in the world at REDCREST,” said Kevin Hunt, MLF Senior Director of Tournament Operations, College and High School. “We’re visiting some of the top fisheries in the country at the right time of the year, and, with so much on the line in a condensed schedule, we expect 2023 to be the most competitive season we’ve ever had.”
MLF College Fishing teams can compete in up to eight qualifying tournaments around the country. The top 12 percent of teams from each event will advance to the following year’s College Fishing National Championship.
The successful College Faceoffs will also return in 2023. The four-event series showcases teams competing in an MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release team format. The Faceoff tournaments occur the day following an College Fishing competition, on the same body of water. The results from the College Fishing tournament the previous day determine the 20 competitors for the College Faceoff, with the top two teams (four anglers) from the top five schools in the qualifying tournament advancing to compete in the 10-boat Faceoff.
Registration for the 2023 season opens at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 12, 2022, for teams from school clubs represented in the 2022 College Fishing National Championship. All other teams may enter beginning Dec. 13. Fields are capped at 250 boats per tournament, so teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity. Teams can register by calling 270.252.1000. The entry fee is $100 per team.
The 2023 MLF High School Fishing circuit will feature teams competing in eight open events held in conjunction with Abu Garcia College Fishing events so students and parents can network with prospective college teams and coaches during college weigh-ins. MLF High School Fishing Opens are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF)-affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of teams in each tournament advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before June 12, 2023, advance teams to the 2023 National Championship. Tournaments held after June 12, 2023, advance teams to the 2024 National Championship.
Both members of the winning team at the 2023 High School Fishing National Championship, held simultaneously with the TBF High School Fishing World Finals, are guaranteed $5,000 scholarships to the school of their choice, plus the opportunity to compete for a share of more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes. The 2023 High School Fishing National Champions will also advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship as co-anglers to compete on national television for a Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower Mercury.
Registration for the 2023 MLF High School Fishing Opens will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 14, 2022. Teams can register by calling 270.252.1000. There is no entry fee for high school anglers to compete in any MLF or TBF High School Fishing tournament. Both anglers must, however, be a member of the Student Angler Federation (SAF). There is no limit to the number of teams accepted into a tournament from each school or club, but the maximum field size is 250 boats. Teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity.
The popular High School Fishing Camp for students and parents will be held July 19-21 at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.
2023 MLF College Fishing Schedule:
Jan. 20* Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
Feb. 4 Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
March 17* Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
March 18 California Delta** Oakley, Calif.
April 22 California Delta** Oakley, Calif.
April 28* Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
Sept. 8* Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Oct. 27 Lake Hartwell Anderson, S.C.
TBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TBA
* Includes Wiley X College Faceoff
2023 MLF College Fishing Payouts:
Qualifiers
Place Club
1 $2,000
2 $1,000
3 $700
4 $600
5 $500
Top 12% of teams advance to the 2024 National Championship.
A tournament must have at lest 100 boats for awards and point to be active.
2023 College Fishing National Championship
Place Club + Anglers
1 $43,500, including a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro with 115-hp Mercury and $10,000 + 2023 Toyota Series Championship as pros and REDCREST 2024 for the highest-finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship
2 $33,500, including a Phoenix 518 Pro with 115-hp Mercury + 2023 Toyota Series Championship as pros
3 $4,000 + 2023 Toyota Series Championship as co-anglers
4 $3,000
5 $2,000
6 $1,000
7 $1,000
8 $1,000
9 $1,000
10 $1,000
2023 MLF High School Fishing Opens Schedule:
Jan. 21 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
Feb. 4 Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
March 18 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
March 18 California Delta** Oakley, Calif.
April 22 California Delta** Oakley, Calif.
April 29 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
June 21-24 2023 National Championship on Miss. River La Crosse, Wis.
Sept. 9 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Oct. 28 Lake Hartwell Anderson, S.C.
High School Fishing Camp:
July 19-21 Murray State University Murray, Ky.
Complete rules for the MLF College and High School Fishing programs can be found at Major League's website.
** Subject to California DNR approval.