Annual Bass Tournament reels in more than $436,000 for Wolfson Children’s Hospital

More than 940 anglers and 470 boats hit the water in Palatka over the weekend during the 34th annual Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament, one of the largest bass fishing tournaments in Florida.

The three-day event featured different competitions each day with the main tournament on Saturday, May 20. Daniel Robertson and Steven Keith of High Springs, Fla., won first place overall with a five-fish aggregate weight of 25.11 lbs. Second place went to Randall Alvarez of Starke, Fla., and Jocham Williams of Macclenny, Fla., with a total weight of 24.42 lbs. Chris Cercy of Middleburg, Fla., and Eric Roberts of Jacksonville, Fla., took home third place with a weight of 21.75 lbs.

The winners of Thursday’s Lads and Lasses Tournament were: Syler Prince and Rileigh Stout of Palatka, Fla., with a five-fish aggregate weight of 23.95 lbs., followed by Ronnie Council and Reta Szlosek of Palatka, Fla., in second place with an overall weight of 21.83 lbs. Charles and Kelly Moody of Green Cove Springs, Fla., placed third with an overall weight of 19.49 lbs.

During the VIP & Friends Tournament on Friday, May 19, Danny Inabnett and Randy Sievert of DeLeon, Fla., took home first place with a five-fish aggregate weight of 17.73 lbs. Derek Daniels of Macclenny, Fla., and Michael Johnson of Raiford, Fla., came in second place with an overall weight of 17.18 lbs., and Eric Lewis and Kevin Flanigan of Jacksonville, Fla., came in third with an overall weight of 16.34 lbs.

Winners took home more than $48,000 in cash prizes.

This year’s Bass Tournament raised more than $436,000 in donations, bringing the total contributed to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in the event’s 34-year history to over $6 million. All proceeds from this year’s event benefit the Wolfson Children’s C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute, helping fund life-saving cardiology and heart surgery equipment and state-of-the-art technology.

“For more than three decades, the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament has brought thousands of anglers from across the Southeast together along with the community to support the mission of the hospital to provide world-class care close to home,” said Sam Dean, tournament co-chair and Baptist Health system director of Plant Facilities. “We are grateful to everyone who participated in the tournament or purchased a ticket for the upcoming annual boat giveaway. Together we are helping to make a difference in the lives of children and families from across the region.”

The public may still enter a drawing for a chance to win a 21’ 2023 Bullet Boat model 21XRS with a trailer, courtesy of Bullet Boats, valued at $78,000 (motor to be included), until noon on Friday, June 2. The drawing will be broadcast on Facebook Live on Saturday, June 3, at 11 am.

The Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament began in 1989, when the director of the Plant Facilities department of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, along with several others, wanted to raise funds for technological advancements at Wolfson Children's Hospital. Today, it is one of the largest tournaments in the state raising money for kids. The tournament beneficiary, Wolfson Children's Hospital, provides comprehensive medical and surgical care for sick and injured children across North Florida, South Georgia and beyond.

Top sponsors for the 2023 tournament included:

• Title Sponsors: Miller Electric Company and W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor, Inc.
• Hero Sponsor: Osborn Engineering
• Grand Sponsor: Facility Automation Solutions

The 35th annual Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament is scheduled to take place May 16-18, 2024. Early bird registration is now open online.