Riley Harris Catches 30-Pound Limit on Final Day to Win MLF Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
BROOKELAND, Texas (March 9, 2025) – The final weigh-in of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir delivered an unforgettable finish. With three pros weighing in over 30 pounds on the final day, the leaderboard was constantly shifting. However, Riley Harris of Orange, Texas, emerged victorious, securing his first Major League Fishing (MLF) win.
A Stunning Final-Day Comeback
Starting with steady mid-20-pound bags in the first two days, Harris surged on Day 3, weighing in an impressive 30 pounds, 9 ounces, bringing his total to 82-10. His victory earned him $29,930 and a coveted spot in the $200,000 Toyota Series Championship this fall.
“I knew they were coming to me the entire event,” Harris said. “I didn’t have to go far. I just had to stay put, and they kept filtering in.”
Targeting the Right Areas with Precision
Fishing depths of 5 to 15 feet, Harris focused on key Texas drains near spawning areas where fish were actively moving in. Unlike many competitors, Harris had these spots nearly to himself.
“I was fishing drains right by the spawning areas. They were either at the bottom or on the sides,” Harris explained.
Winning Baits & Techniques
Harris used a mix of proven techniques to secure his win:
Overcoming Challenges & Sealing the Victory
Leading up to the event, extreme winds made practice difficult. Harris was largely off the water until Wednesday, but his familiarity with the fishery paid off. Even after losing two giant fish on Day 2, he remained confident that more bass would move in.
“I thought I blew my chance for sure,” Harris said. “But dropping 30 pounds on the final day made up for it.”
Top 10 Pros at the Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn
- Riley Harris, Orange, Texas – 82-10 ($29,930)
- Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas – 79-12 ($11,404)
- Dylan Thompson, Del Rio, Texas – 76-5 ($8,829)
- Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas – 74-4 ($7,358)
- Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas – 72-4 ($6,622)
- Ryan Satterfield, Texarkana, Ark. – 64-1 ($6,886)
- Lee Livesay, Longview, Texas – 63-12 ($5,650)
- Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio – 62-9 ($4,415)
- Nick Kincaid, Brookeland, Texas – 60-14 ($3,679)
- Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas – 59-15 ($3,443)
Big Bass & Co-Angler Highlights
- Chad Mrazek won the Berkley Big Bass Award for a 10-pound bass on Day 1, earning $500.
- Riley Harris landed a 9-pounder on Day 2, also earning $500.
- Phillip Hudnall of Bixby, Okla., won the co-angler division with a three-day total of 34 pounds, taking home a Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
Upcoming Toyota Series Events
The Toyota Series Southwestern Division will conclude with its final regular-season event on May 1-3 at Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma. Anglers aiming for the Toyota Series Championship will need to finish in the top 25 of any division for a chance to compete for the $235,000 grand prize at Grand Lake, Oklahoma, on Nov. 6-8, 2025.
For full results and event details, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
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