The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) has officially announced six of its seven tournaments for the 2025 season, which includes the highly anticipated second NPFL Championship.
This upcoming season promises to be one of the most exciting and competitive yet, showcasing diverse fisheries across the U.S. The final regular season event and the exact dates for the Championship will be revealed when finalized, but the league is eager to share what’s already confirmed.
2025 NPFL Tournament Schedule
1. Santee Cooper (South Carolina) – March 6-8, 2025
The NPFL will kick off the season by returning to the legendary waters of Santee Cooper, which includes Lakes Marion and Moultrie, impounded by the Santee and Cooper Rivers. This massive 170,000-acre system is famous for producing trophy-sized largemouth bass, including the South Carolina state record (16 pounds, 2 ounces) caught in 1949. The lakes are characterized by heavy cover and prime habitat, providing a challenging but rewarding venue for anglers.
The launch and weigh-in will be held at the John C. Land III Landing in Clarendon County. NPFL anglers will hope to follow in the footsteps of local favorite Patrick Walters, who won a 2023 event on these same waters.
2. Douglas Lake (Tennessee) – May 22-24, 2025
For the first time in NPFL history, the tour will make its way to Douglas Lake, a 30,400-acre reservoir near Dandridge, Tennessee. This lake, widely considered one of the top bass fisheries in the U.S., offers a dynamic combination of largemouth and smallmouth bass opportunities. Jefferson County is thrilled to host the league during the prime fishing season.
“We are incredibly excited to host the National Professional Fishing League on Douglas Lake in 2025,” said Lauren M. Hurdle, Director of Tourism for Jefferson County. “The tournament could not be scheduled for a better time of year, as it will really showcase just how amazing this fishery is. Douglas Lake is a tournament destination, but this will be its first time hosting an NPFL event, and it will be exciting to see what these anglers are able to do on these waters.”
Launch and weigh-in for the event will take place at Dandridge Boat Ramp.
3. Lake Eufaula (Oklahoma) – June 18-20, 2025
The NPFL returns to Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma, for the second time in two years. This vast U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impoundment, completed in 1964, spans 105,500 acres, making it one of the largest reservoirs in the United States. Eufaula is known for its dramatic fishing showdowns, most notably in 2023, when Louis Fernandes secured victory by the narrowest of margins, winning a tiebreaker over Will Harkins.
Launch for the event will take place at Xtreme Cove Marina, with weigh-ins held at Nichols Point. “We are looking forward to welcoming NPFL back to Eufaula for the 2025 season,” said City Manager Jeb S. Jones. “Recreation is our economic engine, and we are excited to have NPFL as a community partner.”
With the 2023 event remembered for its tightest finish in NPFL history, a return to Lake Eufaula in 2025 is set to bring more heart-pounding moments and tight competition.
4. To Be Announced (Northeast) – July 31 – August 2, 2025
The NPFL is currently finalizing details for a tournament in the northeastern United States, a region that has yet to host an NPFL event but is famed for its thriving bass fisheries. Known for its aggressive, abundant smallmouth bass, the chosen location is expected to be an ideal summer stop for the league. The announcement of the exact venue and host city is expected soon.
5.Logan Martin Lake (Alabama) – September 25-27, 2025
In an exciting return, the NPFL will revisit Logan Martin Lake, the site of the 2024 season opener. However, this time the tournament will take place in the fall, offering anglers an entirely different set of challenges and conditions. Logan Martin Lake, which covers 15,263 acres, is a popular bass fishing destination and is known for its variety of cover and structure, from shallow grass flats to deeper ledges.
The 2024 event, held in March, saw Will Harkins claim victory amid high, muddy waters and a field that was the largest in NPFL history. This fall event promises to present fresh opportunities for anglers to showcase their skills. Launches will occur each morning from Lincoln’s Landing, with weigh-ins held in the nearby city of Oxford.
“The City of Oxford looks forward to hosting the National Professional Fishing League again in 2025,” said Mayor Alton Craft. “Oxford’s inaugural partnership with the NPFL in 2024 proved to be a success for both as it boosted our local tourism and economy, while the visiting professional anglers found a variety of ways to engage and entertain our youngsters, senior citizens, and everyone in between. We are pleased to welcome back this positive, family-friendly experience which brings together good sportsmanship, community spirit, and the fun of fishing.”
6. NPFL Championship – NPFL Season Finale Now Set for Lake Murray
The National Professional Fishing League and Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board (CCLMC) are announcing that the NPFL will complete its 2024 season on South Carolina’s Lake Murray out of Newberry, South Carolina, December 11-13. The tournament was previously scheduled for the St. Johns River out of DeLand, Florida, but high waters and unsafe conditions following two major hurricanes required that the venue be changed.
“There are mixed emotions with this announcement,” said NPFL President Brad Fuller. “We’re disappointed that we cannot move ahead with plans to fish the St. Johns River and work with the wonderful team at the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority, but weather and river conditions meant that we first had to reschedule that event and that we now must relocate it. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to go to historic Lake Murray and finish our season on a fishery that we’ve been targeting for some time and that promises to be a fantastic setting for our season finale.”
Georgia Turner, Executive Director of the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority in DeLand, Florida, said, “We’re disappointed that the schedule didn’t work out this year due to weather conditions, but we look forward to having the NPFL back very soon!”
The 2024 NPFL season will conclude at Lake Murray, the “Jewel of South Carolina” — a reservoir that has hosted numerous major fishing championships through the years. Created nearly a century ago, the lake offers 50,000 surface acres and 650 miles of shoreline for the NPFL pros to spread out and target largemouth bass using a wide variety of baits and techniques.
“We’re glad we could step up to the challenge and work this prestigious professional fishing league season finale into our schedule. We know Lake Murray will deliver a challenging event to the professional anglers and that the final weights will be strong,” said Miriam Atria, CCLMC President/CEO.
Looking Ahead
NPFL President Brad Fuller reflected on the process of assembling the 2025 schedule: “Creating our tournament schedule is one of the most challenging things we do each year. Our complete regular season schedule for 2025 should be ready very soon, but we’re excited to announce what’s already been secured. We think it’s the best schedule we’ve ever assembled, and it promises to deliver a year of competition, content, and camaraderie to further elevate the League for our fans, our partners, and our anglers.”
Fuller also noted the complexity of scheduling events after other major fishing leagues have announced their plans, but stressed that the goal is to avoid conflicts and ensure that the NPFL’s angler and sponsor partners can plan for the season with confidence. “We wanted to get this information out to stakeholders and prospective anglers now so that decisions can be made for next year,” Fuller said.
With this blend of historic fisheries, new venues, and diverse seasonal conditions, the 2025 NPFL season promises to deliver a year packed with high-stakes competition and unforgettable moments for the anglers and fans alike. The final details of the NPFL’s 2025 schedule will be announced as soon as possible.
ABOUT NPFL
The National Professional Fishing League NPFL was designed to bring simplicity back to professional bass fishing. One lake, 120 anglers, and three days of fishing with the heaviest combined three-day weight winning. The full field will compete all three days with one in three anglers getting paid at each event. The goal of the NPFL is to put the anglers first and build a trail that gets back to what the founders of bass fishing intended it to be.
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