Less than a week before the first Southcentral Fishing Association tournament of 2021, Keith Delahoussaye of New Iberia and Keith Comeaux of Delcambre have the honor of being the team to beat.

Delahoussaye and Comeaux ran away with the SFA Angler(s) of the Year title in the wacky season that was 2020. They won three regular-season tournaments and the SFA Classic.

Approximately 120 other Teche Area anglers who love to fish “slot” redfish tournaments hope to unseat the defending champs when the SFA season starts March 13. They’re first chance is coming up.

Delahoussaye, 66, who retired as a sergeant with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division in 2014, is pumped up to take on any and all challengers.

“Yeah, I’m ready to get cranked up. I’ve been out a couple times. (But) it’s probably been a week since I’ve been out there,” he said. “I’ve got some friends who caught some nice redfish this past weekend, nice tournament redfish.”

Two weeks ago he was fishing for redfish and landed an 8-pounder that was “way under 27 inches.” Those choice “slots,” he said, seem so difficult to catch during a tournament but seemingly more commonplace the week before or week after the contest.

And that’s how it goes for most fishing tournaments, freshwater or saltwater, as competitive anglers know.

Water conditions should be improved before the opener (compared to last year) because the Atchafalaya River stage has been lower than usual the past few months at Butte La Rose. The BLR river stage was around 8-9 feet for the longest time but started rising a week ago today, was at 10.06-feet at midafternoon Tuesday and forecast to climb to 13.4 feet by 2 p.m. today.

“If it stays 12 feet or under, our fishing stays pretty good over here,” Delahoussaye said.

A few days before Valentine’s Day, SFA Director Gerrit “T-Blu” Landry talked about the river stage, which was unseasonably low all winter.

“With the river staying low like it did, it (the Cypremort Point area) ought to have pretty good fishing this year. I don’t think it’ll be as muddy and fresh, even if it comes up right now. Last year it was at 18 (at Butte La Rose),” Landry said then from his home in Patoutville.

With luck, the hard rise won’t affect the inside waters too much before the tournament, Landry, Delahoussaye and other SFA members are hoping.

Marsh Island’s east end and Lake Sand usually give up the most redfish during the first tournament each year, Delahoussaye said. Marsh Island’s southern shoreline, what he refers to as “outside,” specifically around Turtle Hole, is another potential hotspot.

“It could be good out there,” he said.

Whatever happens, redfish will hit the scale at 3:30 p.m. next Sunday following a 6:30 a.m. start from Quintana Canal Boat Ramp. After the opening and Daylight Saving, the remaining regular-season tournaments and SFA Classic are scheduled to be held 6 a.m.-3 p.m.

Entry fee is $100 per boat with a five-angler maximum per boat. SFA membership, which is $25 per anglers 16 years old and older and $10 for those 15 and under.

Each boat can weigh two “slot” redfish between 16 and 27 inches long.

The other SFA dates are April 10, May 8 and June 5. The SFA Classic is set for July 17.

For now, the focus is on March 13.

“I hope for a good turnout,” Delahoussaye said, noting he’d like to see the club grow with new members and younger redfish fishermen fishing the SFA.

As of early last week, Delahoussaye was unsure if he’d be fishing by himself or with Comeaux.

“I really don’t know. He (Comeaux) really hasn’t been fishing this year. But I’m going to fish, fish in my boat (if he must), give it my best shot. But I think he’s going to fish,” he said, noting the avid waterfowler hunted three straight months in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas.

“He’s been hunting ducks and geese,” he said.

Fishing alone or with his teammate, Delahoussaye can’t wait.

“Well, I think I can hold my own. Fishing against those guys, you know, those guys are tough fishermen. If he (Comeaux) fished that gives us a better chance,” Delahoussaye said. “All of the guys are tough fishermen. They’re hard to beat. They’ve got a lot of knowledge in that club. They all know what they’re doing. You’ve got to have luck and we were lucky last year.”

For more information on how to join the club and fish the first tournament, call 380-0387.