With the end of the year closing in on us and high ambitions for the upcoming year, here a summary of the LJBC’s 2005 season. We fished 12 tournaments this year with some disappointments and some surprises.
Our year kicked off in January of ’05 at Cleco Lake. The weather was aweful for this tournament. Temps never climbed and it was down right miserable. It wasn’t the best of weather but some teams managed to find some fish and bring in some decent stringers. Our toughest tournament of the year would be at Caney Lake in February. With only 12 fish being brought in to the scales for a total of 18lbs. The winning team, myself and Kevin Manuel, brought in a five fish limit for 7 lbs. The second tournament in February brought on the best tournament of the year which was hosted out of North Toledo Bend State Park. We had 42 fish brought to the scales that went for a total of 98lbs. The winning team, Jared Langley and Brittyn Meche, brought in the biggest stringer of the year which was 5 fish at 13.2lbs. Our next tournament which was the first tournament in March held at Pleasure Point on the South end of Toledo Bend was not as good as expected. 22 fish were brought to the scales for a total weight of 36.02lbs. John LeDoux and Robert Rollins took home first place honors with a 5 fish limit that went 10lbs. Next tournament of the season was held at Indian Creek and this one was a benefit tournament for a young man that was injured in an accident. This tournament was set up a bit different than our other tournaments. We fished with another club but a team from our club took the 1st place honors. Shannon Thibodeaux and Mark Norris weighed in a limit of 5 fish for 9.14 lbs. April brought on the last month for having two tournaments. The first tournament was held at Kincaid lake and we were surprise at the results. We had 48 fish brought to the scales for a total weight of 70 lbs. Keith Welch and John LeDoux took 1st place with a limit of fish going 8.14 lbs. Next was Henderson and again a lot of good response to this fishery.Aaron Lafleur and Todd Credeur took first with a limit of fish going 8.10lbs.
Five tournaments left and some of the members are approaching cut time. We only take the best 8 tournaments so here’s where we get to dump our poor performances. The May tournament brought us to Cotile Lake and our only night tournament. The numbers were real good for this tourny as 50 fish were brought to the scales for a total weight of 79lbs. Robert Rollins and John LeDoux took first place honors with 5 fish going 11.2 lbs and that was with an 8oz penalty for a dead fish.Grand Bayou was the next stop and Sean Richard and Darrel Duhon put on a great show with a limit of fish that went 10.13 lbs. Darrel also had the biggest fished weigh in of the year with a 5.2lb beauty. The Sabine river was next and lots of fish were caught but they were small. Josh Richard and Sean Richard took first place with 5 fish going 6.1lbs. One of our toughest tournaments was next on the list and that was held at the Calcasieu River. Mike and Jimmy brown put the winning plan together to weigh in 5 fish that went 4.5lbs.The last tournament of the year was held at the Red River and it was a pretty decent tournament. Myself and Aaron lafleur took first place honors with 5 fish going 11.4lbs.
All in all we had a good year. No real big stringers or real big fish to boast about but we had a great time. We also fished the UBCS at Grand Bayou. Altough we did not take home the championship trophy we did take home everything else. Charles Duhon and Darrel Duhon took 1st place team, Mike Brown and Jimmy Brown took home 2nd place team and Johnathon LeDoux and Robert Rollins took home 3rd place team honors. Johnathon LeDoux also had the biggest bass of the tournament which won him big bass honors on Saturday. Robert Rollins suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident on his way to the tournament and was unable to fish but was given a third place trophy as he was John’s partner. Robert is currently doing well and his leg is just about healed. A special thanks goes out to Mike Noble for checking up on Robert and keeping him company while he was in the hospital in Shreveport.
Here is the top six angler’s of the year:
1. Shannon Thibodeaux 154.15
2. Aaron LaFleur 144.9
3. Josh Richard 132.2
4. Darrell Duhon 127.2
5. Mike Brown 125.10
6. Jared LeBue 112.12
Congratulations to all. The following three anglers finished in the top six both years our club has been in existance.
2004 2005
Josh Richard 2nd 3rd
Darrell Duhon 4th 4th
Jared LeBlue 5th 6th
Good luck to all the LJBC members next year and I look forward to fishing with all of you again.
Jared LeBlue
