By MLF Communications Staff

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – The MLF Bass Pro Tour is set to visit Guntersville, Ala., and Lake Guntersville this week for the fourth regular-season event of the 2023 season. Competition starts today and runs through Sunday.

Although Lake Guntersville has hosted hundreds of professional-level bass tournaments over the years, this tournament will mark the first time that the BPT has visited Alabama’s largest lake.

“There were some down years between 2016-19, but it’s been getting better every year,” said local pro Randy Howell, who won the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on the venue. “The grass is healthy and there have been some really good spawns. The lake is full of 2- to 4-pound fish right now. It’s as good as it’s been in 10 years or longer.”

With the lake fishing well and the event held during an excellent time of year, Howell expects big things from his adopted home lake.

“Boy, the fish are going to be biting,” Howell said. “What’s good about this time of year is you will be able to catch them however you want to, there will be some fish shallow and some out deeper already. It will be an event where everything seems to be working.”

Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. CT from the Guntersville Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Drive. Each day’s takeout will be held at the launch location beginning at 4 p.m.

The tournament will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on today and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the Top 20 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round.

In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the Top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final-day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW! will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.