LOREAUVILLE – A significant cull as the proverbial clock ticked to 0:00 on the water decided the Wednesday Night Hawg Fights Bass Tournament Series winner this past week on Lake Fausse Pointe.

Andre Cazelot of Breaux Bridge made the cast that provoked a bass in the 2 ½- to 3-pound range to bite, cull a much smaller keeper bass and join two bass in the livewell just before they had to leave for a fast boat ride back to Marsh Field Boat Landing.

“It was pretty dramatic. We had a 1 ½-pounder so we probably added 1 pound,” Cazelot said as he recalled the finish he enjoyed with Greer Billeaud of Lafayette.

At the weigh-in, which started after 7:45 p.m., their three-bass limit tipped the digital scale to 7.55 pounds, more than enough to grab first place in the 26-boat field that showed up for the second WN Hawg Fights BTS tournament of 2023.

The 57-year-old Cazelot believed they had a “good shot” at winning the $585. He figured the three bass weighed between 7-8 pounds.

Billeaud, 30, agreed and said, “All the fish were nice 2 ¾(-pound) fish.”

Their nearest challengers were Johnny Schexnayder and Kerney Hebert, whose limit weighed 6.18 pounds worth $351. Hebert and his son, Brandon Hebert, finished second in the first WN Hawg Fights BTS tournament of the year on March 22.

Austin Theriot and Gavin Savoy hit the leaderboard with three bass weighing 5.94 pounds worth $234.

Cazelot, a U.S. Foods territory manager, was able to scout a few times the week before the tournament, Billeaud said, and located only a few bass. Water conditions are less than ideal for most of the lake, which make bassin’ success tougher, local bass anglers agree.

“We just went fishing,” said Billeaud, manager at Billeauds III in Broussard.

After the 5:30 p.m. takeoff, they headed to an area with stained to murky water and, most importantly, cooperative fish.

“There were just a lot of fish in the area, post-spawn fish, kind of fry guarders. We just kept it simple. We did what we like to go, go slow, put the poles down,” Billeaud said.

Considering the color of the water, some might be surprised bass were there and eating.

“Fish don’t leave. They’ve got to be somewhere. You’ve just got to get them to bite,” he said.

They got their limit in a matter of minutes. They caught more keepers, then hit the money with the last big bass put in the boat by Cazelot.

“I got kind of lucky and made a good cast, got him to eat it,” he said about his offering.

“I threw along the edge of a bush because the water’s high. He came right out and crushed it, just ate it. I made one good one and it counted. That’s how it goes if you get lucky enough to get one to bite,” he said.

Cazelot was happy to walk away with a win.

“I like to win one over there instead of second or third. Nothing wrong with that,” he said with a chuckle.

“It feels good. The Wednesday night deal is we all get together and have fun. Andre and I have fun fishing together,” Billeaud said.

Only six three-bass limits hit the digital scale manned by weighmaster Mike O’Brien.