The Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters Megabucks Pro Series Catfish Tournament has returned to the River City for its second year and during its regular meeting Thursday, the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) encouraged locals to support this weekend’s activities.

Vicksburg Ward 2 Alderman Alex Monsour said the second installment of the tournament, which began last summer in Vicksburg, is on pace to be twice as big as the first.

“Twenty-three different states will be represented in this fishing tournament in the City of Vicksburg this weekend,” Monsour said. “The numbers from last year were phenomenal, as far as the revenue we received off of that in tax sales. And it’s going to be way bigger this year, because it’s double the size.”

Both crews with the River Monsters event and anglers taking part in the tournament have been trickling into Vicksburg since last week and Monsour said supporting the hard work that has gone into preparing for the event will help the River City put its best foot forward for guests.

“Friday night, they will have a boat parade down Washington Street, and we’ve got 96 boats in this thing this year,” he said. “We had 47 last year.”

This year’s events get underway Friday with the Boats and Bricks Parade at 6 p.m. and will feature many of the boats taking part in this year’s tournament.

“You can come out and see the anglers and their boats,” Monsour said. “And those boats actually go for anywhere from $150,000 to $200,000, so you’ve got some real professional catfishermen in here.”

The tournament itself will begin Saturday and weigh-ins will begin at 3 p.m. at the Vicksburg Convention Center (VCC).

“(The weigh-in) will be a drive-through in the convention center, and it’s air conditioned, and we want to invite everybody and bring those children out like they did last year and let them see.”

The tournament’s final showdown, featuring the weekend’s top 25 teams, will take place Sunday, with those anglers vying for the top prize of $100,000. Teams finishing in second through 10th places will split the remaining purse.

“And we’ve got some local flavor in there too,” Monsour said. “I think we’ve got a few of our own (from) Vicksburg that have entered the tournament and (are) trying to go after that $100,000. On Sunday, the top 25 teams will go at it for the $100,000. The weigh-in will be at the same time.”

Additionally, a Catfish Expo will be held on both tournament days inside the VCC and will feature numerous vendors and other activities.

“We’ve set the mark on something that’s not been done anywhere else in the catfish industry,” Monsour said. “We’re the only ones that have a drive-through in the convention center for those guys and a weigh-in. And this is the only one where they pay this kind of money. They say they love Vicksburg; it’s a great fishery; and this is going to be a great continuing thing for the City of Vicksburg, Warren County and Mississippi to showcase what we have here.”

For more information on this weekend’s activities, visit mississippirivermonsters.com.