Bass rods in hand and hearts set on helping children with cancer, anglers Shawn Bergsrud and Wyatt Stout marked their fourth year competing in the annual Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic, a tournament they describe as their “Super Bowl” of fishing.
Members of the local bass club, the duo had volunteered at the annual tournament for years until one day they realized they should be fishing it. “We were idling out, releasing fish, and we’re just like, ‘Why have we not fished this tournament? This is awesome,’ ” Wyatt recalled. “The next year we got into it.”
Since that first outing, the duo has steadily climbed the leaderboard: from a 20th-place finish to three top-12 showings, including two top-10s. “We’ve progressed and gotten better at fishing and better at fundraising for St. Jude,” said Shawn. “We learn the river and make better decisions each time we fish it.”
Beyond their performance on the water, Shawn and Wyatt have ramped up their fundraising efforts, playing a role in the tournament surpassing the $1M fundraising mark for the last two years. The pair has learned to ask their community widely and boldly for support. “Not being afraid to reach out to literally anyone you can think of,” said Shawn. “Nearly everyone we have talked to wants to help in some way.”
Their commitment paid off both in dollars and excitement this year, when the team not only raised more than $5,000, entering them for a chance to win a brand new Skeeter bass boat. “We were catching some fish but nothing that was going to get us on the leader board,” recalled Wyatt. “So I said well we might as well go win ourselves a boat.”
Little did the team know that those words were about to come true. “I was standing there in disbelief,” said Shawn the moment the winning number was drawn. “It was kind of a surreal experience.”
While the competitive spirit fuels the duo, they are always inspired by the St. Jude mission and patient family stories shared during the tournament banquet. “I never leave with a dry eye,” said Shawn. “It’s a tearjerker, but in a good way.” Hearing success stories — like the daughter of longtime angler Miles Burghoff, who was treated at St. Jude and is now cancer-free — reinforces the tournament’s purpose. “Those are great stories,” Shawn and Wyatt agreed.
Wyatt and Shawn already have the tournament on their calendars for next year; this time cruising the tournament’s waters in their new boat. “We’ll be there,” laughed Shawn. “We’ll be fishing it out of that new boat. I get to just sit back, be the passenger, and fish.” Their passion for competition is matched only by their dedication to sustaining hope and healing for St. Jude patients.
