Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to visit LaGrange, Georgia, March 1-3, for the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki . The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win up to $300,000.
Hosted by Visit LaGrange, the three-day tournament marks the second of six Tackle Warehouse Invitational events in 2024, offering competitors a total season purse of more than $3.9 million. The field is also competing for valuable points to win the coveted Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) title – including a $50,000 payout – and to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s premier circuit.
“We are delighted that West Point Lake was chosen as an MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals site,” said Kathryn Tilley, president and CEO of Visit LaGrange. “Our residents and businesses are excited to host such a premiere event and we look forward to sharing our beautiful city with this prestigious fishing community.”
Although there isn’t a lot of MLF tournament history on West Point Lake, there is some that could be extremely relevant. In 2023, boater David McClung won a Phoenix Bass Fishing League event on West Point Lake around the same time of year with a 20-pound bag, fishing a crankbait and jig in stained water. Notably, Blake Tomlin of Greenville, Georgia, finished third in the same event and is signed up to fish the upcoming tournament.
Hailing from nearby Macon, Georgia, Bass Pro Tour pro Josh Weaver grew up fishing club tournaments on West Point and said he thinks we’re in for a good one.
“The lake is definitely coming back around,” said Weaver. “I’m glad to see a big tournament going there, because there has been nothing there for a long time. The time of year they’re going is the best time to showcase that lake.”
According to Weaver, this event could have some old-school flair.
“You can kind of do whatever you want,” said Weaver. “You can go out deep and chase the ones that haven’t come in yet – with spots there are always fish deep – but I think it will be won shallow in one of the creeks, cranking, or by somebody that finds some good brush piles.
“If we get some mild days, I feel like there will be more coming to the bank than there are out deep,” he added. “Regardless, a lot of those fish live shallow year-round, especially the largemouth. I’ve gone over there in January and been able to catch ‘em crankin’.”
These days, there aren’t many events where forward-facing sonar doesn’t play big. Weaver thinks, or hopes, that due to the makeup of the fishery, anglers might need to fish shallow to target winning quality fish.
Weaver said his theory on the event is that cranking for fish transitioning back to spawn will be key, but there are a few potential wild cards.
“John Cox always says the biggest fish in the lake spawn first,” he said. “If we get some warm days, you could see some fish spawning.”
Weaver said the other oddball pattern to watch out for might be a river run.
“You’ll see some people do good running up there, because of the time of year, the fish are pushing up there,” detailed Weaver.
Figuring on a little over 17 pounds a day to win, Weaver thinks that mixed bags of spotted bass and largemouth are almost a certainty.
“Regardless of what you’re fishing for, you’re going to have a mixed bag, just because the spots are so prevalent,” he said. “But there are some big largemouth – that time of year, there will be some 6- to 8-pounders. You’ll see some 14- to 16-pound bags of spots, but I don’t think you’ll see somebody catch all spots.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from the Pyne Road Park Mega Ramp, located at 4481 Roanoke Road in LaGrange. Weigh-ins will also be held at the ramp and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of 150 professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.9 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s top level.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook , Instagram and YouTube.
There are no comments
Please login to post comments