Big catches, bigger impact: Wolfson Children’s Bass Tournament raises more than $300,000 for heart patients

More than 1,000 anglers cast off on the St. Johns River this weekend for the 36th annual Wolfson Children’s Bass Tournament. Held in Palatka, Fla., the event has grown since its 1989 debut to become one of the largest bass fishing tournaments in the state.

The three-day event featured different competitions each day, with the main tournament on Saturday, May 17. Cody Morgan and Brant Langley won first place overall with a five-fish aggregate weight of 25.90 lbs.

Second place went to Steve Keith and Daniel Robertson with a total weight of 25.68 lbs. The duo also hooked the biggest bass of the weekend with a 9.55 lb. catch. Third place went to John Kremer and Jeff Duncan. The team had a total weight of 24.63 lbs.

During the VIP & Friends Tournament on Friday, May 16, Seth Slanker and Jackson Swisher took home first place with a five-fish aggregate weight of 22.65 lbs. Derek Daniels and Michael Johnson came in second place with an overall weight of 22.55 lbs., and Lee Stalvey and Jeff Reedy came in third with an overall weight of 21.87 lbs.

The first-place winners of Thursday’s Lads and Lasses Tournament were Parker Stalvey and Kimberly Potter with a five-fish aggregate weight of 24.50 lbs. Lee and Sarah Stalvey came in second place with an overall weight of 23.92 lbs., and Coltyn and Crystal Morris came in third with an overall weight of 22.64 lbs.

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

Casting for a cause

The 2025 Bass Tournament raised more than $300,000 in sponsorships and donations for the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. All proceeds help to fund life-saving cardiology and heart surgery equipment and state-of-the-art technology.

In 1989, the Plant Facilities Department at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville organized and launched the tournament to help fund capital improvements and new technology. Since then, the event has raised more than $7 million for Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the patients treated there.

“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our sponsors and donors, the 2025 Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament has made a tremendous impact, raising over $300,000 to support our steadfast commitment to providing top-ranked care for our region’s children,” said Allegra C. Jaros, MBA, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “Every dollar goes toward advanced cardiology and surgical equipment, ensuring that our patients receive the very best treatment possible regardless of a family’s ability to pay. We are immensely grateful to our community for supporting our care team and helping us provide the very best care for children, right here at home.”

While all of the fish have already been caught, there is still time to support the cause through the annual bass boat drawing. For a suggested donation of $20, anyone can enter a drawing for a 2025 Bullet Boat model 21SDC with a trailer, courtesy of Bullet Boats, valued at $99,000 (Mercury motor to be included).

Like the tournament, all proceeds from the boat drawing benefit the Terry Heart Institute. Ticket sales close Thursday, May 29 at noon, and the winner will be announced on Friday, May 30 at 11 am. Tickets can be purchased online at WolfsonBassTournament.com.

“We are beyond grateful to our anglers, sponsors and hundreds of volunteers that come together every year to make the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament a success,” said Sam Dean, tournament co-chair and Baptist Health System Director of Plant Facilities. “While the tournament may be over, there’s still a great way to support the cause—our annual bass boat drawing. With a suggested donation of $20, you have an opportunity to win a top-of-the-line Bullet bass boat while helping children in need. Every ticket sold helps us maintain our commitment to providing cutting-edge heart care at the Terry Heart Institute.”

Top sponsors for the 2025 tournament included:

• Title Sponsors: Miller Electric Company and W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor, Inc.
• Grand Sponsor: Facility Automation Solutions
• Ambassador Sponsors: Baston-Cook Construction, Fickling Construction, Inc., Perry-McCall Construction, Inc. and Smith Brothers Plastering Company, Inc.

The 37th annual Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament is scheduled for May 14-16, 2026. Early bird registration for the Saturday tournament is now open online until June 6, 2025.