ZWOLLE — Almost like clockwork, bass big and small moved in and out of two areas of Toledo Bend.

Waiting to pick them off were bass fishermen from St. Martin Parish in three boats on their way to finishing higher than any of the seven six-man teams from  Teche Area bass clubs competing in the Louisiana Best Six. Eighty-four teams from around the state fished the annual tournament April 30-May 1.

The Catahoula Bass Association team rallied from a so-so first-day showing to grab the ninth spot on the final leaderboard at San Miguel State Park on the Louisiana side north of Pendleton Bridge. Paul Resweber of St. Martinville, team captain, who fished with Cory Champagne, also of St. Martinville, brothers Roy “Tee Roy”  Savoy of Coteau Holmes and Randal Savoy of Catahoula, and Kip Theriot of St. Martinville and Craig Andrew of Broussard checked in with a 12-fish limit at 30.45 pounds Saturday but came back with a limit weighing 35.54 pounds Sunday.

“Everybody was able to participate and turn in good fish. It was a blast,” Resweber said about the results.

“It was a team effort,” he said, “but I’d have to say Tee Roy and Randal really came through for us the second day.”

Another Louisiana Best Six team made a strong comeback the second day and won the prestigious title. Bussey Reservoir Bass Club, which had 41.80 pounds at the halfway point, closed with 39.66 pounds to win with 81.46 pounds.

The Calcasieu Bass Busters, who busted a 45.70 stringer the first day, came back with 33.46 pounds the second day for a total of 79.16 pounds and second place in the Louisiana Best Six.

Catahoula Bass Association’s team started Saturday with two boats at Housen Bay and one on White’s Flats alongside Pendleton Bridge. The Savoys, however, motored up to join Resweber and Champagne, Resweber said, to get in on the action before the day’s fishing ended but had trouble connecting.

Saturday night they all came up with a game plan that had two boats stay around the bridge while Theriot and Andrew resumed their onslaught at Housen Bay.

But the four CBAers by the bridge sensed any chance of making a move up the leaderboard slipping away just after mid-morning while fishing between the pipeline and Pendleton Bridge. They were in constant contact with Theriot and Andrews, wo were doing more than holding their own farther south on the west side of the lake just outside Housen Bay.

“Out of the three boats we only had five quality fish, so we said ‘something’s got to change.’ Tee Roy or I had to make a move to find quality fish. Tee Roy had a stronger trolling motor, so we sent them to the fish I had been on (during the bass club tournament two weeks earlier). He picked up a 5, a 3 and a 2 1/2 within the last two hours,” Resweber said.

“I think we made the right move by sending them. We had to explain to them where to go and all that. Whatever spot they ended up in was the right spot,” he said about dispatching the boat south of the pipeline.

The Savoys caught their bass on crank baits and spinnerbaits the second day, Resweber said. Pop-Rs, white/green jerk baits and wacky worms accounted for the other fish.

The ninth-place CBA team won $500. Also cashing in was the six-man team from the Louisiana Bass Cats, which finished 15th overall and second-highest among Teche Area teams with a consistent two-day effort at Toledo Bend. The LBC squad had 32.03 pounds with a 12-fish limit the first day and 32.06 pounds with a limit on Sunday for 64.09 pounds.

Those LBC members were Barry Romero of Coteau, captain; Patrick Crum and Charlie Crum, both of New Iberia; Todd Derouen of Coteau; Mike Louviere of Loreauville, and Junius Dore of Coteau.

Other Teche Area teams and their finishes were Lone Ranger Bass club, 23rd, 56.17 pounds; Bullet Bass Club, 39, 50.90 pounds; Jeanerette Lunker Hunters, 59th, 43.09 pounds; Louisiana Bass Anglers, 62nd, 40.34 pounds; Iberia B.A.S.S., 64th, 49.86 pounds.

Resweber and Savoy said it was rewarding to finish ahead of the other bass fishermen from the Teche Area.

“That’s always the best feeling. You kind of get to rub it in here and there, just like they do. It’s just that we’re on the good end of the rubbing this time. It was a little extra special,” Resweber said with a chuckle.

Roy Savoy agreed and said, “Well, I call Mr. Lynn’s team (Lone Ranger) the ‘Dream Team.’ That’s what you go for, anyway, to beat all those (area) teams. We go over there to beat all the local clubs. But when you do something like that (finish ninth) you realize you can beat people like Bussey. (But) it has to all go your way for two days. If we do a little bit that first day, my boat, catch another 4 pounds, that puts us at 70 pounds. …”