Major League Fishing (MLF) and 27 of the world’s best pro anglers wrapped production this past weekend at the General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier presented by Toyota in Bolivar, Missouri. The event was filmed entirely for television broadcast and shot over six days, featuring nine teams of three anglers competing to finish in the Top e to advance to the General Tire Team Series Championship.
The six-episode, two-hour series features the anglers visiting southwest Missouri to compete on different areas of Stockton Lake on each day of competition. The anglers did not learn which sections of the lake they were competing on until they arrived to the launch ramp each morning, creating a reality-based television episode that showcases how they break down new and unfamiliar waters.
The nine teams that competed were:
Team B&W Trailer Hitches
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Team Builders FirstSource
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas
Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas
Team Crockett Creek
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga.
Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
Team Ferguson
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz.
Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.
Team Fox Rent A Car
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
Team Knighten Industries
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.
Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.
Team Kubota
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.
Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga.
Team Star brite
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
Shaw Grigsby, Gainesville, Fla.
The event will air on the Outdoor Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Feb. 11, 2023, from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.
The winning three-man team in the General Tire Team Series Championship will claim the $300,000 top prize. The second-place team will earn $60,000, and the third-place team will win $30,000. Teams 4-9 in the championship will each earn a $15,000 prize. All anglers receive $3,000 for participating in the no-entry fee qualifying events.
