OVERTIME OUTDOORS: Looking back at ’17, ahead to ’18 from A to Z
A is for ACADIANA’s many offshore fishermen who have said for years red snapper are plentiful in the western Gulf of Mexico. However, we’ve had to abide by ridiculous federal regulations for the recreational harvest of red snapper. Perhaps, just perhaps, a team of 21 scientists will set the record straight on the Gulf’s red snapper population. With $9.5 million in federal funds, plus $2.5 million from universities along the coast, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium assembled the best and brightest red snapper scientists. We hope they get it right, fair and right.
B is for BASSMASTER Classic qualifying effort by Caleb Sumrall, a local bass fisherman who defied the odds and earned a berth in the world championship of bass fishing the hard way. The Teche Area will be rooting for the young man as he fishes the entire Bassmaster Elite series and the Classic.
C is for COON Slough, one of my favorite springtime bass fishin’ holes. Well, it was. It has been unfishable, for the most part, the past two springs and shows no signs of improvement without underwater vegetation. For some reason, the grass that filters the water and harbors bass disappeared.
D is for DEER sausage, with rice and gravy and some veggies, arguably one of the top three or four meals in the Sportsman’s Paradise.
E is for ENFORCEMENT Division agents with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. They made a few high-profile cases this year in the Teche Area. Game wardens do more than enforce state laws, rules and regulations of renewable wildlife and fisheries resources so valuable to this state … they also conduct search and rescue missions, investigate boating and hunting accidents and provide boater education classes.
F is for FISHING families, of which there are many in the Teche Area. Some of the most ardent that immediately come to mind are the (Josh) St. Germains, (Chad) LeBlancs, (Trent) Heberts and (Gerrit “T-Blu”) Landrys. They always make a mark at the local saltwater fishing rodeos.
G is for GREAT, which is one of my favorite words. It’s better than good. Isn’t it great the Teche Area has two organizations like the Jeanerette Junior Hunter Education Club and the Acadiana Youth Hunter Education Club? JJHEC and AYHEC give boys and girls a chance to learn about the outdoors — hunter responsibility, orienteering, wildlife identification, etc. Five Teche Area young outdoorsmen and outdoorsmen advanced from state competition this year to nationals.
H is for HOPEFULLY our favorite bass fishing spots will return to normal when the Atchafalaya Basin falls to a fishable level in 2018. With luck, the Mud Cove area and Grevemburg, plus a few other areas, are hotspots once again.
I is for IBERIA Rod & Gun Club Saltwater Fishing Rodeo, which keeps getting bigger and better. The organizers have been able to keep it interesting and worthwhile while at the same time running the scales efficiently and keeping the leaderboards up to date. Can’t wait for the next one.
J is for JUG fishing, a very popular way to fish for catfish in and around the Atchafalaya Basin.
K is for KAY-CEE Saltwater Fishing Rodeo, which is trying valiantly to regain its popularity despite being the last competition of a long, long season of saltwater fishing contests.
L is for LOCAL conservationists and anglers making waves in the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, namely Kirk Sieber, who was elected president of the nonprofit organization Feb. 2, 2017, and Corry Landry, who was named CCA-Louisiana’s southwest regional director and began working Jan. 3, 2017. Their ascension speaks volumes for the Teche Area.
M is for Mister Twister, a long-time, popular Louisiana artificial lure manufacturer represented by several pro staffers, including my youngest son, Jacob. It’s neat to see a large photo of him with a nice-sized bass on Page 4 of the 2018 Mister Twister Catalog.
N is for NUMBERS, as in the growing amount of boats fishing the popular Southcentral Fishing Association circuit under the direction of Gerrit “T-Blu” Landry, an all-around outdoorsman. Competition ought to be stiff this coming year.
O is for ON step and running across a glassy surface to a favorite fishin’ hole, anywhere, any time. It doesn’t get any better than that. Well, there is one exception … on step and running across a glassy surface on the way back at sunset with a satisfying catch of bass, sac-a-lait, bream, speckled trout or redfish to dwell on.
P is for PUBLIC/private land (water) dispute that is changing the landscape of sport fishing in Louisiana. Fishermen are being shut out, questionably, of more and more waters, a development that prompted B.A.S.S. to make our waters off-limits for the Bassmaster Elite tournament April 6-9, 2018, on the Sabine River out of Orange, Texas. And don’t expect any more Bassmaster Classics out of the New Orleans area any time soon.
Q is for QUITE the quite, and very impressive, $160,000 raised Aug. 17 for the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana by the New Iberia-based Sugar chapter. The fundraising banquet was held at the Cade Community Center.
R is for REDFISH worth a 2017 NauticStar 2140 Sport bay boat with a 150-h.p. Mercury four-stroke outboard motor valued at $30,000. Drew Carlin, 31, of Erath caught that Aug. 9 in the CCA-Lousiana S.T.A.R. contest a few hours after entering the contest at Maxie Pierce Grocery in Intracoastal City. He caught the tagged redfish while fishing the north shore of Marsh Island between Bayou Michael and Bayou Lucien.
S is for STORY of the year for the local outdoors scene has to be Caleb Sumrall winning the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell in South Carolina. The cover photo on the December 2017 edition of B.A.S.S. Times shows what it meant to the 30-year-old Sumrall. Emotion creases his face as he holds up the trophy after qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic and the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2018. Way to go, Caleb!
T is for TRANSDUCERS, as in three I have had to replace after breaking the one in the back and two on the lower unit of the trolling motor on my two-year-old 18 1/2-foot Triton powered by a 115-h.p. Merc. It’s the Shoopman luck (mostly bad), as my wife, June, says.
U is for U2. Thanks to my oldest son, Joshua, I was fortunate to go to the legendary rock band’s concert in October at the Mercedes-Bens Superdome in New Orleans. Music that I have enjoyed for many years washed over me in waves. What a night. What a thrill.
V is for VUDU Vixen, the newest soft plastic with TPE from Egret Baits, the folks who gave us the Vudu Shrimp. The Vixens hit the market in November. Bill Lake of Houma, a charter boat captain and close friend, has caught more than 100 speckled trout on one of the artificial cocahoe imitations.
W is for Wednesday Night Hawg Fights Bass Tournament Series, a new evening bass fishing circuit for the Teche Area under the direction of New Iberian Mike Sinitiere.
X is for X marks the spot on a map for each fishing hotspot here in the heart of Cajun Country. … A lot of Xs.
Y is for YOUNG hunters in and around New Iberia. I am impressed with the number and quality of them. Dylan Trim, Logan Langlinais, Tate Denise and Trevor Haycock (see related story on Page A12) are among those on a long list.
Z is for ZZZZZZZs, which I want to catch up on before 2018. Happy New Year!
DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.