A Review of the 2018 Season

The year began on a down note, with the loss of one of our own. Duane Kessel (right) slipped away quietly from us Jan. 29, 2018, at the age of 57. I would eventually learn that he succumbed to heart problems, which he had been battling without our knowledge for quite some time.

It would be a gross understatement if I were to say we all truly miss Duane's infectious joviality, as well as his fondness for fried chicken. We all still joke about the fact that, while his tournament partner, Bobby Moore, would be up on the front deck of his boat catching bass after bass, you often would find Duane perched on the rear pedestal, with the fishin' rod resting in his lap while he licked his fingers and flicked chicken bones over the side. I never really could figure out which thing Duane liked more: fishin' or eatin' chicken. Suffice it to say he did both well.

The 2018 season ended up being marred by a host of other unfortunate events. For example, we learned that our long-time buddy Al Napier (left) is locked in combat with pancreatic cancer. Despite this malady, Al kept fishing all season long, up to and including our two-day season-ending Classic tournament. At the same time, he also maintained his participation in Region 7 events.

He may not always have felt like it, but that never stopped Al from spending those 8-hour days on the water, just like all the rest of us. That's what being a "real trooper" is all about. Whether fishing with his son, Chris, or his regular tournament partner, Wayne Hayes, Al was there chunkin' and windin' alongside all the rest of us throughout all of 2018. My hat's off to Al. I seriously doubt I could have demonstrated his kind of dedication in the same circumstances.

The binnacle list doesn't end there, either. During the summer months, Bobby Moore had some problems with blood clots, and as if those weren't enough, he subsequently took a tumble at the marina. The result: some broken ribs and a hairline fracture of one ankle.

Angler of the Year, Dave Anderson (right), then experienced a bout with kidney stones, which kept him out of the 2018 Classic but allowed him to claim AOY honors with a new record-breaking total of 185.77 lbs.

And the list of casualties didn't end until Day 1 of the Classic, when competitor Jim Wilder slipped and fell on the Pungo Ferry ramp while in the process of recovering his boat. He messed up his leg and back to the point where he couldn't make muster on Day 2.

Another positive event during 2018, in addition to Dave's record-setting AOY title, was a new all-time single-day total weight. The team of (from left) Eddie Sapp and Stan Krason brought a 23.87-lb. five-bass limit to the scales on April 28, anchored by a 6.48-lb. bass.

While their big fish was a beauty, it came in behind the 7.68-pounder caught exactly one week earlier by the team of Eric Killian (right) and Jim Crist. Actually, Eric caught the fish but preferred they both be credited with winning the seasonal-lunker award. Incidentally, their fish marked another all-time record catch for our tournament series.

I further want to mention that the overall average weight through 17 qualifying tournaments and the 2018 Classic continued an upward trend. Last year's average weight of 2.17 pounds bowed to the all-new high of 2.27 lbs.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all those who competed this year. Let me further thank everyone who helped me out with the myriad tournament details throughout the year. And Leslie Schaible, in case you happen to read this post, please know you're welcome back to assist with the record-keeping during all of the 2019 tournament weigh-ins...if you're so inclined.

My thanks also extend to Steve Winfree for hosting the vast majority of our 2018 events there at West Neck. In a few instances, we were forced to launch and recover out of Pungo Ferry, but those events were the exception to the rule.

Hopefully, I've not overlooked anyone. If I did, please know it purely was by accident, and I beg your forgiveness. To all of you, I say Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year! Look forward to seeing all of you again, starting in March 2019. In the meantime, stay safe.