From left, Drew Romero, his daughter, Aubrey Romero, IR&GC fishing rodeo official Brock Pellerin and Romero's oldest daughter, Alexis Romero, pose after Drew Romero successfully defended his Inside Division Boat Captain's Award aboard Smokin' Reelz II and Alexis Romero claimed the division's Best All-Around Fisher(wo)man plaque. DON SHOOPMAN / THE DAILY IBERIAN

CYPREMORT POINT – Fishing rodeo anglers who fish the Inside Division found out July 4-6 in the 72nd annual Iberia Rod & Gun Club Saltwater Fishing Rodeo what Junior Division anglers discovered the past few years about competing against Alexis Romero.

The Lydia teen who was eligible to fish again this and the next two years in the Junior Division opted to fish with her father, Drew Romero, aboard his Smokin’ Reelz II in the Inside Division. One year after winning the Junior Division Best All-Around Fisher(wo)man title she won the same title in the Inside Division.

“Well, I’m kind of excited. It’s my first year in the Inside Division and I just turned 13. It’s just beating older people I guess,” Alexis said modestly before accepting the hardware for two first-place fish and the handsome plaque that goes to the Best All-Around.

The Iberia Middle School student also led her boat to the Inside Division’s Boat Captain’s Award as Smokin Reelz II successfully defended the title it won in 2024.

“We did a lot of running around and got very lucky,” Drew Romero said, noting of their eight hours on the water Friday, four of them were spent traveling spot to spot.

“We were looking for moving water. There wasn’t much moving water. Tides were messed up,” he said.

Tee Butte proved to be the hotspot for speckled trout while Cote Blanche gave up the redfish, where each caught one for the leaderboard the first day. Both of those redfish, plus another nice “slot,” came off one grass bed.

Alexis ended Day 1 with four fish – two firsts and two thirds – on the leaderboard. Two days later at the hour of reckoning, i.e. when the final totals were tallied on Day 3, the eighth-grader who plans to play volleyball and softball at IMS still owned the first-place flounder at 2.34 pounds and the first-place sheepshead at 2.76 pounds.

Those two fish on the final leaderboard were key to winning the Boat Captain’s Award because the last of her dad’s two fish on the leaderboard Friday got bumped off on Day 3.

“You see they knocked all my fish off the board, huh?” he asked rhetorically.

Nevertheless, their combined points added up to a total of 11.13, more than enough to turn back skipper Chad Broussard and his Knot Worried’s final tally of 752 and Caleb Sumrall Fishing’s 527.

“Actually, it feels pretty damned good. She fished with us (17 and over anglers) and we still won,” Drew Romero said about winning the boat title. Aubrey, his youngest daughter, became ill around midday the first day, prompting him to return to the boat ramp, drop her off and head back out.

Drew Romero finished runner-up to his oldest daughter for the Inside Division Best All-Around Fisherman title. She amassed 704 points to his 409, followed by Max Khamphilavong’s 356.

“I’m very proud of her,” Drew Romero said.

Alexis also said she was happy with young Bentley Vining, who fished with their grandfather, Brian Romero, in Smokin Reelz I, in the Junior Division.

“Hey, my youngest cousin got first place all-around. I’m proud of him. He worked,” she said.

Her exit from the younger division greased the path for him and he took advantage of it, she said.

“He had no chance last year or the year before (when she dominated the Junior Division). It’s all right, he got it this year,” she said.

Brian Romero said, “I’m proud of my grandchildren, that’s for sure, for Junior Division and Inside Division (titles). Man, we did really good.”

He skippered Bentley and Bentley’s sister, Sophia Vining. Mostly, he baited the hooks and netted the fish, he said.

Bentley, 12, wound up with two first-place fish, two second-place fish and a third-place fish for an insurmountable three-day total of 1,253 points. He finished ahead of Axel Sumrall with 794 points and Reid Dore with 636.

Axel fished with his father, Caleb Sumrall, mother, Jacie Sumrall and sister, Clelie Sumrall, while Reid was on the water aboard Priority One with his father, fishing rodeo veteran Ronnie Dore.

“It’s my first time winning, and next year I’m going to go in the Inside Division. I’m really proud. I’ve been fishing my whole life,” Bentley said while clutching a few of his trophies and the big plaque for Best All-Around.

He praised his grandfather.

“He’s the best person in my life and I wouldn’t have won without him. He went to the right spots at the right time,” he said.