Fun, Entertainment & Giving Back at The Beaumont Boys Weekend
By Patty Lenderman
 | | The Songwriters night was held at Antone's on Crockett Street and included a fantastic array of songs performed by the writers themselves. |
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Sam Rayburn was smooth as glass, blanketed by heavy cloud cover April 26. Just right for 537 anglers fishing the Tracy Byrd Big Bass Tournament! The fishing was only one part of the exciting Beaumont Boys Bash weekend.
Tracy Byrd began this legacy more than a decade ago. Being so proud and appreciative of his community that gave him such support while he was trying to make it in his singing career, he put together the Tracy Byrd Big Bass tournaments with a concert afterward to give something back. Each year, there was a beneficiary designated, from the Boys & Girls clubs to the Children's Miracle Network. When hurricane Rita devastated West Louisiana and East Texas, his annual coming home weekend was postponed. Taking two years to reorganize and re-group, a couple of his friends, Mark Chesnut and Zona Jones wanted to join in and make it an even bigger annual weekend event. The Coushatta Casino Resort and Ranger Boats came on board to help sponsor the tournament in a big way, as well as several others. This years' benefi- ciaries include the Children's Miracle Network, Netcasters Youth Ministries, the Garth House, Boys' Haven, Girl's Haven, and The Humane Society.
 | | Damon Rogers brought in the overall winning bass during the first hourly weigh in. It weighed 9.07 pounds, for which he received a $1,000 hourly check plus the Ranger Grand Prize Boat valued at $25,000. That calculates that fish to be worth almost $3,000 per pound! |
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The Boys Bash Weekend was comprised of several different segments. The evening before the tournament, there was a song writers show at Antone's on Crocket Street in Beaumont. The house was packed, and performing artists included 15 year old Casey Bethard, Tracy Byrd, Roxy Dean Mike Geiger, Mark Nesler, Michael Buller and Karleigh Page. The writers performed several songs that we hear and enjoy on the radio today, and gave a little history about each. Just a few of the featured songs included "Find out who your friends are" (Tracy Lawrence), "Why they call it falling" (Lee Ann Womack), "Adalida" (George Strait) and many more.
 | | Kevin Biskamp brought in the 2nd largest bass weighing 7.73 lbs. His daughter Ashley, just 10 years old also won a check with her 4.36 pound bass. |
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Then there was the fishing tournament on Sam Rayburn, with hourly prizes for the top five fish each hour as well as overall prizes for the top 40 at the end of the tournament.
It was the most beautiful entire weekend we have seen so far this year. Anglers and onlookers gathered at the Umphrey Family Pavilion for the big bass tournament Saturday April 26.
7:00-8:00
Radio Station KJCS 103.3 out of Nacogdoches was on site keeping the listeners informed with up to the minute standings. The first angler of the day to weigh in was Jim Robins with an exact 4 pound bass. As more anglers came in to weigh, Jim warmed
each of the top 5 seats until he was eventually bumped out of the standings. Damon Rogers brought in the bass to beat during this hour.
Top Five 7:00-8:00
| 1st $1,000 9.05 lbs Damon Rogers | Beaumont, TX | |
| 2nd $ | 750 | 6.81 lbs Mickey Hutchison | Sam Rayburn, TX | |
| 3rd $ | 500 | 5.78 lbs Mack Rose | Buna, TX | |
| 4th $ | 250 | 5.68 lbs John Jackson | Kingwood, TX | |
| 5th $ | 100 | 5.20 lbs John Thompson | Lumberton, TX | |
 | | Tracy gives his good friend and former Children's Miracle Network (CMN) poster child Catherine Escagne a big hug. Catherine had severe injuries from an auto accident but through the CMN and with the help of the Hyperbarack Chamber that was purchased with the proceeds from previous Tracy Byrd tournaments, she is doing great and still improving today. |
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8:00-9:00
More anglers came trickling to the scales during the 8:00-9:00 hour. The first to weigh in this hour was at 8:44, Victor Jones of Lake Charles. He ended up winning the last place and $100. With only minutes to spare on the official time clock, more and more fishermen came to the pavilion holding their fish in the back tanks debating on whether to hold 'em or weigh 'em this hour or next. The clock was ticking down, and with only seconds left Kevin Biskamp brought his fish to the scales, weighing 7.73 to take the top seat and $1,000!
 | | Mike Hebert of Texas Marine and Tracy Byrd presented Damon Rogers with his brand new 2008 177TR 40th Anniversary Edition Ranger for winning the tournament |
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Top Five 8:00-9:00
| 1st | $1,000 | 7.73 lbs | Kevin Biskamp | Silsbee, TX |
| 2nd $ | 750 | 6.76 lbs | Manor Love | Opelousas, LA |
| 3rd | $ | 500 | 5.65 lbs | Noel Richey | Nederland, TX |
| 4th | $ | 250 | 4.82 lbs | Kent Griffin | Nederland, TX |
| 5th | $ | 100 | 3.69 lbs | Victor Jones | Lake Charles, LA |
9:00-10:00
Ranger Boats representatives were on hand to answer questions about Ranger Boats and special financing incentives they have to offer. They also offered demo rides!
The first person to weigh in this hour was 10 year old Ashley Biskamp with a 4.36 lb bass. More anglers on stand-by in the back tanks waiting till the last minute to weigh. Here's an interesting note - the Biskamps won checks during two hours at this point in the tournament. The boat they are fishing out of, a Ranger Comanche, that Kevin won in the 2002 Tracy Byrd Big Bass tournament catching a 9.01 lb bass! He fished that tournament with his mom. Today he is fishing with his daughter, and mom is fishing with his brother. Three generations - it's a family tradition!
Top Five 9:00-10:00
| 1st | $1,000 | 7.09 lbs | Thomas Berry | Buna, TX |
| 2nd | $ | 750 | 5.54 lbs | Clint Teutsch | Lufkin, TX |
| 3rd | $ | 500 | 4.83 lbs | Bobby Tanton | Silsbee, TX |
| 4th | $ | 250 | 4.36 lbs | Ashley Biskamp | Silsbee, TX |
| 5th | $ | 100 | 4.09 lbs | John Gothia | Bridge City, TX |
10:00-11:00
There were a lot more fish brought in, but when it was all said and done the five pounders ruled the board.
Top Five 10:00-11:00
| 1st | $1,000 | 5.57 lbs | Dave Cormier | Pt Neches, TX | |
| 2nd | $ | 625 | 5.17 lbs | Michael Cooley | Woodville, TX | |
| 2nd (tie) $ | 625 | 5.17 lbs | Kenneth Kingrey | Kinder, LA | |
| 4th | $ | 250 | 5.08 lbs | Linwood Little | Bronson, TX | |
| 5th | $ | 100 | 5.05 lbs | Chris Duvall | Brookeland, TX | |
11:00-12:00
There were a lot of anglers ready to weigh as soon as the hour opened. The bar was already beginning to rise in the plight for a check. More and more people gathered to watch the tournament and to see Tracy Byrd.
Top Five 11:00 - 12:00
| 1st | $1,000 7.59 lbs | Joe Bloomfield | Beaumont, TX | |
| 2nd $ | 750 | 6.45 lbs | Doug McCain | Lake Charles, LA | |
| 3rd | $ | 500 | 6.26 lbs | Butch Fregia | Groves, TX | |
| 4th | $ | 250 | 5.40 lbs | Kevin Lane | Brookeland, TX | |
| 5th | $ | 100 | 5.20 lbs | Jimmy Wiseman | Splendora, TX | |
12:00-1:00 The smell of BBQ filled the air as the Triple "S" Industrial Corp brought its chuckwagon and cooked hot links for all the hungry people.
Top Five 12:00-1:00
| 1st | $1,000 7.44 lbs Frank Quick | Grand Lake, LA |
| 2nd $ 750 5.91 lbs Ken Kiner | Houston, TX |
| 3rd $ 500 5.66 lbs Eddie Sunday | Nederland, TX | |
| 4th $ 250 5.60 lbs Robert Royce | Vidor, TX | |
| 5th $ 100 5.33 lbs John Ellender, Jr | Hemphill, TX | |
1:00-2:00
Tracy made it in, and socialized with everyone in the crowd. Of all the hours, the most fish were brought in and weighed this hour.
Top Five 1:00-2:00
| 1st $1,000 7.22 lbs Douglas Knight | Fred, TX | |
| 2nd $ 750 5.17 lbs Aaron LeFleur | Kinder, LA | |
| 3rd $ 500 5.13 lbs John Taylor | Lumberton, TX | |
| 4th $ 250 5.08 lbs Bobby Tanton | Silsbee, TX | |
| 5th $ 100 4.98 lbs Jimmy Wiseman | Splendora, TX | |
Many of the bigger fish of the day were reported to be caught shallow, about three feet deep, and most of them on wacky worms.
Damon Rogers of Beaumont, Texas won the tournament with his 9.05 lb bass he weighed during the first hour. "I caught her in about 8' on a watermelon/chartreuse lizard" he said. In addition to the $1,000 hourly check he also won the Grand Prize package of a 2008 177TR 40th Anniversary Edition Ranger ass Boat with trailer and Yamaha motor valued at $25,000.
After the hourly checks were divvied, the top 40 anglers were given additional prizes that included Berkley & Lucky Strike lure packages, American Rodsmiths rods, Justin Boots certificates, Mossy Oak camo, a mini Motorcycle from Tyler County ATV and for the 2nd place winner Kevin Biskamp, $5,000 in cash.
Saturday night the Boys put on an outdoor concert for everyone to enjoy. It was held outdoors back on Crocket Street in Beaumont, and more than 1,000 people came out to enjoy the event.
Of all the charities that benefited from the weekend, special emphasis was given to the Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The unit has been in dire need of refurbishing and remodeling.
"I'd like to thank everyone who came out with us this year for our Beaumont Boys Weekend" Byrd said. He gave special thanks to Kerri Taliaferro who organized the weekend and got it all together even having her beautiful baby three weeks ago!
The tradition is back and in full swing - we'll be looking forward to it again next year!