6th Annual Kevin Watson Memorial Bass Tournament

CELINA-The 6th Annual Kevin Watson Memorial Bass Tournament will blast off here at Horse Creek Resort next Saturday night, June 7 with all proceeds from the event going to fund a $1,000 scholarship in his honor to be given to a local student each year.
The event will follow the “any species” format–where smallmouth, largemouth, and Kentucky spotted bass are eligible to weigh in, and it will feature a five-fish limit adhering to lake rules.
The fishing hours will be from 7 p.m. through 1 a.m., but anglers are encouraged to arrive an hour earlier (6 p.m.) to enjoy a meal provided by volunteers in return for the participants’ donation through their entry fee.
Those fishing will be competing for “bragging rights” and the chance at first, second, and third place trophies, but 100% of their $25-per-man entry fee will be used to fund the honorary scholarship.
Participants will have the chance to win a little money this year thanks to a big-fish side-pot for both smallmouth and ‘green fish’ (largemouth or spot). A $5 entry fee for the smallmouth pot and another $5 for the ‘green fish’ pot will be collected from each angler wanting to participate.
Another feature of the event goes along with the fun atmosphere. Unlike most tournaments, teams can have as many fishermen in the boat as they want–three or four man teams are welcome.
Watson lost a battle with cancer at the age of 41 six years ago, leaving behind his wife and three young daughters. The inaugural event was held to benefit the family and this is the fifth tournament being organized to forever honor Watson through the annual scholarship.
A rain date has been scheduled the following weekend. For more information, contact Steven Headrick at 931-243-2636, Jimmy McLerran at 931-397-6542, or Chris Hix at 931-445-5800.

Thursday-nighters
are well underway
CELINA-Three Thursday night tournaments are in the books this season and the “smallmouth-only” events will continue throughout the summer here at Horse Creek Dock.
Denton Hummel and Matt Cumby used a fish under 16 inches long to take the opening tournament and a pair of teams took the top spots in the other two.
Steve and Jeff Smith finished first in the second event with a fish weighing 1.44 pounds and Ronnie and Matt Poindexter followed suit last week with another single under.
The series continues this week and the tournaments start at 7 p.m. and continue to an 11 p.m. weigh-in each week. The entry is $20 per boat. The series also features a big fish of the year pot.
Contact tournament directors Steve or Jeff Smith at 823-5746 or 823-4233 for more information.

Star Point events
are going strong
BYRDSTOWN-The Saturday night smallmouth-only tournaments held here at Start Point Marina are off to a good start this year seeing good turnouts and a fish over 21 inches long has also been brought to the scales.
The first event (May 3) featured 15 boats and saw Brian Brannon and Justin Wright team up for the win with 3.47 pounds to pocket $300. Second place ($180) was claimed by Nathaniel Linder and Scottie Stults with 3.39 pounds, while Blake Smith and his partner Lynn took third and $120 with 2.91 pounds.
Eighteen boats fished the second tournament on May 10 and father-and-son team Chad and Landrick Leffew made a big showing that night.
The Leffews had a big smallmouth weighing 4.07 pounds and small one to go with it to total 5.65 pounds. They took first place and $288. Second ($216) went to Anthony Jones and Peto Ipock (3.23 lbs/$216), third to Blake Smith and his partner Lynn (3.14 lbs/$144), and the final paid position to father-and-son team Brian and Garrith Moody (3.01 lbs/$72).
Last weekend a whopping 25 boats blasted off and Jeff Warden and Keith Reagan came out on top with 3.54 pounds to win $384. Raymond Manis and Nathaniel Linder took the runner-up spot with 3.25 pounds and carried home $288. Third went to Jamie Brown and Hal Vaughn (3.21 lbs/$192), while Chris and Teresa Duvall claimed fourth (3.03 lbs/$96).
The series is taking this week off due to the holiday, but will return to action the following Saturday night (5/31). It features a $40-per-boat entry fee and is currently fished from 7 p.m. to 12 midnight. The first tournament in June the fishing time will be extended to 1 a.m.
For more information about the series, contact Randy Roysden at 931-879-0555.