April 3-6, 2025 in Huntsville, Alabama, will host the REDCREST 2025 Championship at Lake Guntersville. The event features four days of competitive bass fishingas well as an extensive outdoor expo.
- REDCREST 2025 Championship will take place from April 3-6, 2025, at Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama
- REDCREST offers a prize pool of $778,000 for the anglers competing in the event.
- The Outdoor Sports Expo run simultaneously with the championship, offering over 200,000 square feet of fishing gear, live demonstrations, and extensive television and streaming coverage for fans.
REDCREST Tournament Overview
REDCREST is a catch-weigh-immediate release tournament. No fish will be livewelled during the event. Total weight includes every scorable bass per day. The minimum scorable weight is 2 pounds.
April 3 is the Qualifying Round, Day 1 with 50 anglers competing and the total weight carries to Qualifying Day 2.
April 4 is the Qualifying Round, Day 2 with 50 anglers competing. The top 20 anglers, two-day weight total, will advance to Knockout Round.
April 5 is the Knockout Round. 20 anglers compete and the weights are zeroed. The Top 10 anglers advance to Championship Round.
April 6 is the Championship Round with the top 10 anglers from the Knockout Round. All weights are zereod. Placement is determined by the day’s heaviest weights. The top angler crowned REDCREST Champion.
See majorleaguefishing.com for full rules and regulations
REDCREST Day 1 Qualifying Round Updates
Information will be updated as it is available
REDCREST Day 2 Qualifying Round Updates
Information will be updated as it is available
REDCREST Day 3 Knockout Round Updates
Information will be updated as it is available
REDCREST Day 4 Championship Round Updates
Information will be updated as it is available
Lake Guntersville Fishing Report and Tournament Expectations
Some lakes are legends while others are myths. Then there’s Guntersville, the kind of lake that doesn’t just whisper tales of giants lurking in the weeds. It shouts them from the boat ramp.
Lake Guntersville is filthy with bass and the lake is stuffed with forage. A buffet of shad, crawfish, and panfish. Whether you’re flipping reeds or bombing ledges, Guntersville doesn’t just offer opportunities. It demands you take them.
Fisheries Biologist at ADCNR Phil Ekema’s Take On Lake Guntersville
Excerpts from this section courtesy of Major League Fishing via Mitchell Forde
“Even when it’s not good, it’s good,” says Phil Ekema, the Alabama fisheries supervisor who knows this body of water like the back of a weathered hand. A “down year” here still beats the brakes off most lakes on their best days. And right now? It’s not down. Not even close.
Strong spawns in 2016, 2020, and 2021 turned this already-charged reservoir into a ticking time bomb of 5- to 6-pounders. They’re here. They’re angry. And they’re about to meet the 50 best anglers in the world under the REDCREST spotlight.
Offshore ledges, thick eelgrass jungles, miles of riprap and boat docks. This lake’s got it all; a buffet of habitat and hideouts. One-third of it’s covered in vegetation. Enough for bass to tuck in and escape the circus of fiberglass hulls, pounding sonar, and tournament decals.
Speaking of sonar: the tech that sees all, the eye that doesn’t blink, Guntersville has no secrets left. Forward-facing sonar peeled back the curtain. Fish that used to hide in shadows are now outlined in HD, chased across screens, and plucked like ripe fruit.
“They can’t hide anymore,” Ekema says, and there’s a bite of truth in that. Now, every cast feels like a confrontation. Not with chance — but with certainty.
And yet… the lake keeps giving. Week after week. Tournament after tournament. From northern snowbirds escaping winter to local grinders throwing frogs until their shoulders give out. Lake Guntersville takes the hits and spits out personal bests like it’s nothing.
How Bass Pro Tour Professional Justin Lucas Expectations of Lake Guntersville
We’ve had a lingering winter without much fluctuation, but now the water temperatures are finally rising. The days are getting longer, and the sun is heating the water, which should lead to a full-blown spring spawn. The way things are shaping up, I don’t see how we won’t have spawning fish on beds everywhere. I think this will be the biggest spawning wave of the year.
– Justin Lucas
Anglers Competing at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville
Top 29 Anglers in Bass Pro Tour AOY Standings: The top 29 anglers in the final 2024 Angler of the Year (AOY) points standings will automatically qualify.
REDCREST 2024 Champion: The winner of REDCREST 2024 secures a spot in REDCREST 2025.
The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Champion: The overall champion of the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals earns a qualification.
2024 Toyota Series Pro Division Champion: The top angler from the Pro Division at the Toyota Series Championship qualifies.
2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Boater Division All-American Champion: The winner of this prestigious amateur-level championship also qualifies.
Top Finishing Member of the College Fishing National Championship Team: The highest finishing angler from the winning team at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship (held at the Toyota Series Championship) qualifies.
Winner of the MLF International Division at the 2024 Toyota Series Championship: The angler who wins this division secures a REDCREST 2025 berth.
Next Eligible Angler via AOY Standings (if needed): If any angler double qualifies or declines an invitation, the next highest-ranked angler in the 2024 AOY standings will be invited.
Casey Ashley, Adrian Avena, Matt Becker, Zack Birge, Keith Carson, Luke Clausen, Dustin Connell, Justin Cooper, Mark Daniels Jr., Mark Davis, Ott DeFoe, David Dudley, Braylon Eggerding, Brent Ehrler, James Elam, Edwin Evers, Cole Floyd, Anthony Gagliardi, Drew Gill, Nick Hatfield, Dylan Hays, John Hunter, Alton Jones Jr., Bobby Lane, Chris Lane, Jake Lawrence, Nick LeBrun, Justin Lucas, Hayden Marbut, Paul Marks Jr., Andy Morgan, Alec Morrison, Michael Neal, Ron Nelson, Andrew Nordbye, Keith Poche, Skeet Reese, Marshall Robinson, Terry Scroggins, Spencer Shuffield, Gerald Spohrer, Jeff Sprague, Tyler Stewart, Wesley Strader, Bryan Thrift, Martin Villa, Jacob Walker, Jacob Wall, Jacob Wheeler, Jesse Wiggins.
REDCREST 2025 TV Coverage
Episodes of Major League Fishing air weekly on Discovery Channel and re-broadcasts on the Outdoor Channel and Vice TV. With this much coverage the REDCREST Championship will reach a huge audience.
MLF Vice President Michael Mulone said, “Our TV coverage on Discovery Channel and re-airs on Outdoor Channel and Vice TV makes sure fans around the world can experience the REDCREST Championship.” With that kind of draw TV coverage of REDCREST 2025 is going to be big.
How to Watch REDCREST 2025 Live
If you want to watch REDCREST bass fishing live MLFNOW! will be live streaming the tournament daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV app. You can also follow along with SCORETRACKER® which will have up-to-date scoring during the tournament. This will keep you informed of the latest standings and add to the excitement of watching live. Whether you’re at home or on the go you can stay connected to the REDCREST 2025 Championship.
