CELINA-Nearly 50 anglers arrived here at Horse Creek Resort early last Saturday morning to honor a fallen friend and show their support to the family by taking part in the Kevin Watson Memorial Bass Tournament.

The 41-year-old Watson lost a long battle with cancer earlier this month, leaving behind his wife and three young daughters.  The event was organized by Watson’s close friends to help ease some of the financial burden the loss placed on the family.

Through entry fees and other donations from local businesses and residents, the event raised over $2,000 for the Watson family.

Leon Watson, the father of the honoree, was on hand to accept the donation and he expressed his overwhelming gratitude to all who participated and to those who helped make the event happen.

“Leon wanted me to let you guys know the Watson family really appreciates this,” tournament director Stephen Headrick said before he presented him with the donation.  “He said you guys will never know how much having this tournament in Kevin’s honor means to the them.”

Besides featuring good will, the tournament also produced a good weigh-in from the 22-boat field of participants.

Ernest Garrison and Jerry “Red” Scott came out on top with a nice five-fish limit weighing 10.88 pounds.  Their mixed bag of bass was the only limit brought to the scales and it put them over the top for the victory.

Headrick, Cobby Hayes, and Preston Moore combined their efforts to produce 9.44 pounds and take the runner-up spot.  Their bag of three fish included a smallmouth over 21 inches long weighing 4.53 pounds.

Third place went to Joe Donald Boles and Ted Tucker.  They caught a pair of nice largemouth to total 7.92 pounds.

Kenny Meadows and Powell Walden also had three fish to finish fourth with 7.90 pounds, including a goliath smallmouth weighing 5.59 pounds.

Chris and Derek Hix placed fifth with a pair of largemouth weighing 6.28 pounds, and Brandon Cross and Steve Smith took sixth place with a total of 6.18 pounds–including another big smallmouth weighing 5.38 pounds.

The top three finishing teams were presented with plaques donated by Jeff Short of Tompkinsville, KY and laminated GPS maps donated by Dalehollowfishing.com.

All of the fishermen were treated to dinner prepared on site by Alan West, Dennis McClain, Randall McClain, and Donald Collins.  It featured fresh Dale Hollow catfish caught and donated by Dewayne McClerran.

Organizers offered special thanks to those men and all who helped make the event a success.  The possibility of making the tournament and annual event was also discussed.

For more information and pictures about the event, visit www.dalehollowhorizon.com.

Livingston’s Poindexter takes Dale Hollow BFL

BYRDSTOWN-Jack Poindexter of Livingston won the coveted Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mountain Division tournament held here at Star Point Resort earlier this month by nearly a three-pound margin when he stepped to the scales with a whopping 18-pound, 7-ounce bag. (See photo below.)

According to the BFL website, the champion said he caught his fish in the Wolf River in as shallow as three feet of water slow rolling a spinnerbait.

Poindexter’s limit of five fish earned him $4,763 and put him the driver’s seat towards qualifying for the BFL Regional Championship to be held next fall on North Carolina’s Lake Norman, where he could ultimately take home a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Tim Reagan of Byrdstown claimed the runner-up boater spot with a total weight of 15 pounds, 8 ounces to win $2,381 and Joseph Stalcup of Burkesville, KY finished third with 15 pounds, 2 ounces to pocket $1,585.

A six pound largemouth netted Doug Ramsey of Somerset, KY the boater’s division Folgers Big Bass award worth $710.

Those fishing alongside the boaters were also out to win big money from their fellow co-anglers–because in BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters, and co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

Coming out on top of the co-angler division was Robert Hood of Somerset, KY with a limit weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces.  The BFL internet press release said he landed the fish on a black and blue Strike King jig to win $2,348.

Rounding out the top three in Hood’s division where Michael May of Richmond, Ky with 11 pounds, 10 ounces and Kyle Christopher of Irvine, KY with 9 pounds, 13 ounces.  May also took home the co-angler Folger’s Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass.

The next BFL Mountain Division event will blast-off on Lake Cumberland in Monticello, KY on May 2.  For more information about that tournament and the BFL trail, visit www.bfl.flwoutdoors.com.

East Clay VFD benefit tourney set for Saturday

WILLOW GROVE-A five-fish limit tournament will be hosted here at Willow Grove Resort this Saturday, April 18 by the East Clay Voluteer Fire Department.

The entry fee will be $50 per boat and the payback will consist of $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place.  All other proceeds will go to the department.

Registration for the event will begin at 6 a.m., blast-off will follow at 7 a.m., and participants will return to a 3 p.m. weigh-in.  For more information about this tournament, call 823-0102 or 397-1827.