Major League Fishing’s 44th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American Presented by T-H Marine will take place on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The no-entry fee tournament, scheduled for June 3-5, 2027, will showcase the nation’s top grassroots anglers and offer a top prize of up to $120,000 to the winning boater, along with qualification to REDCREST 2028— Major League Fishing’s most prestigious event—and a top prize of $50,000 to the winning co-angler. Daily takeoffs and weigh-ins will be held at Big Toho Marina in Kissimmee.
The All-American is that last of the MLF tournament lineup that hasn’t been hosted in Kissimmee yet, Experience Kissimmee officials said.
The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes holds a special place in All-American history. The championship visited in 1984, just one year after the inaugural All-American was held in 1983. That 1984 event helped change the trajectory of
competitive bass fishing by introducing six-figure cash prizes to America’s weekend anglers, with Gainesville, Fla. pro Shaw Grigsby leading the tournament from start to finish to claim the title and launch his professional career.
More than four decades later, the All-American now returns to the Kissimmee Chain as one of the longest-running and most prestigious championships in competitive bass fishing. MLF says. Known for producing both numbers of fish and the type of largemouth capable of changing a tournament with a single bite, the Kissimmee Chain has long been regarded as one of the premier bass-fishing destinations in the country.
“The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes brings together everything that makes the All-American such a compelling championship— history, opportunity and the chance for a weekend angler to create a career-defining moment,” said Dave Washburn, MLF Vice President of Operations. “This fishery has been a part of the All-American story before, and we’re looking forward to seeing the next chapter written in 2027 with the support of Experience Kissimmee and the local community.”
Few titles in grassroots bass fishing carry the prestige, tradition and lasting honor of winning the BFL All-American—a championship that has defined careers and elevated anglers to the sport’s biggest stages for more than four decades.
Since its humble beginnings in 1983, the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine has been widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses and providing weekend anglers a pathway to advance to the Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour. Former All-American champions who currently compete at the sport’s highest levels on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and the Bass Pro Tour include Grigsby, Jacob Wheeler (2011), Nick LeBrun (2018) and Matteo Turano (2025).
Terry Torrens named Harold Kramer-John Preston Personal Service Award winner
Osceola County resident and Orlando Utilities Commission Senior Legislative Representative has received the Harold Kramer-John Preston Personal Service Award during the American Public Power Association’s National Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The award recognizes individuals for their service to the American Public Power Association.
Torrens, who also is part of the family-operated Old Florida Riverboat Company on East Lake Toho, is a driving force in the APPA circles as an industry representative at APPA’s Legislative Rally and a voting delegate to the APPA Legislative & Resolutions Committee and annual Association Business meeting.
“Terry’s contributions have been instrumental in legislative efforts that improve disaster recovery for public power utilities, such as FEMA reimbursement reform,” the APPA said. Locally, her leadership in securing a 10-year extension of a major interlocal agreement ensured continued service for a key service area, reinforcing the value of public power.”
