COTEAU HOLMES – Two fishing buddies got together for the first time in several years for an evening bass tournament, then checked quite a few boxes during the first 30 minutes or so July 26 in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Brad Romero of Lafayette, formerly of New Iberia, and Damein Clements of Abbeville, a fishing guide at Toledo Bend, teamed up to fish out of Romero’s Mercury-powered Bullet bass boat for the 10th Wednesday Night Hawg Fights Bass Tournament Series of 2023.

What happened before they regrouped down the stretch to win the tournament with three bass weighing 7.43 pounds for $405? And boast the evening’s biggest bass, a 3.33-pounder worth $90?

+ Experienced a blown outboard motor a few minutes after leaving the Bayou Benoit Landing heading toward Bee Hive Chute.

+ Got towed twice by Good Samaritans in the direction of Bayou Benoit Landing.

+ Dodged kamikaze carp most of the late afternoon.

+ Relied on a few fishing rods and small selection of artificial lures.

“You can’t write it any better than that,” Clements said with a chuckle.

Romero agreed and said, “I think me and Damein, every time we get in a boat, something breaks.”

“He was definitely a good sport about it. It was more of a bummer for him. I know he was getting his boat ready to be sold,” Clements said.

The Mercury blew at the start after Romero turned right at the G.A. Cut. They trolling motored to the east bank, where they were seen by Vic Segura, who fished the contest with his grandson, Roman Segura. Segura insisted on towing them toward Grand Bayou, out of the current, Clements said.

Once they got there, Clements, 36, said he told the rescuers to cut loose and “go enjoy the evening.” While fishing upcurrent toward the ramp, Johnny Hester, fishing alone, passed by while returning to the landing after he called it quits due to spinning a prop in the G.A. Cut and replacing it along the shoreline below Ruiz Landing.

“So Mr. Johnny pulled us a little closer to the landing. As soon as we untied from him, on my third cast, I caught the big bass” on a ½-ounce chartreuse/orange War Eagle spinnerbait, Clements said.

“Brad put on a white buzz bait. He caught one keeper. I’m pumped up. We’re in it now. We got a shot.”

Romero, 29, said, “I said, ‘That cove there always has big fish. … It’s got nice stumps.’ I’ve got history there, memories of fishing with my dad – Bandit 100s.

“It was 200 yards away. Johnny had just untied us and left. He (Clements) put that in the boat. I said, “Damn, there’s our kicker.’ ”

A few more decent keepers went in the livewell.

As weigh-in time got closer, as did the landing, Clements, who is in his fourth season running D.C. Fishing Services, snagged the spinnerbait between two cypress trees. Rather than going in and retrieving it, he worked to get it unsnagged, joked there must be a 4-pounder there, cast again and caught a 2 ½-pound class bass.

“It wasn’t a 4-pounder but it was a good ¼-pound cull we made at the last minute,” Clements said.

Their catch was enough to top an 18-boat field.

Brandon Sellers of New Iberia and Blaine Miller of Loreauville, who are in the thick of the race for Angler(s) of the year, finished a close second with three bass weighing 7.31 pounds worth $243.

Carroll Delahoussaye and Danny Bulliard, both of St. Martinville, were third with a limit weighing 5.98 pounds for $162.

The 11th WN Hawg Fights BTS tournament of the year is scheduled to be held Aug. 9 out of Myette Point Landing in the Atchafalaya Basin.