SFA director announces dates for ’18

It’s been seven months and a few days since Southcentral Fishing Association members picked up a fishing rod to compete against other top-notch redfish fishermen in the Teche Area.

That’s way too long, they’ll agree to a man and woman. That drought is about to end, however, because SFA director Gerrit “T Blu” Landry of Lydia has announced the schedule and put out a call for old members and new members to get ready for 2018.

“I’m ready. We’re ready. It’s time,” Landry said Thursday night, a few days after he sent emails to members about the upcoming season.

He just finished the deer hunting season in which he killed a doe and a handful of hogs, a season highlighted by his daughter Faith Landry’s 10-pointer killed in Arkansas. He has turned his full attention to the SFA.

“I’ve been getting a bunch of phone calls asking when it’s starting so everybody’s ready, also,” he said.

It’s starting March 17 out of Cypremort Point Boat Landing. The other three regular-season tournaments will be April 28, May 26 and June 23. 

The SFA Classic is scheduled to be held July 21.

The opener will start at 6:30 a.m. rather than 6 a.m. because the region still will be in CST. The weigh-in that day will be at 3:30 p.m. under the pavilion along Quintana Canal.

The area’s many redfish fishermen have plenty of time to pay their membership dues ($25 annually for adults, $10 for 15 years old and younger) and get a crew together. Each tournament entry fee is $100 per boat.

For more information or to become a member, call 380-0387.

Landry was encouraged by increased participation last year after a subpar year in 2016, a year in which inclement weather plagued half the regular-season tournaments.

“Last year it was really good. It was way up compared to the year before that. We would average 20 boats per tournament. That’s when the payout’s better for everybody,” the all-around outdoorsman said.

“As long as we get some calm winds and good weather,” the turnout will be there, he said optimistically.

Landry said new members are encouraged to join.

“It’s open to anybody. We always welcome new members,” he said.

New members and old members alike will try to unseat the defending champion duo of Quentin Comeaux and Ryan Landry, both of Delcambre. The longtime fishing buddies won two of the four regular-season tournaments on their way to winning Angler(s) of the Year.

The winning team finished ahead of Daniel Migues, Keith Delahoussaye, Keo Khamphilavong and Craig Landry. Delahoussaye fished with the top team in the regular-season finale.

Can anybody else wrest the title away, including the director? Gerrit Landry said he and his crew will give it a shot.

“We’re going to try, like every year. I hope. (But) they got some tough competition,” he said.

The only change to the regular-season tournament format this year involves the second tournament, the one where the high end of the slot limit is drawn before the boats take off from Quintana Canal. The Calcutta will be for the “most spots” on the redfish.

“We’re going to change it up a little,” the director said, noting somebody brought it up last year at the annual season-ending supper at the American Legion Building in Lydia.

“That’s pretty much our rougher tournament. We don’t normally have too big of weights at that tournment. Maybe it’ll give somebody else the opportunity to win.”

Landry said he will be assisted this season by Matt Landry, Brady Derise and Trevor Broussard. The latter will measure the redfish at each weigh-in, he said.