Championship wins by Hopkins , Taylor highlight another boom season for program
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER PROGRAM By Mitchell Forde
2023 strike king
CO-ANGLER
OF THE
YEAR
Championship wins by Hopkins , Taylor highlight another boom season for program
Think you need to own a bass boat to start fishing tournaments ? Think again . The Strike King co-angler program offers the opportunity to compete alongside pros in both Toyota Series presented by Phoenix Boats and Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine events .
Fishing as a co-angler allows participants to gain valuable experience while reducing the barriers to entering the tournament scene . More than 6,000 unique anglers took advantage of the program in 2023 , nearly matching the record participation numbers from 2022 . In total , the BFLs received 16,373 co-angler entries , while Toyota Series events had
Al Hopkins
PHOTO BY MATT BROWN
3,435 . Since 2019 , co-angler participation has increased by 48 percent for the Toyota Series and 40 percent for BFLs .
“ Co-anglers have great opportunities with MLF ,” said Senior Tournament Director Daniel Fennel . “ Whether you are learning new lakes , new techniques or are out there competing for a spot in our championships , we ’ ve got you covered with the BFL and Toyota Series .”
While it may be less expensive to compete as a co-angler , the rewards can be lucrative — including , potentially , a boat of your own . The co-angler winner of each Toyota Series event in 2023 took home a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat valued at $ 33,500 . The winners out of the back of the boat at the BFL Regionals and All-American each earned $ 50,000 . In addition , the Strike King Co-Angler of the Year in each of the seven Toyota Series divisions received a $ 2,000 prize , while the points winners in the 24 BFL divisions landed $ 500 .
hopkins distances field at toyota series championship
Having never been to Table Rock Lake , Al Hopkins didn ’ t know what to expect from the Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms . He didn ’ t think his Day 1 limit of 10 pounds , 3 ounces was anything special , but given the prevalence of forward-facing sonar , which can make fishing challenging for co-anglers , the Indiana native figured it would put him in the hunt .
Turns out , it marked one of two 10-pound sacks caught on the first day and one of just six in the event . Hopkins landed two of them on his way to a convincing victory . His three-day total of 25-10 bested second place by 6-7 .
“ I come in with 10 pounds on Day 1 and everybody ’ s patting me on the back , ‘ Man , can we take your picture ?’”
72 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | DECEMBER – JANUARY 2024