With a field of 36 pros and a lot on the line, the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship Presented by Phoenix Boats should be a fascinating tournament. A great tournament fishery, the Mississippi River (Pools 7, 8, and 9) provides anglers with a ton of options and the ability to make a lot of key decisions over the course of a day.
Here’s what to expect in the last fling of the year.
Mississippi River
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Sept. 5-7, 2025
Hosted by Explore La Crosse
You need to go back pretty far to find a three-day MLF event on the river in September, as most of the time MLF’s bigger events head to Wisconsin in July and August. The most recent event in question was a 2014 Rayovac FLW Series event, which Jimmy Johnson won on wing dams. However, there’s nearly always a Great Lakes Division Super Tournament out of La Crosse in September, and they provide a good idea of what you can expect out of the best locals over two days. In 2024, Kevin Ruh won with 40 pounds, 7 ounces over two days, including a big 22-4 sack on Day 2, and in 2023, Dan Mohn topped the field with 37-4. This year, it has taken better than 20 pounds to win every BFL out of La Crosse, though August will put a lot of tournament pressure on the fishery, so it may be wise to temper expectations a little.
The last time the Invitationals were at the Mississippi was July 2023, when Matthew Stefan won with 48-6 over three days, mostly with a wacky rig on Pool 7. In 2021, in late August, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE was won by Jimmy Washam and he caught 17-15 (5) in the Championship Round. That particular event could be a good one to look to as an example for this event, as topwater played big, there was a solid frog bite, and Washam won on a very current-related area.
What to expect this time
With takeoff in Pool 8, right at La Crosse, the pros can fish in Pool 8, or lock up to Pool 7 or down to Pool 9. A lot of times, there will be one pool that turns out to be the hot pool for the week, though events don’t always get won in whichever pool is the most popular. The last few years, Pool 7 has been very good, but Pool 8 still produces a lot of checks and wins, in part due to the increased fishing time anglers gain by not needing to lock.
Steve Lopez finished runner-up in 2023, and he’s a fair bet to do well again this time around. As he sees it, we’re in for an excellent event.
“It’s been pretty phenomenal this year,” Lopez said. “They had some good spawns or really good bait, the weights are really high. I don’t expect it to slow down anytime soon. I think it’s only going to get better as we get into September as well.”
Lopez relishes the chance to fish a big event in his home state, and he loves everything about river fishing.
“I look forward to current and grass, and the northern strain of bass just bite a little bit different – they bite a little bit harder,” he said. “My favorite part about that river is that anything can win. Like, Jimmy (Washam) won with a Neko rig. Stefan won with a (wacky rig). Bobby (Lane) almost won flipping. Mike Brueggen always does well with a frog. I just think there’s so much diversity in that body of water that makes it truly one of the best tournament bodies of water we go to. And now you add in September with topwater – it’s going to be phenomenal TV.”
Closer to the event, watching the water temperature and level will be key. Lower water can pull fish out of the shoreline cover and vegetation, making them more accessible on sand drops and wing dams. Cooler weather could trigger a transition in what the fish feed on.
“They will start transitioning to shad,” Lopez said. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen or not, but there’s definitely going be a big transition to the shad coming up here soon. September and October is typically when it happens.”
Headlines to watch for
With a field of only 36 boats and up to $135,000 on the line (plus REDCREST qualification), this event has drama built in. Add in locks, explosive topwater bites and a super cool fishery, and you’ve got everything needed for a heck of a derby.
Here are a few keys to the event.
- The locks – In 2023, Stefan almost didn’t win. In fact, about half the Top 10 almost didn’t weigh on the last day, as barge troubles at the lock to Pool 7 made getting back on time a wild scenario. So, everything could go smoothly, or locking could provide some incredible drama.
- Watch the conditions – With fall potentially on the way come September, there’s a chance for fish to be transitioning out of summertime patterns. Also, as is always the case on the river, a sudden rise in water level, from rain that never even fell in La Crosse, can change the entire complexion of an event.
- It’s an incredible field – This particular field is stacked with interesting talent. On the one hand, you’ve got some anglers that are super-tuned for shallow rivers, like Dustin Smith, Keith Poche and Bobby Lane. On the other hand, Banks Shaw and Mitchell Robinson could do things that have never been done before on the river, which would be must-watch TV for anyone trying to raise their game. Suffice to say, it’s one to watch.
Follow along
You can follow the action from the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Mississippi River during all three days of competition, Sept. 5-7 on MLFNOW! and stay locked to MajorLeagueFishing.com for on-the-water galleries, daily stories and more.
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