The 2004 KFAN/St. Jude’s Invitational Team Bass Championship will be May 1 & 2 on pool 4&5 of the Mississippi River out of Lake City, Minnesota. The Entry fee is $350.00 per team. The Invitation Letters were mailed January 22nd and the teams have till March 8th to apply. After March 8th the entry will be open till the field is full. If you want more information, or want to be added to the waiting list, contact Ann Studnicka at 1-888-950-6466.
Riverfan, I will not say I am a seasoned tourney angler like many of those that read this site, so pardon me if I sound out of line… Seeing your post got me fired up about tourney fishing this spring, then I saw the price tag… 
Is this $ so high due to the nature of the tourney (sounds like charity type event), or are the tourneys I am entering ($75-$150 per boat) just inexpensive tourneys? At $350 a pop, it seems the competition would be **brutal**! 
A Curious Reel Guy…
Reel Guy,
I think you hit the key word in you question, this really is an event. It’s a 2 days tournament but it goes way beyond that. You have the people of Lace City eagerly involved, you have sponsors in attendance and you have families that have been helped buy St. Jude Children Hospital sharing their experience. Friday night is the competition to see which team is the best fund-raiser and earn the 1st boat out. Two years ago the 1st place team raised over $10,000, last years it was $4,215 
. Saturday evening is the dinner with tons of raffle prizes, interesting talks and great company. The dinners are donated, as was the beer. This year we have duffel bags for each contestant and are working on filling them with tackle and clothing. The weigh-in is in a park in town so we get lots of people watching. This year’s weigh-in will feature Sports Anchor as our emcee. Jason Howland is a regular on this site, a tournament angler and the sports anchor for KAAL TV. Jason has tentatively agreed to help us. At the awards ceremony on Sunday we give the anglers another chance to contribute to the charity from their earnings.
Of the $350.00 entry, $100.00 goes directly to St. Jude. It’s 100% pay back for the remaining $250.00. If we fill the field 1st will be $5,000, 2nd around $4,000 and down through 10th place. 10th-15th will receive donated merchandise equal in value to the entry fee.
Reel Guy, I’m inviting to come to Saturday’s weight-in and to the dinner as my guest. It’s an event you can’t walk away from and not feel good about being part of. 
Last year we raised $74,847 and we expect to do better this year. 
reel guy, im in total agreement with river this is by far the best, and by far my favorite tourney of the year and i cant wait to hit the water for this one. ice fishin just aint cuttin it for me. when i got my info in the mail for the fundraising i got so excited i couldnt sleep that night!
Sounds like an impressive event that I will need to check out! 
I second riverfan an wallerbass comments…I look forward to it every year…The people that run this are top-notch….
good luck this year flick. see you on the water
I’ve entered this tournament 4 years now and I can say it is definity the best ran tournament and when you don’t get in the money, I still feel good knowing that a portion of the money, $100 a boat, and the donations we can get, goes for a great cause. While you are fishing, they give you a small picture of one of the kids that this money helps to treat. When the chips are down and a guy is struggling that little picture brings alot of gratitude back. Here I am bitching that I can’t catch a fish and these kids are fighting for their lives!!! 
It makes me step back and take a look how fortunate many of us are. Big nice boats, trucks to pull them anywhere in the 48 states, endless miles of water to fish and explore, nature and the scenic surroundings, equipment coming out of every pore in my body (admit it we all have to much), great competition with lots of really good guys, a city (Lake City) that more than welcomes us every year, and the greatest country to live in!!!!! Damb, it sure seems alot cheaper than going to a shrink. Rochesters Zumbro Valley Bassmasters runs it, the Lake City Lions Club helps with the parking and transportation, the Lake City Police stop the traffic coming and going to make it safe for the adrenaline pumping morning when you first arrive (I some times don’t make the best decisions when I’m all pumped up), an excellant meal with “FREE BEER” 
(I knew that would get some attention) at the Frontenac Golf Club, Lake City chamber of commerce helps organize it and supply it with the city services needed, KFAN radio as a sponsor and organizer, and the people from St. Judes themselves (Ann – she’d make a small dog break a big chain).
As you can probably tell this isn’t just another tournament, it is definitly an event. Two days of fishing that can make a lifetime of difference in a childs life. I’ve got chills just typing this letter! I think I’m going to have to go home and start getting ready!!!! Fishnut
There are many reasons I look forward to fishing this event. It’s for the kids, every dollar I raise goes directly to St. Jude’s, that makes me feel great that we can have an awesome time fishing while at the time raising money for a significant cause. The competition is fierce but the end goal is the kids. If you haven’t signed up yet, give it a whirl. Of the $350 entry, $100 goes to St. Jude. The remaining $250 goes into the 100% payback. See you all in May!
Ross
Only 10 spots left so if you want in you better hurry! 
Hey Riverfan…What’s the lower end of Pepin looking like? Are there a lot of eagles yet? And what does Wabasha Marina look like? Open yet? Thanx
Ken,
The ice bottom end of the lake is starting to erode in spite of the weather. I drove down for a look Sunday and there is enough open water to fish. The problem is the middle of the lake. The Corp of Engineers does weekly ice thickness measurements and last week there was still 18″ in most locations. I’ll be interested to see what thing look like this week. There are lots of eagles in the area. I fish Alma last Friday and counted 13 in the air in one view.
Hey John,
Are there any spots available to get in yet or is the tournament full?
Andy,
Had 4 openings yesterday. I don’t know if any came in today. If someone wants in they better hurry. 
The field is full. but I encourage you to attend the weigh-in’s. The festivities start at 3:30 both days and on Saturday night there is a dinner at Mt Frontenac Golf Course. The seating is limited but I hope a few of you can attend and see the whole picture. The highlight is the message from a family in the area who has benefited from the care at St. Jude Children’s hospital.
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