Leger turns love of bass fishing into a family affair and competes toward professional status

For Zwolle High School graduate and current Evangeline Parish resident Eric Leger bass fishing has always been a part of his life. Now that he is married, he shares his love of bass fishing with his wife, Sandy, and his two sons, Jacques and Isaac, and parlays that into making the tournament circuit.
What is so appealable about fishing for Leger is the sense of peacefulness. “You can get away from everyday life and the struggles we have with life itself,” he explained. “You get out there and just kind of forget about everything.”
Leger said he was pretty much born with a fishing pole in his hand. “I guess it’s due to everybody in my family loved to hunt and fish,” he said. “I was just brought up around it. I got a love for it at an early age, and it’s still there. I don’t think it will ever go away.”
His first memories of fishing revolve around camping trips while a member of the Boy Scouts.
“When I was growing up,” Leger said, “I loved to go fish in little ponds with my friends. I can remember one time when I was in Boy Scouts that we had a little get together where we camped out and went fish at a friend’s pond.”
He continued, “I can still remember a few of those fish that I caught. I caught a 5-pound bass in that deal. I was the talk of the whole place.”
Bass continues to be what Leger calls his “go-to” fish. However, sac-a-lait becomes the fish of choice whenever the whole family gets together. “We’ll pack an ice chest with water, sit there over a brush pile, catch white perch, and have a good time.”
Leger heads to the waters of Toledo Bend often enough along with the waters of Sam Rayburn Lake but, now, mainly enjoys the nearby waters of Chicot Lake and Miller’s Lake.
For Chicot, Leger says, “any cast at this lake can produce a 10-pound bass.” He added, “That’s what I tell people when I take them fishing. There are a lot of big fish in that lake. They’re hard to catch, but they’re there.”
Fishing also enables Leger to continue fanning his competitive spirit. This spirit first began driving him as he was playing baseball while growing up.
“I loved the competition, and I love to fish,” Leger said. “The tournament fishing gives me that drive to compete. That’s why I love to tournament fish. It keeps me going.”
Leger has been tournament fishing for nearly two decades and started out competing in small dog fights at Chicot Park after he and his wife got married and moved to Evangeline Parish. Because of those dog fights, he calls Chicot the “grassroots of my tournament fishing.”
Over the years, Leger began competing on the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) circuit. As he explained, the circuit consists of three levels. The beginning level is the Bass Fishing League. Then it advances to the Toyota Series and, ultimately, the professional level.
“In order to get to the pro level,” Leger said, “you have to qualify. I’m not saying I will, but, if I do qualify, I would go try it.”
“The chances are very slim,” he continued, “but, in order to do it, you have to fish these different tournaments. It’s been a childhood dream of mine like everybody else who bass fishes. The only way to get there is to try, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Leger is currently in the Toyota Series. The first tournament of the year was at Toledo Bend in January. The second tournament at Gibson Lake in Oklahoma got rescheduled for September because of COVID-19, and the last tournament of the year will be held at Sam Rayburn.
“At each tournament,” Leger said, “you get points based on how you finish. At the end of the year, you combine your points. If you’re in the Top 25 of the contestants who competed, then you qualify for the championship which will probably be in December. That’s what we all work for.”
Allowing Leger to compete towards his childhood dream are several different sponsors including local sponsors such as Kyle McFarlain with Raisin’ Canes, Chris Brignac with Basin Chemical, and Bucky Ardoin with Unlimited Marine.
“They help me out a lot,” Leger expressed. “I couldn’t do anything without those guys.”
Aside from the support of his sponsors, Leger also depends on the support of his family who always comes first.
“Every time I go to a tournament that is a team tournament,” he said, “I ask my sons first. I have a lot of buddies who want to fish with me, but it’s always my kids first. I’m fortunate that my oldest son always wants to come more times than not.”
Leger continued, “I ask my boys first. If they refuse because they have plans, then I’ll ask someone else. Every now and then, I’ll throw Sandy in there as well.”
His family support goes well beyond being in the boat with him during these tournaments.
“I’m doing these big tournaments that take me away from home some weekends. I couldn’t do it without the total understanding from my family,” he shared. “They’re behind me 100 percent, and they’re rooting for me. Without them, I couldn’t do it because I couldn’t fish with a clear conscious.”