OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2025) – The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southern Division event on Lake Okeechobee delivered excitement and impressive weights through the first two days. But on Day 3, strong southern winds disrupted many prime fishing areas, creating a challenging finale. Despite the tough conditions, Robert Branagh held firm.
Entering the final day with a comfortable lead, the Malabar, Florida pro sealed the win with a three-day total of 73 pounds, 1 ounce, earning $44,000 and breaking the Toyota Series weight record for Lake Okeechobee. His haul surpassed Jessie Mizell’s 2024 record of 72-9, solidifying his name in tournament history.
This marks Branagh’s second Toyota Series victory on Okeechobee—an accomplishment rarely achieved.
“I knew the wind was going to play a major role, so I focused on something out of the ordinary,” said Branagh. “With no grass left in the lake to clean the water, I knew it would muddy up fast. That’s why I targeted the canals—they stayed clean, and the fish were spawning there just like they would in the lake.”
Winning Strategy: Targeting Spawning Fish in Canals
As Okeechobee’s vegetation has declined, off-lake areas like canals and ditches have become prime locations for winning limits. While many competitors stuck to the lake, Branagh made the canals his main focus—and it paid off big.
How He Did It:
Location Matters: Branagh discovered bass spawning on rock piles in canals, taking advantage of clean water conditions.
Bait Selection: A Bruiser Baits Bullet proved key, outperforming other lures after an initial Senko test in practice.
⚓ Precision Fishing: Using Power-Poles to position himself, he worked methodically, keeping his bait ticking across the tops of rocks, where fish were staged.
Depth Control: The bass were sitting 3 feet off the rock piles, so Branagh fished parallel to the rocks, keeping his retrieve slow and deliberate.
“Sometimes you’d feel a rock, and sometimes it was a fish swimming off with your bait,” he explained.
Branagh’s two key areas produced nearly all his weight, with one spot delivering big limits on Day 1 and his backup location carrying him through Days 2 and 3.
“I tried to save my second spot for the final day,” he said. “I lost a giant there on Day 2, so I knew it had big ones left. It was all about expanding on that area.”
Though he lost some key fish on the final day, his 16-pound, 13-ounce limit was enough to hold off the competition.
“Man, I was sick to my stomach for the last two hours,” he admitted. “Now, I’m freaking stoked!”
Top 10 Pro Results – Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee
| Place | Angler | Hometown | Total Weight | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Robert Branagh | Malabar, Fla. | 73-1 | $44,000 |
| 2nd | Steve Lopez | Oconomowoc, Wis. | 65-8 | $17,000 |
| 3rd | Parker Knudsen | Minnetonka, Minn. | 59-8 | $13,750 (incl. $1,000 Phoenix Bonus) |
| 4th | Kyle Glasgow | Guin, Ala. | 56-1 | $10,750 |
| 5th | Michael Venditto | Boca Raton, Fla. | 53-14 | $9,750 |
| 6th | Hunter Weston | Palm City, Fla. | 53-10 | $8,375 |
| 7th | Dillon McMillan | Palm Bay, Fla. | 52-2 | $7,300 |
| 8th | Kyle Monti | Okeechobee, Fla. | 51-10 | $6,300 |
| 9th | Travis Pitt | Niceville, Fla. | 50-1 | $5,300 |
| 10th | Michael Catt | Jacksonville, Fla. | 49-9 | $4,200 |
Notable Big Bass Awards
Berkley Big Bass – Day 1: Brian Haseotes (9-2) – $500
Berkley Big Bass – Day 2: David Sheffield (8-5) – $500
Strike King Co-Angler Division
Alan Hults of Gautier, Mississippi, dominated the Strike King Co-Angler Division, weighing 45 pounds, 11 ounces over three days to win a Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
“It was an incredible week. This lake can be tough, but if you figure out a pattern, it can be so rewarding,” said Hults.
Top 10 Co-Angler Results
| Place | Angler | Hometown | Total Weight | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Alan Hults | Gautier, Miss. | 45-11 | Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115HP Mercury |
| 2nd | Rich Frey | Guntersville, Ala. | 41-5 | $5,375 |
| 3rd | Ray Ruiz | Boca Raton, Fla. | 38-13 | $4,300 |
| 4th | Brady Lunsmann | Citrus Springs, Fla. | 38-5 | $3,650 |
| 5th | Roger Phillips | Delta, Ala. | 36-11 | $3,150 |
Co-Angler Big Bass Awards
Berkley Big Bass – Day 1: Greg Shaughnessy (8-15) – $150
Berkley Big Bass – Day 2: Shannon Pike (8-9) – $150
What’s Next? Toyota Series Southern Division Continues in March
The Toyota Series Southern Division heads next to the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida, from March 27-29, 2025.
This event was hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council. For a full schedule of upcoming tournaments, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2025 Toyota Series Championship will take place Nov. 6-8 on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, where anglers will compete for up to $235,000 and a spot in REDCREST 2026.
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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