Abu Garcia and Berkley, two of fishing’s oldest and most respected brands, are new Major League Fishing (MLF) sponsors for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Abu Garcia and Berkley have a history of aligning with top marketing partners and MLF has been Outdoor Channel’s No. 1-rated show in Q1 for the past three years, so the teaming should come as no surprise.

“Abu Garcia and Berkley are iconic brands in the world of fishing that were built on innovation and the desire to help anglers catch more fish,” said Pure Fishing Vice President of Marketing Jon Schlosser. “Major League Fishing’s format is exciting to watch and appeals to all types of anglers. With many of our pros competing in the MLF events, we’re excited to be able to support them and these two great brands through our sponsorship affiliation.”

“Abu Garcia and Berkley have a longstanding history in sport fishing, and their products are common in anglers’ households everywhere,” said MLF President Jim Wilburn. “Their line, lures, reels, rods and accessories bring innovation and quality to every level of participation, and their pro staff represents most of fishing’s highest achievements, ranging from championship titles to record fish.”

Abu Garcia was founded in Sweden in 1921. Berkley got its start in 1937. Today both are part of the Pure Fishing family of brands consisting of several industry stalwarts, including Hardy, Shakespeare, Pflueger, Penn, Hodgman, Stren, Spider Wire and others. Pure Fishing is owned by Newell Brands.

Major League Fishing was developed through a joint effort between Outdoor Channel and two-dozen premier bass fishing anglers in 2011.

Two pools of MLF professional anglers compete in events: the MLF Cup group includes most of the original founding anglers, and newer is the MLF Selects, which consists of another group of pros.

The TV show’s format features the anglers going head-to-head in live competition during which all “scorable bass” count in a catch-and-release format. Every competitor has a cameraman and live microphone on board, giving viewers an in-the-boat experience and live updates throughout the event.

MLF airs on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Discovery, WFN and Outdoor Channel.

For more information about MLF pros, rules and show times, visit www.majorleaguefishing.com.