One of the nation’s oldest charity bass tournaments is back.  The 50th Anniversary St. Jude Open Bass Classic will take place at Sardis Lake on May 28.

The Bass Classic has raised over $5M for St. Jude Children’s Hospital since it was started in the early 1970s by a group of volunteers from the Memphis Bass Club, and has seen thousands of sportsmen turn their passion for fishing into helping children battle cancer.

It began when a club member’s daughter was being treated at St. Jude, and he and his friends decided to raise money for the hospital with an all-volunteer effort, to help it continue being a place of hope for children and families in their desperate hour. 

Still going strong in its 50th edition, the tournament continues to welcome anglers from all over the nation, as it’s done for thousands of sporting fishermen over past decades.

With the excitement already brewing for this special year, strictly enforced rules and important information have been made available online for those planning to take part in this charity tournament, and also sent by mail to past participants and attendees.   

Registration forms can also be found at Performance Marine in Sardis and Boat Warehouse Show in Southaven.  Cash awards include $10,000 for first place and a total of 25 places paid, with an altogether payout of $25,075, based on the participation of 125 teams.    

Official registration for competing teams will be held at the Batesville Civic Center on May 27, 1-3 p.m., with a discounted fee of $230 per team is offered if completed before April 30.  

Another related May 28 event, supporting the concerted fight against childhood catastrophic diseases, is Fishin’ for the Kids at St. Jude.  The free event for youth, ages 5 through 13, has raised roughly $2M in over 10 years, and  registration deadline is May 9.  

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital receives 100 percent of the proceeds from the tournament each year.