BAINBRIDGE, Ga. – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series is set to visit Bainbridge, Ga., this week (Thursday through Saturday) for the third and final regular-season event of the Southern Division at Lake Seminole.
The three-day tournament will feature a roster of the region’s top angers 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 motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
Matt O’Connell of Brooks, Ga., who usually competes in the Toyota Series Central Division, said he has an eye on the upcoming tournament on Lake Seminole and is looking to throw his hat in the ring. The Georgia boater has racked up 17 top 10-finishes in MLF competition over the past two years and earned the Toyota Series Central Division’s Angler of the Year honors in 2024.
“Lake Seminole should be fishing pretty good this time of year,” O’Connell said. “I expect it to be a mostly mid-spawn to post-spawn tournament. They tend to spawn a little early down in the southern portion of the state, but we had a colder winter, so my assumption is that they didn’t start really spawning until February. So, there are probably a lot of fish that are starting to pull back out deep, but there will also be a lot still in the spawning phase.”
O’Connell said patterns and baits will vary throughout the field, with Lake Seminole offering anglers the opportunity to fish their strengths.
“Two of the main staples will definitely be ChatterBaits and jerkbaits, but there’ll be Carolina rigs and bigger swimbaits come into play as well,” said O’Connell. “You’re going to see some scoping-style baits – minnows, things like that – play as well. There’s a lot of clear water and a lot of timber for guys to go scope around in Spring Creek and other areas like that, but you can also fish shallow and throw a topwater bait all day if you really want to, so it will be a mix of things.”
With the spawn coming to a close, O’Connell said he expects the weights to be slightly lower than they were earlier in the year but anticipates it will still take a hefty bag to advance to Saturday.
“You’ll need at least one 25-pound bag, but I’d say if a guy has 36-38 pounds, they’ll have a shot at advancing in the Top 25 to the final day,” said O’Connell. “I think it’s going to take a 70-pound three-day cumulative weight to win the event, but what will be interesting is seeing how the event will be won. It’s possible to win it shallow, but I’m assuming it will be won off the angler who has the best couple of post-spawn spots where they’re starting to group up.”
Anglers will begin each day at 7 a.m. ET, launching from the Earle May Boat Basin at 100 Boat Basin Circle in Bainbridge. Weigh-ins will take place at the same location, starting at 3 p.m. daily.
