North Louisiana Duo Takes Home Top Prize at Louisiana Saltwater Series Redfish Tournament in Lake Charles
OutdoorHub 05.01.12
John Sloan and Jess Griffith of Shreveport weighed in a two-redfish limit that totaled 13.95 pounds to take home first prize at the Louisiana Saltwater Series tournament in Lake Charles on Saturday.
To win the tournament, which operated out of Calcasieu Point Landing, the duo anchored on a western jetty by a break in the rocks where the current was coming through and remained in the spot through the morning. “After pre-fishing the marsh on Friday and only catching a couple of redfish, we decided we would fish the jetties, no matter how hard the wind was blowing,” explained Sloan.
The anglers took home a $2,300 cash prize for their winning fish.
Hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, the 2012 Louisiana Saltwater Series is comprised of 13 fishing events and targets the tag and release of redfish, speckled trout, yellowfin tuna and tarpon. With low entry fees, the tournaments allow anglers to fish close to home and compete for cash prizes while simultaneously giving back to the resource through tag and release fishing.
The LASS has seen a significant surge in participation this year, with the number of teams nearly doubling for the Lake Charles tournament. This increase in participation is also reflected in the number of fish tagged. Thus far, the Department has safely tagged and released 266 redfish caught during its first two tournaments. The results of the tagging will aid conservation efforts for redfish in the future, helping to ensure healthy populations and a successful recreational fishing industry.
For redfish tournaments, teams may consist of one, two, three or four members. For teams consisting of three or more members, only two of the members may be 16 or older. There is a $200 entry fee per team for each event. There is a 90 percent payout for the first six events with 10 percent retained for the championship. Payout is determined separately for each event based upon the total number of boats entered.
