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HENDERSON –After hitting a sweet spot first thing in the morning, two cousins from St. Martinville bounced around on a windy day to put an unbeatable five-bass limit together.

Braxton Resweber and Austin Theriot’s hard-earned limit weighed 14.43 pounds, good enough to top a 12-boat field fishing the first Basin Brawl of 2024. Like a majority of the boats, they made their first cast in Lake Fausse Pointe at the announced time after leaving by boat in the predawn darkness from Bayou Amy Landing on the west side of the West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee near Henderson.

“I went the Friday before. We were already on fish,” Resweber, 27, said about the win.

That trip the day prior to the tournament expanded the number of high potential spots, he said. The fish were cooperating on the same artificial lure and presentation in several areas, which is why they moved around after their original destination paid off.

“I try to get away from people (other tournament boats). We were fishing a pattern more than an area. That’s just how we were getting bit,” said the shipping coordinator for Starr Power Tongs LLC.

“I love it. That was fun. It was good to be back in a boat again. I tell you what, the wind kicked our butt but we dealt with it. We stuck with it and caught. We probably caught, ummmmm, 15,” Theriot said, noting the keeper bass they caught bit mostly on wacky-rigged black/blue GYCB Senkos.

“We didn’t stay in one spot. We were bouncing around so much,” he said.

First place was worth $600. The winners also boasted the biggest bass of the day, a 4.95-pounder that raked in another $120.

Brad Romero of New Iberia and Devin Verret of Loreauville teamed up to finish runners-up with five bass weighing 12.31 pounds for $300.

The third and final paying spot was nailed down by the Carters, Randy and Wyatt, who had 10.84 pounds worth $180.

The Basin Brawl is part of the evening bass tournament series based at Cypress Cove Landing. There will be five weekend tournaments available to bass anglers, especially those who are unable to fish the evening bass tournaments, in their quest to qualify for the Classic.

Evening bass tournaments, which are solely for Henderson Lake, start March 21.

The Basin Brawl winners enjoyed getting back together for a bass tournament.

“It’s always good when you catch fish if you like fishing. That’s our goal every time,” Resweber said.

“Oh, we had a good time. It was awesome,” said Theriot, a 23-year-old aviation mechanic at Arrow Aviation.

One of the best times of the trip was the 4.95-pounder Resweber hooked around 10 a.m.

“I didn’t think it was that big. He (Theriot) said, ‘Dude, how much you think it weighs?’ I said about 4, 4 ¼.’ He said, ‘No. Close to 5.’ I said, ‘That’s even better,’ ” Resweber said.

“We should have had way more than we had,” he said, noting they missed some quality bass.