New bass fishing team set for tourney Sat.

Two Columbus High School boys are preparing for a bass fishing tournament Saturday.

Jacob Everett and Bryce Leopold are members of the newly formed Colorado County Patience Placement Pleasure bass fishing club based out of Columbus.

Chris Everett, Jacob’s father, is advisor to the competitive bass fishing club, which is open to county high school students whose school does not have a bass fishing team.

“We started working on it in November, before Thanksgiving,” said Everett, transportation director for the Columbus school district.

It has taken a long time to assemble and submit documentation to start the club. “It’s really complicated getting one team together,” Jacob Everett said.

Matt Gaby of State Farm Insurance is the club’s main sponsor and will serve as the boat captain, according to Chris Everett.

Jacob and Leopold will represent the club as one team in Saturday’s tournament on Lake LBJ. First cast is 7 a.m. for the Texas High School Bass Association event, the finale on the schedule before the regional tournament in April.

Everett said Gaby has taken the boys out to get them ready for their debut, being sure to follow the rules of competition. “The first trip out, we went over all the dos and don’ts,” Everett said. “We wanted to make sure we were doing everything right.”

Freshman Jacob and sophomore Leopold, who play baseball for the school, are avid anglers. “Those boys, you almost have to make them leave the water,” Everett said.

Jacob has plenty of time for an activity he started at least 12 years ago. “I’ve fished since I could pick up a fishing rod,” he said.

He regularly fishes at the four or five ponds near his house, spending “a good seven or eight hours” each time, he said.

Jacob has not fished at Lake LBJ, so he said he and Leopold will probably fish there a few days before the tournament. “The major concern is just finding spots to fish using the right tackle and getting the biggest fish,” he said. “Just trying to figure out what lures to use and depth of the water.”

He said he knows other Columbus students who are interested in the club. His father intends to use the summer to build membership.

For information, see the team’s Face-book page, or email CCPPP2019@gmail.com.