FRANKLIN – With a big assist from a longtime fishing buddy March 5, New Iberian Brandon Sellers has one win with 11 more to go to win Angler of the Year in the Coteau Bass Anglers.

Sellers, 51-year-old owner of Sellers Sheet Metal, teamed up with his guest, Johnny Schexnayder, also of New Iberia, to win the bass club’s first tournament of the year. Sellers and Schexnayder culled to a five-bass limit weighing 14.32 pounds.

“I plan on winning a couple more. I’m good for at least three. I’ve got the first one down. It’s a good start, I tell you that. Oh, yeah, it was a good start,” Sellers said.

The winners topped a field of nine two-man teams that fished on a windy Saturday out of Fairfax Foster Bailey Memorial Boat Landing. Their unbeatable catch was anchored by a 5.14-pound bass caught by Schexnayder on his third cast of the day after a long boat ride to the Lake Fausse Pointe area.

That bass bit on a soft plastic crawfish-style bait at the first of several different areas, Sellers said.

“It was, like, 7 o’clock in the morning. We were pumped. Oh, yeah. We high-fived and said, ‘That’s the way to start. Let’s catch some more,’ ” he said.

And they did catch some more. About 20 keepers went into the boat but their 14 pounds were in the livewell before 9 a.m., he said.

Then the wind really started blowing to present a challenge that they overcame.

“That was 25- to 30-mph wind and we were still catching fish. It was tough but the fishing was good. It was the elements that were tough,” Sellers said.

Also, the lake’s extra low water level probably dissuaded seven of the nine boats from traveling to Lake Fausse Pointe, according to Sellers. Nevertheless, the bass they caught were in less than 1 foot of water.

Shexnayder, 69, who retired in 2015, for the third time, from Orion Chemicals, and Sellers scouted three days earlier. They had a field day as the five biggest bass they nailed were estimated at a total of 18 pounds.

They missed a handful of 3- to 4-pounders on tournament day, however.

“We should have had 19 pounds. They’d bite and let go. They just bit the tail … either that or the hook was too big,” Sellers said. “But we had enough to win. It was plenty.”

They had a nearly 3-pound cushion over the runner-up team of Paul Trahan and Nick Hebert, who had 11.42 pounds. Robbie Mayer and Gerald Frederik finished third with 11.39 pounds.

March 5 at Franklin

1, Brandon Sellers-(*) Johnny Schexnayder (5), 14.39. 2, Paul Trahan-Nick Hebert (5), 11.42. 3, Robbie Mayer-Gerald Frederick (5), 11.39. 4, Tim Sturm-Guest (5), 9.55. 5, Cedrick Boudreaux-Guest (5), 9.05. 6, Keith Altazin-Jason Jones (5), 8.15. 7, Blaine Miller-Bryce Louviere (5), 7.98. 8, Joey Trahan-Bobby Louviere (5), 5.13. 9, Steve Doumit-Doyle Louviere (3), 4.33.

1, Brandon Sellers, 105. 2, Paul Trahan, 95. 3, Nick Hebert, 90. 4, (tie) Robbie Mayer and Gerald Frederick, 85. 6, Tim Sturm, 80. 7, Cedric Boudreaux, 75. 8, (tie) Keith Altazin and Jason Jones, 70. 10, (tie) Blaine Miller and Bryce Louviere, 68. 12, (tie) Joey Trahan-Bobby Louviere, 67. 15, (tie) Doyle Louviere-Steve Doumit, 66. 17, (tie) Colby Hebert and Marlin Hebert, 5.