COTEAU HOLMES — Veteran tournament director Tee Roy Savoy anticipates 50 boats will compete in the Jackie Savoy Memorial Big Bass Classic on tap Saturday at Lake Fausse Pointe.

The annual fundraiser actually is two tournaments within a tournament this time around, which probably will appeal to more bass anglers across Acadiana.

In addition to the chance of cashing in with big bass hourly, there is a unique tournament format that made its debut in May 2020, three months after the 2020 Big Bass Classic. Each team’s first five bass weighed and recorded will be combined for a total weight for “stringer money.”

Savoy and other volunteers held their last organizational meeting Thursday night at his home in Coteau Holmes. Sy Savoy and Ry Savoy, his sons, Bruno Lenoir, Lydia Cancer Association president, and long-time volunteers Angela Mayeux of Loreauville and Trisha Blanchard of Coteau Holmes attended the meeting.

“The meeting went pretty good,” Savoy said Friday.

All systems are go for the tournament that benefits the Lydia Cancer Association and Acadiana hope for a Cure, among other charitable causes. Weigh-in and headquarters will be at Marsh Field Boat Landing, where a free meal will be available starting around midday.

For competitors, first cast is at 7 a.m. Boats can begin leaving the boat landing at 5:30 a.m.

Entry fee is $150 per boat. Registration begins after 4 a.m.

The weigh-in period for the first hour ends at 8 a.m. The eighth and final weigh-in period ends at 3 p.m. The first-, second- and third-heaviest bass each hour will be worth $250, $150 and $100.

The “stringer money” part of the tournament is new. Savoy points out bass anglers must remember after a team has weighed five bass, none can be culled by a sixth fish. Also, he advised, if a team has weighed only three bass, keep a few smaller bass to complete a limit at the end of the day.

“Now you’ve got two reasons to fish,” he said recently.

Sponsorships and donations still are welcome. Call Savoy at 519-3107.

At Thursday’s meeting, Savoy finalized details and tallied up sponsorships and donations, including artificial lures that have been donated and delivered for ditty bags by Mister Twister, American Baitworks, H&H Lures and Cajun Lures. Other artificial lures for raffle item packages have been donated by Delta Lures and Bill Lewis Lures.

The director, who renamed the tournament the Jackie Savoy Memorial Big Bass Classic at the suggestion of board member Neil Carret of Carencro, also said 30 pounds of pork from Cash Saver and Camp Dog seasoning have been donated for a jambalaya to be served at the boat landing.

Sy Savoy, a lawyer, said sponsors on board with the fundraiser will be featured on the Facebook page (as well as on banners and other signage on site) for the Jackie Savoy Memorial Big Bass Classic. Savoy also plans to provide updates on weights each hour of the tournament on Facebook.

He’ll post weights at the half-hour mark and three-quarter hour mark each hour, and again at the top of the hour.