St. Jude Bass Classic Takes Aim at Fundraising and Big Bass

18^th Annual Event Will Take Place This Weekend on Mississippi River

Over 65 teams will be competing on the Mississippi River for a possible first place prize of $7,500 this weekend during the 18^th annual Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic. The competitors will launch out of and weigh in at Ike’s Park in Wabasha, Minnesota on Saturday, May, 7^th and Sunday May 8^th.

Each team is required to raise $500 which goes to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and if a team raises at least $1,500, they are eligible for the bonus payouts. Over the events history it has raised over $2 million for the kids of St. Jude and in 2015 the highest amount was raised, $316,650. Saturday’s blast-off order is determined by the fundraising amounts that each team has raised and the top ten fundraising teams go first each day and garner an extra 20 minutes of fishing time.

The weekend’s festivities kick off on Friday, May 6^th with the Tournament Registration and Rules meeting which is being presented by Classic Bass and held at the iconic Slippery’s Bar and Grill in Wabasha. Classic Bass will be on hand with merchandise for sale at one-time only event prices and an exclusive, custom Classic Bass/St. Jude hat has been designed and will be for sale, anglers that purchase and where the hat on the tournament stage, will be eligible for a contingency prize. Classic Bass will also be donating the profits from the hats sold to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

*2015 Tournament Champions were Scott Pellegrin and Joel Willert*

Anglers will launch at 7:00 a.m. each day and return to weigh in 3:30 p.m. each day and the public is encouraged to attend to cheer on the anglers both for their fish catches, but also their fundraising success. The fishing on the Mississippi River has been heating up the past two weekends, with a 3 plus pound average being needed to take home the win. Past tournaments results can be viewed here.

Besides going for their overall best six-fish limit, the two-angler teams are also aiming to catch the Wenzel’s Farm Sausage Whopper each day, with a cash prize being awarded to the biggest bass each day, as well as to the overall big bass of the event.

Stay tuned to Classic Bass Facebook page throughout the weekend for updates, photos, video and day one results.

Also the Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic Facebook page will be streaming the weigh-in live each day.