Major League Fishing announced this week that Guntersville, Alabama has been selected to host the 2022 Toyota Series Championship, Nov. 3-5 next year on Lake Guntersville. The three-day, no-entry-fee event, hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports, will be the culmination of the six-division 2022 Toyota Series.
Located in Marshall County and spanning 69,000 acres, Lake Guntersville is the state’s largest lake and has played host to some of the biggest events in competitive bass fishing. The fishery previously hosted the Toyota Series Championship in 2018.
With lodge accommodations, cottages, chalets and campgrounds, as well as an abundance of attractions, including swimming, boating, recreational fishing, golf and tennis, Lake Guntersville State Park is an outdoor adventure destination that ranges over 6,000 acres of natural woodlands.
"We look forward to hosting the anglers who qualify for the Toyota Series Championship at Lake Guntersville in the fall of 2022, including the international anglers and their families and friends,” said Katy Norton, president of Marshall County Tourism and Sports. “We are honored that Major League Fishing would consider our lake for their Toyota Series Championship and are excited to see the anglers bring in big weights and big bass during the competition."
The 2022 championship will launch from Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Drive in Guntersville. Home to local concerts and numerous community festivals, the park stretches along the lake’s shoreline and includes a T-dock, amphitheater, walking trails and pavilions, making it an ideal location for hosting fishing tournaments, 5K runs and corporate picnics, as well as enjoying outdoor recreation.
“Lake Guntersville is one of the premier fisheries in the country and has been the site of many successful MLF events through the years," said Mark McWha, MLF Toyota Series tournament director. “We expect to see a lot of big bags that time of year, especially with the caliber of anglers who will be in contention, and are thrilled to be working again with Marshall County Tourism and Sports to bring the championship back to Alabama.”
The 2022 Toyota Series consist of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division.
The championship field will feature the Top 25 pros, Top 25 co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the Top 12 pros and 12 co-anglers from the Wild Card division; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six BFL Regional Championships and the Wild Card at the All-American; the Top 3 teams from the College Fishing National Championship; the High School Fishing National Champions; the TBF National Champions; and up to two pros from each MLF International Country.
Pros will compete for a shot at winning $235,000 cash at the championship, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. The winning co-angler at the championship will earn a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat (or comparable model) with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The highest-finishing pro from each of the six divisions and the International Division at the championship will also receive a $10,000 bonus.
