25th ANNUAL ROTARY BASS TOURNAMENT
was held on April 5, 2025

The 25th annual Rotary Club of Jacksonville Bass Tournament was held on Lake Jacksonville on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Thirty-six boats competed in the first buddy tournament of the season. Taylor Hindley of Brighton and Hampton Dufrain of Highland won the tournament with a total weight of 28.72 pounds. The Big Bass, caught by Taylor Hindley, weighed in at 7.72 pounds.

Rotary president Daniel Lepper said, “The Rotary Club of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Rotary Club Foundation wish to thank the tournament sponsors – especially this year’s major sponsor, the Hotels of South Jacksonville. Thanks to all of the people who competed, as well as the many Rotarian volunteers and the City of Jacksonville Department of Parks and Lakes staff for their assistance with the tournament. The money raised through this event will be used in support of community needs in Jacksonville and South Jacksonville.”

Tournament co-chair Pete Carteaux said, “We were really happy to again include several high school bass fishing teams in this year’s competition. We hope to continue encouraging more young people to engage in the sport of bass fishing.”

The 2025 results are as follows:

First place ($2,500): Taylor Hindley of Brighton and Hampton Dufrain of Highland, 28.72 pounds.
Second place ($1,000): Jeff Royer and Wayne Royer of Granite City, 21.69 pounds.
Third place ($700): Dylan Curless of Mount Zion and Gabe Williams of Macomb, 19.72 pounds.
Fourth Place ($400): Michael Grejtak of Benld and Gustav Viehweg of Mt. Olive, 17.98 pounds.
Fifth place ($200): Kevin Mathews of Roodhouse and Jim Dietel of Loami, 17.38 pounds.
Big Bass ($740): Taylor Hindley of Brighton, 7.72 pounds.

Photo: Hampton Dufrain (L) of Highland and Taylor Hindley (R) of Brighton won the 2025 Rotary Club of Jacksonville Bass Tournament with a total weight of 28.72 pounds. The Big Bass, caught by Taylor Hindley, weighed in at 7.72 pounds. 

More photos can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/jaxrotary

Major Sponsors

LODGING INFO

2025 OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS

Drawing for Order of Take-off will be held at the pre-tournament meeting.
(Late Registration, after March 31, not included in drawing.) 
PROOF of $25,000 LIABILITY INSURANCE IS REQUIRED. DAILY OR SEASONAL BOAT PERMIT REQUIRED. 
Permits will be available at Lake Jacksonville Concession Office on April 5, 2025.

  1. Rule Changes: You must be familiar with all rules before entering. These rules will remain unchanged. Interpretation of these rules is left exclusively to tournament officials. The decision of the officials shall be final. Protests must be made in writing within 15 minutes of official check-in times.
  2. Conduct: Any unsportsmanlike conduct will result in immediate disqualification from the tournament.
  3. Lake Rules: All State and Local rules governing the use of the lake and restricted zones must be obeyed.
  4. Boats: All boats must meet State of Illinois Coast Guard Regulations and horsepower (H.P.) limits. Boats must be equipped with a working “Kill Switch” and an adequate Live Well.
  5. Release: All fish to be released to Lake Personnel.
  6. Rods & Reels: Spinning and Casting rods and reels only. Only one rod per person may be used at any given time.
  7. Lures: Only artificial lures, with the exception of pork, may be used during the tournament.
  8. Fish and Weights: Only Largemouth, Kentucky and Smallmouth Bass will be weighed. All bass must be LESS than 14 inches or LONGER than 18 inches. There is a limit of 5 total bass per team (no bass will be weighed that measures 14 to 18 inches, inclusive). All fish will be measured on a Bump Board with mouth closed. There will be no courtesy bump. No frozen or mangled fish will be accepted for weigh- in. A four (4) ounce penalty per dead fish will be deducted from total weight.
  9. Penalty: A late penalty of one (1) pound for each minute late will be enforced for any team checking in after the official weigh-in time. Ten-minute late penalty will result in disqualification from the tournament. Official weight time will be 2:30 PM by checking in with the Dock Master by the boat ramp.
  10. Boat Distance: No boats will be allowed to fish closer than 50 yards to a boat that was already first anchored or positioned.
  11. Live Wells & Kill Switch: All boats must have adequate Live Wells in working order. All boats must have a working “Kill Switch.”
  12. Alcohol: NO alcoholic beverages will be permitted in boats during the tournament.
  13. Life Preservers: Each boat must be equipped with adequate life preservers. Life preservers must be worn when outboard
    motors are in operation with kill switch.
  14. Buddy System: Team members must fish together and must be in sight of each other at all times. No team member may leave the boat during tournament hours.
  15. Meeting: At least one member of each team will attend the pre-tournament meeting on April 5, 2025. Boat check and registration is from 4:30 AM until 6:00 AM. The pre-tournament meeting is at 6:00 AM (Central Daylight Savings Time). Rules, regulations, and fish-off times will be discussed. Take off will be by 6:30 AM or by the first safe light.
  16. Take Off: Take-off order and procedure will be determined by a random draw of all teams registered before March 31, 2025 during check-in. Late entrants will take off in the order they were received.
  17. No Refunds: Absolutely no entry fees will be refunded. (Only one team member may be substituted.)
  18. Alabama Rig: NEITHER the Alabama Rig, OR any aberration or alteration of the Alabama Rig, is allowed on Lake Jacksonville.
  19. Polygraph: All participants agree to submit to a polygraph test following the tournament, should they be requested by tournament officials.
  20. Grievance Report: A grievance form is available to report improper behavior by another team. Should you witness any act by another team that would constitute an advantage, or in any way goes against the rules listed on this sheet, submit your concerns in writing to a Tournament Official no later than 15 minutes before weigh-in.