This one's for Jim...

In memory of our beloved friend, Jim Simons...Oct 1, 1948 - April 6, 2019

Wes House, 1st place, 11.57 lbs; Big fish: 3.59 lbs

Duke Bevard, 3rd place, 9.38 lbs

Duke Ellis, 6.28 lbs

Michael "Polecat" Pelchat, 6.61 lbs

Sheldon Godfrey, 4.66 lbs

      Leesville BASSMasters arrived at the Henderson Point ramp at Kerr Lake on April 13 to thunderstorms and rain.  Temps were in the low 60s with light and variable winds and water temps in the low 60s.  This morning was especially somber for our anglers.  On April 6, 2019, fellow Leesville member Jim Simons passed away after a long, courageous battle with Parkinson's disease.  Jim fought his condition with a strength and perseverance that belied his soft spoken nature, and he will be sorely missed.  Before blast-off, we observed a solemn moment of silence and dedicated today's tournament to Jim's memory.
      Several lines of thunderstorms blew through during the day, but Jim was apparently keeping watch over us on high because all of them seemed to go around.  We did, however, have on and off rain throughout most of the day and quite heavy at times.  All of our anglers caught fish today.  When all fish had been brought to the scales, Wes House took first place with a five fish limit of 11.57 lbs and also took big fish honors with a 3.59 lb'er.  Mark Cannon took 2nd place (5 fish, 9.78 lbs) closely followed by Duke Bevard in 3rd (5 fish, 9.38 lbs).  
      Our next tournament takes us to Jordan Lake on May 11, which recently hosted MLF Stage 3.  We're expecting the fish will have the feed bag on as they come off the beds and run headlong into the shad spawn.