MYETTE POINT — Mike Louviere knows he could have won the Louisiana Bass Anglers’ regular-season finale Oct. 1 in the Atchafalaya Basin.

However, Louviere had his eyes on a bigger prize while he was fishing that first day of October. He hooked and boated two good-sized bass in no time in one of his favorite early fall canals, then promptly left, to the amazement of his partner, Vernon Colson.

“Two weekends ago, I came out fourth. I checked a little canal, caught two 3-pounders and left. They were there,” Louviere said, noting his tournament partner asked him about the rash move.

The Jeanerette bass angler, formerly of Loreauville, answered and said, “I’m saving these fish. I was like, ‘This is going to be OK.’ I wasn’t even stressing about it (that final bass club contest of the season).”

His goal was to win the Louisiana Bass Anglers Classic held Oct. 15 out of Myette Point in the Atchafalaya Basin. And he did win the LBA Classic after he culled to a five-bass limit weighing 13.86 pounds worth $500.

“I knew I was on fish to win it. I had a game plan. I knew what I had to do,” Louviere said, adding the only question was would he get them in the boat if they bit.

That question was answered right away a week ago Saturday. Fishing alone per the format for the Classic, he struck paydirt quickly.

“My second cast that morning was a fish. I was culling by 7:30. It was that quick,” he said, noting his first five keepers weighed an estimated 10 pounds.

Louviere, a 43-year-old welder for Chart Industry, upgraded the rest of the day. The best cull, one worth another $200, was a 4.16-pound bass he caught at approximately 10 a.m.

“That helped. Oh, yes, she did. When I boated her I said, ‘This might be all right.’ About 3 minutes later I catch a 3 ½-pounder” he said.

He said all of the bass were caught on a 3/8-ounce black/blue Chatterbait.

Finishing behind Louviere was Cody Pattillo with five bass at 10.64 pounds for $300. Pattillo also had the day’s second-biggest bass, a 3.68-pounder worth $100.

Tony Sinitiere was third with a limit weighing 10.42 pounds for $200. James Fredieu finished fourth with five bass weighing 10.01 pounds for $100.

Louviere said, “It was nice to finish the year off on a good note.”

He’s just as proud of his Top Six finish in the LBC. He missed the first three tournaments but relieved on a few runner-up finishes to climb back in the race and wound up finishing sixth.

He won the recent LBC Classic, the Wednesday Night Hawg Fights Bass Tournament Series Classic on Sept. 11 and the Louisiana Bass Cats Open on July 10.

“I won only three tournaments all year but they were tournaments that counted,” he said.

He might have had one more win, in that regular-season finale, but he settled for fourth in his successful bid to finish No. 1 in the LBC Classic.