The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division will wrap up its 2026 season next week with its third and final regular-season tournament, June 11-13, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, on the Arkansas River – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Arkansas River.
The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Muskogee, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
Although the tournament launches from Three Forks Harbor in Muskogee, anglers will have plenty of decisions to make. Pros could lock down to the popular Kerr Reservoir or head up either the Arkansas or Neosho rivers. They could also lock out of the Muskogee Pool in the opposite direction, away from Kerr, and head up the navigation channel on the Verdigris River toward Tulsa.
According to local angler Rodney Copeland, who lives in Sallisaw near Kerr, where anglers choose to fish will be a huge factor in the event.
“There are going to be some who lock down,” he said. “There are going to be some that lock up, maybe as far as two locks up. And with recent events, that Muskogee Pool is fishing well enough that I don’t know if you need to lock up or down to have a good finish. But if you want to get away from the pressure, you can run as far as you want to run.
“I think it’ll be spread out,” he added. “You’re going to have a lot more time to fish if you stay in the Muskogee Pool, and there’s plenty to fish there. With the amount of time you give up to go other places, I think at the end of the day you’ll have a few guys who went up do well, and a few guys who went down do really well.”
Wherever anglers choose to fish, expect them to put the heat on summertime bass with power-fishing staples.
“Junk fishing, power fishing, is what I enjoy,” said Copeland. “Usually, there’s not a finesse situation going on. There are big bass here; this river is really showing out. If it lines up the way that I hope it does, we’re going to see some 20-pound, or close to it. Big river, big fish, big event – it’s exciting.”
As far as what you need to get bit, simple stuff should put plenty of fish in the boat.
“It’s going to be a power-fishing river tournament,” said Copeland. “It’s going to be a swim jig, spinnerbait, flipping and frogging kind of deal. And it’s no secret, the BOOYAH Mobster Swim Jig will be a player in this event.”
From a weight perspective, expect quality fish to hit the scale.
“The river is phenomenal. It’s been fishing great the past several years – it has really come on,” said Copeland. “Somebody is going to have a 20-pound bag one day and back it up. This river, 13 or 14 pounds a day used to be excellent. It’s going to take more than that and has for the past few years.”
Anglers will take off each day at 6 a.m. CT, launching from Three Forks Harbor, located at 5201 Three Forks Road in Muskogee. Weigh-ins will also take place at the harbor, starting at 2 p.m. daily. Fans are invited to attend in person and can also stay connected by following the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily updates on MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, plus $5,000 cash.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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